SYCC Chairman's Letter 2004
In the year of 1904 a group of bird fanciers decided to form a specialist Yorky club called the Southern Yorkshire Canary Club. And before you can stop to think about it, it has been in existence for a hundred years. I know it all sounds a bit silly, talking about it in this way, but to me, time seems to have flown by.

Stop and think about it. One hundred years sounds an awfully long time. What worries me though, is that I have been a member for about a third of that time, and I thought that compared to some of you, I am a new-boy. Looking back you all must have some fine memories of different incidents, that have occurred: some serious, some humourous. All sorts of things, at shows, when you've been out socialising, meetings and in each others birdrooms. I know I have heard many storied from fellow fanciers. When you have been doing something for this long, its difficult to remember things that have happened way back in those earlier years, and its not until you get together with others that your memories are jogged and everything just comes flooding back.

There have been some fine people in the SYCC who would have loved to have been around for this centenary year, especially those who dedicated such a large part of their life to the club. We've seen numerous changes in management teams, some lasting many years, some just briefly. My thanks go out to all of them, however long or short their time was. It was, and still is, appreciated. In my time, who could forget: Frank Fitzpatrick, Cyril Cox, Jack Little and many others who spent so much of their lives managing affairs for the SYCC. I could put down a list of names past and present of valuable officers and assistants, but I would only be missing several out, so I will leave the statistics to others. I am sure dozens of names will crop up in this years handbook.

The present bunch in this centenary year of 2004, lead by George Weeks and myself are looking for something special. A real big effort at making our show stand out from other years, while numbers have gradually been slipping down.

We are still doing all we can to produce a show and the best way any member can help is by bringing along their birds to make it all worthwhile.

Though compact, our latest venue at West Wickham can still cater for more exhibits than our last two shows, so if you read this in time, lets hope for a bulging entry for this year.

With all the excitement of the coming show, I must not forget to thank those involved in the 2003 show. Our judges as you will remember were our 2003 president, Mr Dennis Glasby and the very experience Mr John Gibson.

I am sure you will agree with me if you attended last years show that both did an excellent and thorough job pleasing most with their final decision. The show ending up with Mr Ben Smart taking best in show with his unflighted clear yellow hen. My congratulations go to Ben whose excellent team of exhibits thoroughly deserved the accolade.

This year once again I must thank all the presiding officers for their first class performances and can say without doubt an excellent working team working well together producing a great show. Also thanks once again to the ladies who ran the canteen. Your assistance is most appreciated.

Returning to this years shows, I must stress a small complication that occurred last year. Mainly due to a postage problem with entry labels. At the show, many exhibitors needed to fix labels on their cages when in the hall. Normally this would not occur, but the postage problem forced such a difficulty onto us. Movement of labels nearly caused all of the birds to get mixed up. Luckily, this was sorted out by the show secretary. Adopting my position of show manager I can assure you all, this will not happen again as this year, only working stewards and officials will be allowed in contact with the entries once benched.

The special centenary show will involve a new competitive edge as an in show competition. This idea, thought up by Peter Rackley, will bring a new feature to our show. A regional contest will -I'm sure- get you into the spirit that is intended, especially with the rewards it will bring.

It always needs a special occasion for us to think of new enterprises. Well done Peter.

New ideas in our hobby usually end up with aggravations creeping in, as we have experienced over the last few years.

This reminds me of the Yorky who tried to become a publican. He spent three or four years struggling to make ends meet. Eventually a friend suggested that he turn his pub into a brothel. A more exciting way to make things pay. "If I can't make money selling beer," he said, "Then what chance do I have selling broth?"

Good Luck for this centenary year to you all, and lets hope the luck will continue for many years to come.

Best Wishes
Reg Reeve