Branxton chooks shine at Sydney Royal Easter Show

Robert Bendeich’s poultry breeds were doted over by show judges, leaving his brood the winners of three major categories.

His double laced barnevelder was named Best Barnevelder in Show, after picking up a string of awards.

As if that wasn’t enough, his brown leg horn and red leg horn chooks were both named Champion in their standard class.

“It was quite a surprise, you don't really know how your chooks compare in the local area because there’s not a lot of competition,” Mr Bendeich said.

“There’s not a lot of people who breed the varieties we have around here.”

Mr Bendeich has just under 100 chooks and keeps the best 20 each year to show and breed.  

The rest are sold before they start laying so Mr Bendeich and his wife Leanne aren’t over run with eggs.

The success has the Bendeich’s already thinking about next year’s Royal Easter Show.

They are regulars on the poultry showing circuit in the Hunter and will have entrants in the Rare Poultry Breeders Association’s annual show at Maitland Showground next month. 

Poultry exhibits at the Royal Easter Show have to stay in pens on display for two weeks, but they stay only a few days when they compete at Hunter shows. 

The Sydney show has stewards who feed, water and care for the entrants until their owners arrive on the final day of the show.

Mr Bendeich, a concrete plant operator and batcher, said breeding and showing chooks was his “stress relief” after a hard day at work.

His involvement led him to become the president at Singleton Poultry Club, a role he enjoys.

““I was doing up to 14 hour days, six days a week, when we got into it,” he said.

“I didn’t have anything else going on so I thought I’d give it a go. “I’d recommend it to anyone, it’s gives you a lot of enjoyment.

“My father-in-law had chooks, we took over from him and built on it.”