Undisputed bantam champion

Majella Tierney’s rooster will be going for three in a row when he returns to next year’s Virginia Show. “He’s getting to be a bit of a pro at Virginia, he’ll be giving autographs soon,” the Laragh woman laughs, having taken her prize winning Brahma out of the show cage.

The Brahma looked resplendent with his wattle and comb as red as the rosette he just claimed in the Bantam heavy soft feather class.

“They look at the shape,” says Majella of what impresses the judges, “the carriage, and the feathers on the feet is a big thing with that breed, and that’s quite hard to maintain, especially in the wet weather.” The mid-week Virginia Show draws poultry owners from around the country, and most of the sector was dominated by owners the length of the western seaboard. Such stiff competition makes Majella’s achievement in preparing her birds to such a high standard all the more impressive. She also claimed first in the Bantam hard feather class. “There’s very high standard of birds here today, and coming from long journeys - and it’s great to see them.”

Aged about two and a half, her Brahma has every chance of adding to his haul of rosettes. “They typically get better with age,” Majella says of the American breed. “He’s actually improved as he’s got older.”