THE BIRDS
THE BIRDS Bill Hughes
By Jeff Davies
In 1971, when I attended my first NRC show, the exhibits were a mixed bag in type. Bill Hughes in particular, plus a few other fanciers, had a clear vision of the short, type, expression bird which had come to be deemed as the ideal. It was Ken White of Coventry writing in the 1960's issue of Feathered World, who put down what had become the accepted truth. "Get the heads right and you're more than halfway there".
That said, I believe it was Bill Hughes who instilled his vision of expression into the many, many aspiring fanciers who visited his wigan lofts to view Bill's superb stud of sixteen to twenty breeding pairs, and to imbibe Bill's straight talking views about his passion for his rollers.
I think it is no exaggeration to say that during a period of 20 years, Bill's stud won at more major shows than the rest of us put together. He was Mr Roller , but that was not his greatest achievement for the NRC, this was Bill's generosity with his birds. He gave good birds to everyone who showed real interest in the breed. Anyone who make the effort to travel to Wigan would go home with birds. I'm talking of dozens and dozens of fanciers. His influence was outstanding, and I believe he set the culture within the club which persists today; that being the way birds are given or loaned between members, and if sold, the price is minimal.
Bill Hughes passed away in July 2007 aged eighty one years. In his memory the NRC will this year purchase two trophies, these to be named the BIll Hughes Memorial Expression Trophies. They will be awarded anually to the Coak and Hen birds with the Best Expression in the show. Terry Broad has agreed to judge these classes in Jan 2009, so we couldn't have a Roller judge better qualified to pick the first winners.