South Lakeland red breeder is in the pink with prize birds (From The Westmorland Gazette)

South Lakeland red breeder is in the pink with prize birds

4:53pm Monday 30th January 2012 in Farm & country

SOUTH Lakeland poultry breeder has scooped breed club champion prizes at Britain’s three most prestigious shows with his Rhode Island Red birds.

Jim Benson, 63, of Hallgarth Circle, Ken-dal, has won at the English National at Stoneleigh in Warwick-shire, the National Federation of Poultry Club’s show in Stafford and the Scottish National at Lanark.

He achieved his success with two birds, one winning at the two national events and the other ‘reversing roles’ at Stafford.

“It’s the best I’ve ever done,” said the former Cumbria County Council waste disposal worker.

“To win the three big ones in the country is a remarkable achieve-ment and I don’t think that anyone has ever done it before with Rhode Island Reds.”

Mr Benson began breeding ‘Rhodies’ after buying a trio of the birds from a fancier in Preston back in 1975.

“I just liked them,” he said. “It was the colour, the shape and type of them.”

Explaining what the judges are looking for in the breed, Mr Benson said: “The bird has got to be a brick shape. If you stand a brick up behind a Rhode Island Red bantam all you should see is its legs, head and tail.

“Feather quality is also important. The bird needs to have as rich a brown under colour as possible.

"The wing markings need to have black on the primaries which has to be half and half and the same on the second-aries.”

Mr Benson keeps his prize-winning birds on the Coley Barn Allot-ments off Windermere Road and also keeps Light Sussex and White Pekins.

The Rhode Island Red poultry breed was first developed in Rhode Island State, USA, in the 1830s.

Eggs from the breed were sent to the UK in 1903, and the American standard established in 1904.

"Rhodies" have a broad, deep, brick- shaped body, flat back and medium sized tail with prominent eyes and yellow legs. The male plumage is glossy, rich lustrous and dark red, whilst the females are less so. Rhode Island Reds are active birds, which enjoy scratching about, particularly on grass.