Noel Matthews Memorial Poultry Show

Queenslands largest specialist breed show!

About Us

We are currently the largest specialist poultry breed show in Queensland, and have been for a number of years. Our show was named to honour the memory of one of Queensland's top poultry administrators and a very successful exhibitor of various breeds, especially Black Leghorns - Mr Noel Matthews.


The breeds exhibited at our show are:

Ancona

Indian Game

Leghorn

Minorca / Andalusian

Pekin

Rhode Island


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History

The Ancona, Langshan, Leghorn and Rhode Island Clubs staged successful combined specialist breed shows at Boonah in 1985, Gatton in 1986 and 1987. The first show at Boonah on 22 June, 1985, was the first show of its kind in Queensland. The host club provided the catering and facilities, however, each of the specialist breed clubs was responsible for running their own respective sections, selecting their own judge, arranging their own schedules, trophies, cards etc. Each breed was to have a unique numbering system for their pen number ie A1, A2 etc for Ancona, R1, R2 for Rhode Islands etc, and this system continues until the present day.

On 13 August, 1988, at the Brisbane Royal, two representatives from each of the Ancona, Leghorn, Langshan and Rhode Island Clubs in Queensland decided to reform the combined feature poultry show for these breeds and name it the "Noel Matthews Memorial Show" in honour of Noel's contributions to the poultry fancy.

In 1989, the show was held at Gatton with the Ancona, Langshan, Leghorn and Rhode Island Clubs, however, this was the last show that the Langshan Club was involved in as they wished to rotate their show venue. The Pekin Club of NSW and its members were invited to be involved in the 1990 show and a Queensland Pekin Club was later formed as a result of this.

In 1990, the show moved to Rosewood Showgrounds on the 2nd Saturday of July, and it has remained on this day and venue ever since, being one of the few poultry pavilions in Queensland large enough to hold a show of this size and that was central to as many of the breeds' exhibitors as possible. Rosewood Poultry Club members have assisted with pavilion preparation and catered for the show ever since.

In 1993, it was decided to invite the Minorcas to join the show and they have participated since 1994, with the Andalusians being included in 2000 'under the wing' of the Queensland Minorca Club.

In 1994, The Noel Matthews Memorial Show was incorporated and was re-named the Noel Matthews Memorial Poultry Show Association Inc.

When Ipswich City Council took over control of the Showgrounds they built a brand new multi-purpose facility which was completed in mid 2010 just in time for our 2010 show. The new pavilion is huge, well lit and has 1208 pens mounted on movable trolleys to allow for changes to the configuration of the pens and also for them to be easily moved and stored when the pavilion is used for other purposes.

In 2010, it was decided to invite the Queensland Branch of the Indian Game Club to join the 2011 show on a trial basis.

2011 saw every pen filled - 1208 in total. Whilst most of the exhibitors are drawn from South East Queensland and Northern New South Wales, a number of fanciers travel from as far north as Mackay and as far south as Sydney, to attend this premier event in the exhibition calendar.

In the years since this the shed has been at full capacity give or take a couple of no shows on the day.


Noel Matthews Himself

Noel was born in Toowoomba on 24 December, 1918 and spent his early days working on the Darling Downs. Later he spent a short time in Tasmania, where he met his wife Marion and they were married in Launceston in 1953. During his stay in Tasmania, he met the late Wal Scott and also Max Beaumont, and it was from here that he became associated with show poultry. In 1952 Noel obtained a 'pullet breeding line' of Black Leghorns from the legendary JB Salmond, Deer Park, Victoria, whilst living in Tasmania. He maintained this strain until his death in 1986. Over the years Noel had other breeds, and it was only in his later years did he commence breeding Anconas. Noel had winning Anconas exhibited at the Brisbane Royal only weeks before his passing. Noel passed away in Toowoomba after a long illness on 1 September, 1986.


Noel was involved with the following Queensland poultry clubs and associations:

*  a foundation and life member of Oakey Bantam and Pigeon Club

*  a patron and life member of Warwick Poultry Club

*  a member of Toowoomba Poultry, Pigeon and Caged Bird Club

*  a foundation member of Gatton Feather Club

*  secretary of the Queensland Branch of the Leghorn Club of Australia

*  foundation member and secretary of the Queensland Branch of the Ancona Club of Australia from its inception in 1982 until 1986

*  secretary/treasurer of the All Feathered Clubs Advisory Council of Queensland (later renamed to Feather Clubs Association of Queensland Inc) for a period of 8 years

*  honorary steward with the Brisbane Royal for 10 years


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