BAF

BRITISH AQUARIST`S FESTIVAL
FISHKEEPING EXHIBITION

SUNDAY 25th OCTOBER 2009

BAF 2009 by the FNAS
The 56th British Aquarist Festival was held at their regular venue, Highfield Working Mens Club at Darwin on Sunday 25th October 2009. As usual, the numbers of entries were down (the fact that the show clashed with a Cichlid Convention did not help) but they did manage 80 entries for the 40 classes and 20 in the Champion of Champions award.
The prizes were kindly donated by the Alden Show Team (these are Alan & Debra White and son Chris) and many of the entries were by the Alan & Chad Team (Alan White and Arnold Chadwick). At prize-giving these teams were given a special vote of thanks

The Chairman of the NGPS (Northern Goldfish & Pondkeepers Society) Sherridan Moores ran the auction (attended by 40 people) and handed out the prizes. Judge John Cowan’s wife Stella ran the large raffle.

There were three stands – Eric Hutchinson (NGPS) selling old aquabooks and magazines, the Aquarium Gazette DVD monthly with Editor David Marshall and Aquatic Services by Dr David Ford (shown here handing out Beginner’s Guides).

There was hot & cold food and a bar available all day. The Show was opened to the public from 1pm, with judging by John Cowan, Brian Walsh, Roy Johnson, Barry Booker, Bill Ramsden and Bill Ward.
Brian Walsh carved a catfish for John Egan and this was presented as a special award before the main prize-giving at 5pm.

The Best in Show award went to Alan White of Alden Show Team with an amazing Catfish called Planiloricaria cryptodon:-

The Best Coldwater was a Calico Fantail by Eric Hutchinson (NGPS) which is interesting because the same fish is featured in the advertising cards handed out by the NGPS.
Here is Sherridan presenting Eric with the awards.

The Champion of Champions Tropical was a Botia histrionica by John Egan of Port Talbot AS:-

Botia histrionica the Champion of Champions Tropical 2009

Sherridan presents the CofC Tropical Award to John Egan of Port Talbot AS

It was Alan White who won the Champion of Champions Coldwater with his Demikin Goldfish:-

The Champion of Champions Coldwater 2009 - A Demikin

Sherridan presented the CofC Coldwater award to Alan White for the magnificent Demikin, shown above, and then Alan White presented the Second and Third CofC Awards

The most awards winning team was Alan & Chad – Arnold Chadwick (President, FNAS) and Alan White (Alden Show Team).

Other prizes were awarded to Bernard O’Neil and Neil Dobson of Workington, Mike Kirkham of CSG, Reg Payne of Wirral 2000, and more. Arnold Chadwick has the full awards list on request.
	Bryan and Steve Crich of Sutton AS were disappointed that their Hypostomus margaretifer did not feature in the CofC awards since the fish had won the Supreme Scottish Championship at the SFAS Show in Glenrothes this year. Bryan and Steve, and the story of that win, were featured in a full page spread in their local Doncaster newspaper - all good publicity for our hobby.