By FRANK HAYES, FOUNDATION AND LIFE MEMBER 

The first known attempt to create an Australian National Pigeon Club was made in 1948, and I believe there was at least one other effort before it finally happened in 1981. If you compare the ANPA National Show in Adelaide in 2005 to the first show in Sydney in 1982 you can see the effort was well worthwhile.

In Adelaide there were 158 exhibitors with 3160 exhibits covering 73 breeds and five international judges. In Sydney there were 100 exhibitors penning 1700 exhibits covering Australia’s only 40 official breeds at the time. There were no international judges at that first ANPA show, hosted by the PFS of NSW.

What follows is my recollection of the long, latest and ultimately successful attempt to create a national organisation in Australia. We need to appreciate the pigeon fancy environment in which the process slowly evolved over nearly 10 years.

My own story in the fancy is included in this recollection.

Being a bit of a go-getter, I was happy to be railroaded into taking on club administration in the mid 1960s following the passing of long time Secretary of the Melbourne Pigeon Society and Modena and LF Tumbler breeder, George Powell.

I perceived a lack of planning and coordination on many fronts.  Nothing much seemed to change, it was a “poor man’s hobby”.

I couldn’t imagine why the pigeon fancy did not have specialist clubs for many of the popular breeds.

I found we had to solve the same problems year after year, mainly ring size, design, quality and supply, show schedule class changes, lack of numbers of capable show workers and administrators, coordinating show dates with sister clubs and identifying competent judges.

By this time I was competing at other clubs’ events and traveling to regional and interstate shows.  I was finding it hard to accept the even wider range of event conditions, and the clash of some show dates, but more particularly the diverse quality of judging in many breeds.

And so I had what now seems an obvious vision.  Why didn’t Australia have one club with one set of rules? I restarted my engine early in 1971.  It idled very rough and short of fuel for nearly 10 years.

Many “high flyers” were reluctant to even help. The main barriers appeared to be based on protecting established territories and hierarchies and maintaining control of “backyards”.

The most passionate and active supporter was Graeme Jubb, a little younger than myself but professional and unstoppable.

Unfortunately Graeme moved 1000 miles north which limited our ongoing discussion but didn’t reduce our resolve.  Another key supporter was Walter Hitchell in New South Wales, whose commitment and role proved to be crucial in getting us off the ground and hosting the first National Show.

During 1972 a dedicated group from a number of states including mainstays Walter, Graeme and I had formed a Steering Committee for a proposed national body.

Walter was our very able Secretary and with 11 other fanciers we met at the Annual Show of the Pigeon Fancier’s Society of New South Wales (PFS of NSW) in May 1973 at the old Sydney Royal Showgrounds. Standardisation of rings was the secondary agenda item followed by Breed Standards.

The West Australia Fancy and Utility Pigeon Club had given 100% support and delegated Bob Clarke to speak on their behalf. I was representing Victoria but the Victorian Pigeon Sociaty had instructed that I had no power to make decisions.

The meeting agreed to invite all ring issuing clubs in Australia to comment on a ring proposal and noted that Breed Standards should focus on the UK for fancy pigeons, USA for Utility and the CA House recommendation (UK) for Showpen Homers.

We really didn’t obtain any positive move on forming a national as it was made it very clear that there was no point if we couldn’t get agreement on rings.

We gained more strength and direction to move forward and met later that year in Adelaide at the Canary and Pigeon Club’s Annual Show.

In Victoria we first had to continue to get the local All Breeds clubs together. I decided to approach the VPS and suggested to the late Harry Hellier that we should consider pooling our limited administrative and financial resources with a view to amalgamation, even though the MPS had consistently held annual shows with almost twice the number of exhibitors and entries.

I could not believe the response when he said “the VPS would be only too happy to absorb the MPS”. So, Plan B was no longer an option. I decided that our only common event was the Melbourne Royal Show.

Historically, their formal administration relied on each of the various Club representatives to argue a list of judges, stewards and schedule changes at their meeting every year, chaired by one of their Councillors.

This could best be described as an annual bun fight with the exception that the specialty Clubs had first rights. After some years of this frustration, I finally had reluctant support from the VPS to go there with one voice and so proposed the Victorian Pigeon Fanciers Advisory Council (VPFAC) which we created in late 1973.

The VPFAC was the ideal medium to coordinate show dates, standardise rings and show rules and to consider judging appointments, at least in our state.

In theory this was a “mini national”.  Our in-house delegates’ meetings were often pretty tense with Club factions testing each other continually.

Clubs were represented by their nominated delegates, one from each Specialty and Regional Club and two from both all breeds clubs.

Although rings were still always high on the agenda, my underlying issue was that we needed real judges to provide standardisation and subsequently agreement to go National.

By now I was tempted to give the National idea away, but Royce Keirl’s support convinced me to press ahead. It became very clear we would need to focus on individuals more than club officials.

Visionary pigeon fancier and passionate National supporter Les Ungvary in Western Australia had initiated a National Fancy Pigeon magazine which by 1980 had a large circulation across the country.

This made tracking down as many clubs as possible relatively easy and really helped to pave the way. At the time there were about 100 known recognised show pigeon clubs in Australia and Les kept spreading the message that we needed a National.

He had introduced a National Survey to identify individuals who would support an NPA and, as a result, we knew we had plenty of feathers to fly with, including some new, quality players from every state.

During 1980 and armed with this positive support, the Steering Committee was able to nominate Regional Promoters from each State and Territory, except for South Australia.

In the role of National Coordinator, I posted invitations to attend an inaugural meeting at the Melbourne Pigeon Society’s Annual Show in July 1981 at Melbourne’s Royal Showgrounds.

The Regional Promoters who teamed with us to move forward included Fred Tappin (Qld) Geoff De La Motte (A.C.T.) Wayne Ralston (WA) Howard Jones (Tas) Peter McGaw and Gary Browell (Vic) Garry Edwards, Dianne Campbell and Larry Horder (NSW).

We had started a bank account and already developed a draft Constitution which Gary Browell had masterminded.  After detailed discussions, minor amendments and circulation, it was accepted.

As Chairman of this first open meeting, I was satisfied with the small attendance of 20 fanciers from five states with many others looking on, although I had received initial subscriptions from 102 fanciers nationally.

We declared the creation of a national organisation complete with a realistic plan for the future and a number of aims to improve the quality of show pigeons in Australia.

We had yet to determine the venue for the first AGM and show for the following year. Interim nominations had been received for the various offices which were left open for a second meeting on 25th July at the Riverina Pigeon Society’s Annual Show in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales.

That meeting was chaired by Interim Chairman, Graeme Jubb who advised that Election Supervisor, Frank Zambello should receive all election votes by 17th December, 1981.

The meeting discussed the proposed first national Show at length with general agreement that a South Australian venue would be sought.  It would be held during the Show season in 1982 but would be planned by the incoming formal officers early in the New Year.

Our most committed and passionate stalwart, Graeme Jubb was elected ANPA’s first President (from North Region) with Rodney Harris (Victorian Fantail Club) elected as Secretary, subsequently taken over by Geoff De La Motte (A.C.T.) in Rod’s absence.

Because States/Territories were not formally represented as a group as they were in Victoria, it was determined that regional representation would be more appropriate, and so we had two Vice Presidents and a Committee of three from each of the North, South and West regions.

Special task positions included National Coordinators for Breed Standards, Rings and Rare Breeds, taken on by Walter Hitchell, Don Selth and Chris Gammage respectively.

Vice Presidents elected were Bob Appleby for West and me for the South. No North Vice President was required as the President was also representing the North region.

The North Committee was Walter Hitchell, Kevin Pope and Chris Gammage. South Committee was Gary Browell, Geoff Delamotte and Eian Rayner (Tas). The West Committee was Les Ungvary, Mick Leahy and Max Cox. Les Ungvary was Publicity Officer.

In the October 1981 edition of  The Australasian Fancier, one of our most committed supporters and Associate Editor of AF, Gary Browell, announced that as of 4 July 1981, the Australian National Pigeon Association was a reality.

As National Coordinator, I had received 125 memberships at the AF printing date.

However as the editor pointed out, that was only 25% of those who had pledged their support in the national interest survey.  Nevertheless we believed it was an encouraging start.

The Pigeon Fancy in Australia had now changed forever. The first significant challenge for all exhibitors was that they could now have the opportunity to win for the first time, a National Champion.

That proved to be a real drawcard and of course remains a breeder’s priority. Sure, we always need competent judges to justify such claims and this is still one of the most important responsibilities of the organisation.

Every fancier who signed up financially before the first show was to receive a Foundation Member Certificate and so another draw card was out.

Nothing was too much trouble for the passionate national supporters from the PFS NSW and the ANPA Committee who ensured that the event was one to remember.

I would like to pay formal tribute to all those 100-plus foundation fanciers who supported the dedication, commitment and persistence of ANPA’s architects enabling them to ignore territorial jealousies and focus on our national dream.

In particular we owe a huge thanks to the main drivers in our team – Graeme Jubb, Walter Hitchell and the late Les Ungvary.

Most importantly we should also recognise and acknowledge the courage and commitment of all of our Regional Promoters and first office bearers for without their willingness to take on the unknown, nothing could have been achieved.

And finally, thank you to all of our foundation members who made the dream possible. Getting started was just the start but by October that year there were 207 financial members.

Let us continue to put pigeons first, second and last.

AN EDITED VERSION OF A HISTORY OF ANPA BY FOUNDATION AND LIFE MEMBER FRANK HAYES OF VICTORIA.

The first known attempt to create an Australian National Pigeon Club was made in 1948, and I believe there was at least one other effort before it finally happened in 1981.

If you compare the ANPA National Show in Adelaide in 2005 to the first show in Sydney in 1982 you can see the effort was well worthwhile.

In Adelaide there were 158 exhibitors with 3160 exhibits covering 73 breeds and five international judges. In Sydney there were 100 exhibitors penning 1700 exhibits covering Australia’s only 40 official breeds at the time. There were no international judges at that first ANPA show, hosted by the PFS of NSW.

What follows is my recollection of the long, latest and ultimately successful attempt to create a national organisation in Australia. We need to appreciate the pigeon fancy environment in which the process slowly evolved over nearly 10 years.

My own story in the fancy is included in this recollection.

Being a bit of a go-getter, I was happy to be railroaded into taking on club administration in the mid 1960s following the passing of long time Secretary of the Melbourne Pigeon Society and Modena and LF Tumbler breeder, George Powell.

I perceived a lack of planning and coordination on many fronts.  Nothing much seemed to change, it was a “poor man’s hobby”.

I couldn’t imagine why the pigeon fancy did not have specialist clubs for many of the popular breeds.

I found we had to solve the same problems year after year, mainly ring size, design, quality and supply, show schedule class changes, lack of numbers of capable show workers and administrators, coordinating show dates with sister clubs and identifying competent judges.

By this time I was competing at other clubs’ events and traveling to regional and interstate shows.  I was finding it hard to accept the even wider range of event conditions, and the clash of some show dates, but more particularly the diverse quality of judging in many breeds.

And so I had what now seems an obvious vision.  Why didn’t Australia have one club with one set of rules? I restarted my engine early in 1971.  It idled very rough and short of fuel for nearly 10 years.

Many “high flyers” were reluctant to even help. The main barriers appeared to be based on protecting established territories and hierarchies and maintaining control of “backyards”.

The most passionate and active supporter was Graeme Jubb, a little younger than myself but professional and unstoppable.

Unfortunately Graeme moved 1000 miles north which limited our ongoing discussion but didn’t reduce our resolve.  Another key supporter was Walter Hitchell in New South Wales, whose commitment and role proved to be crucial in getting us off the ground and hosting the first National Show.

During 1972 a dedicated group from a number of states including mainstays Walter, Graeme and I had formed a Steering Committee for a proposed national body.

Walter was our very able Secretary and with 11 other fanciers we met at the Annual Show of the Pigeon Fancier’s Society of New South Wales (PFS of NSW) in May 1973 at the old Sydney Royal Showgrounds. Standardisation of rings was the secondary agenda item followed by Breed Standards.

The West Australia Fancy and Utility Pigeon Club had given 100% support and delegated Bob Clarke to speak on their behalf. I was representing Victoria but the Victorian Pigeon Sociaty had instructed that I had no power to make decisions.

The meeting agreed to invite all ring issuing clubs in Australia to comment on a ring proposal and noted that Breed Standards should focus on the UK for fancy pigeons, USA for Utility and the CA House recommendation (UK) for Showpen Homers.

We really didn’t obtain any positive move on forming a national as it was made it very clear that there was no point if we couldn’t get agreement on rings.

We gained more strength and direction to move forward and met later that year in Adelaide at the Canary and Pigeon Club’s Annual Show.

In Victoria we first had to continue to get the local All Breeds clubs together. I decided to approach the VPS and suggested to the late Harry Hellier that we should consider pooling our limited administrative and financial resources with a view to amalgamation, even though the MPS had consistently held annual shows with almost twice the number of exhibitors and entries.

I could not believe the response when he said “the VPS would be only too happy to absorb the MPS”. So, Plan B was no longer an option. I decided that our only common event was the Melbourne Royal Show.

Historically, their formal administration relied on each of the various Club representatives to argue a list of judges, stewards and schedule changes at their meeting every year, chaired by one of their Councillors.

This could best be described as an annual bun fight with the exception that the specialty Clubs had first rights. After some years of this frustration, I finally had reluctant support from the VPS to go there with one voice and so proposed the Victorian Pigeon Fanciers Advisory Council (VPFAC) which we created in late 1973.

The VPFAC was the ideal medium to coordinate show dates, standardise rings and show rules and to consider judging appointments, at least in our state.

In theory this was a “mini national”.  Our in-house delegates’ meetings were often pretty tense with Club factions testing each other continually.

Clubs were represented by their nominated delegates, one from each Specialty and Regional Club and two from both all breeds clubs.

Although rings were still always high on the agenda, my underlying issue was that we needed real judges to provide standardisation and subsequently agreement to go National.

By now I was tempted to give the National idea away, but Royce Keirl’s support convinced me to press ahead. It became very clear we would need to focus on individuals more than club officials.

Visionary pigeon fancier and passionate National supporter Les Ungvary in Western Australia had initiated a National Fancy Pigeon magazine which by 1980 had a large circulation across the country.

This made tracking down as many clubs as possible relatively easy and really helped to pave the way. At the time there were about 100 known recognised show pigeon clubs in Australia and Les kept spreading the message that we needed a National.

He had introduced a National Survey to identify individuals who would support an NPA and, as a result, we knew we had plenty of feathers to fly with, including some new, quality players from every state.

During 1980 and armed with this positive support, the Steering Committee was able to nominate Regional Promoters from each State and Territory, except for South Australia.

In the role of National Coordinator, I posted invitations to attend an inaugural meeting at the Melbourne Pigeon Society’s Annual Show in July 1981 at Melbourne’s Royal Showgrounds.

The Regional Promoters who teamed with us to move forward included Fred Tappin (Qld) Geoff De La Motte (A.C.T.) Wayne Ralston (WA) Howard Jones (Tas) Peter McGaw and Gary Browell (Vic) Garry Edwards, Dianne Campbell and Larry Horder (NSW).

We had started a bank account and already developed a draft Constitution which Gary Browell had masterminded.  After detailed discussions, minor amendments and circulation, it was accepted.

As Chairman of this first open meeting, I was satisfied with the small attendance of 20 fanciers from five states with many others looking on, although I had received initial subscriptions from 102 fanciers nationally.

We declared the creation of a national organisation complete with a realistic plan for the future and a number of aims to improve the quality of show pigeons in Australia.

We had yet to determine the venue for the first AGM and show for the following year. Interim nominations had been received for the various offices which were left open for a second meeting on 25th July at the Riverina Pigeon Society’s Annual Show in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales.

That meeting was chaired by Interim Chairman, Graeme Jubb who advised that Election Supervisor, Frank Zambello should receive all election votes by 17th December, 1981.

The meeting discussed the proposed first national Show at length with general agreement that a South Australian venue would be sought.  It would be held during the Show season in 1982 but would be planned by the incoming formal officers early in the New Year.

Our most committed and passionate stalwart, Graeme Jubb was elected ANPA’s first President (from North Region) with Rodney Harris (Victorian Fantail Club) elected as Secretary, subsequently taken over by Geoff De La Motte (A.C.T.) in Rod’s absence.

Because States/Territories were not formally represented as a group as they were in Victoria, it was determined that regional representation would be more appropriate, and so we had two Vice Presidents and a Committee of three from each of the North, South and West regions.

Special task positions included National Coordinators for Breed Standards, Rings and Rare Breeds, taken on by Walter Hitchell, Don Selth and Chris Gammage respectively.

Vice Presidents elected were Bob Appleby for West and me for the South. No North Vice President was required as the President was also representing the North region.

The North Committee was Walter Hitchell, Kevin Pope and Chris Gammage. South Committee was Gary Browell, Geoff Delamotte and Eian Rayner (Tas). The West Committee was Les Ungvary, Mick Leahy and Max Cox. Les Ungvary was Publicity Officer.

In the October 1981 edition of  The Australasian Fancier, one of our most committed supporters and Associate Editor of AF, Gary Browell, announced that as of 4 July 1981, the Australian National Pigeon Association was a reality.

As National Coordinator, I had received 125 memberships at the AF printing date.

However as the editor pointed out, that was only 25% of those who had pledged their support in the national interest survey.  Nevertheless we believed it was an encouraging start.

The Pigeon Fancy in Australia had now changed forever. The first significant challenge for all exhibitors was that they could now have the opportunity to win for the first time, a National Champion.

That proved to be a real drawcard and of course remains a breeder’s priority. Sure, we always need competent judges to justify such claims and this is still one of the most important responsibilities of the organisation.

Every fancier who signed up financially before the first show was to receive a Foundation Member Certificate and so another draw card was out.

Nothing was too much trouble for the passionate national supporters from the PFS NSW and the ANPA Committee who ensured that the event was one to remember.

I would like to pay formal tribute to all those 100-plus foundation fanciers who supported the dedication, commitment and persistence of ANPA’s architects enabling them to ignore territorial jealousies and focus on our national dream.

In particular we owe a huge thanks to the main drivers in our team – Graeme Jubb, Walter Hitchell and the late Les Ungvary.

Most importantly we should also recognise and acknowledge the courage and commitment of all of our Regional Promoters and first office bearers for without their willingness to take on the unknown, nothing could have been achieved.

And finally, thank you to all of our foundation members who made the dream possible. Getting started was just the start but by October that year there were 207 financial members.

Let us continue to put pigeons first, second and last.