Division 1 - Border

Norman Courtenay - My name is Norman Courtenay and I live in Donaghadee, Northern Ireland. I have been
keeping Border Canaries since the late 1990’s after purchasing my first pair for my
young son and I was immediately drawn towards keeping and breeding Border
Canaries. I attended my first show in 2001 and since then I have excelled at many
shows both in Ireland and the UK. 
I have adjudicated at many bird shows in Ireland, England, Scotland and Italy and I am
honored to be selected to judge the 78th US National Bird Show in Louisville, Kentucky.

Division 2 - Glosters

Dany Gheysens - from Temse in Belgium. I am a Butcher by trade. I have been breeding Glosters for 27 years with great success and wins at big shows in Europe. I was elected to the IGBA Judges panel 4 years ago and have travelled all over Europe to judge Gloster shows. Last year I was invited to judge a large Gloster show in Turkey with my friend Ludo Lenaers. My big dream has always been to judge in the USA. I hope to see you all at the USA National show in 2026. Best regards Dany

Division 3 - Type

Noel Rambraam- My earliest fancy for birds was as a child. Like most Trinidadian boys in my era, days were spent catching various tropical species and building homemade cages. I started raising canaries again as an adult in the US in my early 30’s. I began breeding American Singers and joined the Baltimore Bird Fanciers (BBF) club, one of the oldest on the East coast. After mastering all the tips and tricks of showing, I branched out to raising Red Factors. Typed birds followed soon after, including Yorkshires, Norwich, and Borders. My fondest memories were of traveling with my son and wife to the shows all over the East coast. Within 5 years, I was fortunate to win best color bred at King’s County, New York Show, best Yorkie at the Columbus, Ohio National Bird Show, and best Border at the Great American Bird Show, held in the Maryland. I was instrumental in the formation of the first all canary club in Maryland, named the Maryland All Canary Club (MACC). I continued to consistently win Best in Show with my Yorkies, Norwich and Borders at the Astoria and King’s County shows in New York and the BBF and MACC club shows. I was awarded the New Jersey Metropolitan Challenge trophy after 5 years of placing First for Best Yorkie. I also was honored with the prestigious Frank Gross Memorial trophy after 5 best in show awards for my Yorkshires. For the past 15 years, I have enjoyed traveling the US East and West coast, Texas, Ohio and Chicago as well as Canada, Puerto Rico to judge Type show birds. Throughout my years as a canary breeder and judge, I have had the extreme privilege of meeting other fanciers from all over the world and learn from the best of the best bird breeders, and after all isn’t that the most treasure trophy of all?

Division 4 - Old Varieties

Jim Pickel - I have been raising birds most of my life. As a child in Kansas, I raised pigeons, pheasants, quail, and other assorted fowl. Over the past years, I have been raising and showing Type Canaries, Old Varieties, and Finches. Aside from numerous Best in Show awards for both Type Canaries and Finches. I have also won Kellogg awards in both 1988: Best Gloster and 1989: Best Type with a Fife Canary. I have been judging for years including U.S. National Cage Bird Shows and several Canadian Shows, as well as the 2000 Canadian Nationals held in Windsor. I have been an officer of numerous bird clubs, Presdent of the Midwest Pheasant and Waterfowl Society, a past President of the Midwest Pheasant and Waterfowl Society, current President of the Old Old Varieties Canary Association. Currently serving on the National Cage Bird Show Bird of Directors.

Division 5 - Irish Fancy

Kieran Bridgeman - Living in Cork City Ireland
I have been breeding and showing Irish fancy canaries for 25 years.
In my time showing Irish fancy canaries I have won best Irish fancy canary on a number of occasions.
I am an Irish fancy canary panel judge and have placed awards at every cbs and specialist Irish fancy shows in Ireland.
Looking forward to placing the awards in the Irish fancy canary section in November.
Regards
Kieran Bridgeman

Division 6 - Fife Fancy

Roy Lynas - I live in Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland. My interest in birds started when I was about 10 years old. My Grandfather had previously kept Norwich Canaries and this is were my interest started. I kept Norwich for about 14 years and then moved unto keeping the Fife Fancy. I throughly enjoy breeding and showing the Fife and have met and made some great fancier friends over the years. I have also judged throughout the United Kingdom, Ireland and Malta. I have won many shows in Ireland and England and have won the Irish National Fife Fancy 4 times and have several runners ups. Through this quite a few of the top fanciers now come to me for birds. I would like to thank the American National organisers for the invite to judge, I count this a real privilege and honour.

Division 7 - Staffords

Jan Davie - I have been raising and showing canaries since 1996, starting with Gloster canaries and adding Stafford canaries when they were first developed in the United States. Having been involved with the Stafford Canary Club of America since the beginning of the breed in this country, I served on the SCCA Board, and have held the positions of club Treasurer, Vice President, President, and Member at Large.
Over the years of showing, I have always strived to learn from genetics and to breed the best quality canaries possible. As a result, I have won numerous awards at the National Bird Shows: Best Gloster Higgins, 6 times; Best Stafford Higgins, 9 times; and the Scannell Best in Show with my 2014 Gloster.
My husband and I have also owned a successful Pet-sitting and Dog-walking business for the past 30 years. Animals have always been my life, from showing horses, breeding and showing German Shepherds, and breeding quality canaries.

Division 8 - Lipochrome

Jan Van Overvelt- I was born in Essen, Belgium, on June 22, 1955. I am married and have two sons, one of whom sadly passed away from lymphoma, and I have two grandchildren.
I am now retired. During my professional career, I worked as a purchasing manager responsible for meat, spices, and packaging for an international food company, GoodLife Foods.
I began breeding and exhibiting color canaries in 1977. In 1983, I became a licensed judge for color canaries with the Royal Belgian Ornithological Federation (K.B.O.F.), and since 1992 I have been an international C.O.M. judge. Each year, I judge several C.O.M. shows in Belgium, Italy, the Netherlands, Germany, Spain, and France, and to date I have judged approximately ten World Championships (Mondials).
As a breeder, I have worked with nearly all color varieties, with the exception of the two most recent mutations, Satimax and Perla. My primary focus is on Greywings in all ground colors and Red Lipochrome. In addition, I continue to breed several other varieties each year in order to stay closely connected with ongoing developments; currently, these include Phaeos. For the past 16 years, I have served as Chairman of the Technical Commission for Color Canaries within K.B.O.F. I am also Editor-in-Chief of “De Witte Speerwen,” a monthly publication with a circulation of 7,000 copies.
Furthermore, I am Chairman of the Diamond Bird Show, an annual exhibition featuring approximately 3,000 birds, and Secretary of the K.B.O.F. Color Canary Specialty Club in the province of Antwerp.

Division 9 - Melanin Classic

Pietro Labbate - Immigrated from Italy to Canada in 1966, specifically in Montreal where I currently reside. Worked in the Hotel industry for 45 years, currently retired. I have been a member of the CACC ( The avicultural advancement council of Canada) for many years. I have been breeding coloured canaries for the past 55 years and been asked to judge them for the last 45 years. Mainly in Canada and US. I am honoured to be judging the Annual National Bird Show in Louisville Kentucky in November 2026. Looking forward to
meet the wonderful people that are crazy about canaries like me. Lets have a super show with lots of participants!

Division 10 - Melanin New Color

Luis Eceizabarrena Berroa. I was born in Irún, Spain, in 1961. A bird enthusiast since childhood, I obtained the title of National Color Judge in Seville in 1990. I have been an International Judge (OMJ) and COM since 1998 in Dos Hermanas, Seville. During my career as a judge, I have officiated an average of 10 to 12 competitions per year, including: In Spain, numerous regional and international competitions (COM) in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Betxí, El Vendrell, Málaga, and Tenerife in 2018 and 2019, as well as many Spanish Championships, the most recent being Zafra in 2022, Albacete in 2023, and Talavera in 2024. Specialty competition for phaeo in Valencia in 2021, 2022, and 2023. Specialty competition for yellows in Bornos in 2025. In France, competitions in Cavaillon, Antibes, Arcachon, Bordeaux (several years), and Sanari-sur-Mer. In Portugal, the International Tagus and Ornishow 2024 in Gondomar. In Belgium, the COM International in Geel in 2004 and 2021. Gouden Ring 2024 in Roeselare. In Italy, the Reggio Emilia International in 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2013. COM World Championships in IEPER 2002 (Belgium), Almería 2017 (Spain), Cesena 2018 (Italy), and Marché en Famenne (Belgium) in 2026. Also, some competitions in the Americas.

Division 11 - Finches & Softbills

Bob Peers - I started breeding and then exhibiting finches after I
retired from the Navy in 2001. I was lucky at the time living in the Chicagoland area
where there were multiple bird fairs every month which I attended on a regular basis and
quickly grew to know many of the people involved with finches and softbills in the
Midwest. In order to learn more about finches and things you can only learn from experience,
which I’m sure many others can relate too, I have kept and bred a fair number of species.
To include zebras, societies, gouldians, shafttails, diamond firetails, cherry finches, javas,
silverbills, nuns, waxbills, serins, crimson pileated, parrot finches and several species of
doves. Show zebras is something I have bred for many years and I have kept nearly all
the mutations available in the United States and birds imported from Holland and
England. When the position became vacant I joined the Board of Directors of the National Finch
and Softbill Society as Awards Manager. I have also been elected as 1st VP and
President. I am also a NFSS Panel Judge and enjoy the opportunity to help people
understand more about the birds they keep.

Division 12 - Parrots

Laura Tinker - I started my bird-keeping journey with cockatiels in the mid‑1980s, and today I maintain a diverse collection of finches, canaries, and hookbills. I began exhibiting birds in 1993 and have been passionate about the hobby ever since. Over the years, I’ve shown in multiple divisions at NBS and was honored to receive the Higgins Award in 2016 with a Zebra Finch. I have been judging parrots since 2012, and I began judging cockatiels with the National Cockatiel Society that same year. I have judged with the National Finch and Softbill Society since 2003 and have served as their Judge’s Panel Director for 10 years. I’ve had the privilege of judging shows across the United States, Puerto Rico, and Canada, including both the U.S. and Canadian National Bird Shows. Originally from Massachusetts, I’ve called New York my home for the past 26 years. I hold a bachelor’s degree in animal science and work in the medical diagnostics field. I am grateful to serve as your 2026 Parrot Division judge and look forward to reconnecting with friends at NBS where we learn, share, and grow in this wonderful hobby.

Division 13 Rare/Eyering Lovebirds

Renán A. Soto Matos - Puerto Rico. Since I was child, I have been interested in birds. While I was in middle school, I started raising parakeets. Then, I have some quakers and canaries, as pets. In 2006, I started with Agapornis and I haven’t stopped since. In 2010, I started to use bands on my birds. In 2011, I started to show birds and placed some birds for the first time in May under judges Joe DeLuca and Phil Ryanon. I had my first Best in Show under the judge Mike Miller. In addition, in 2012, I went to my first NBS on Saint Louis placing birds in both lovebirds’ divisions.I quickly get involved in the show’s organizations and procedures. In Puerto Rico, I had the opportunity to be part of the “Asociación Nacional Puertorriqueña de Agapornis”. I was chairman for a few years and organized two or three shows per year. I worked multiple times on each of the different facets of the show. I have the honor to serve as African Lovebirds Society Chairman from 2017 to 2023. In that period, we reviewed the bylaws, updated forms like the Judges Report, made a comparison of the ALBS birds names and the international, revised and approved the email board meetings voting procedures, and established the Fathers Founders Award. Another important achievement was holding a virtual seminar with Dirk Van den Abeele, free for the members and approved by the ALBS general assembly.I have been in the ALBS Top 10 exhibitors in points since 2012 to present as a number one top exhibitor 4 times. Additionally, I was three times Champion breeder (5 champions birds for each certificate) and achieved at least 5 Grand Champions. I had the privilege of winning the Charlie Anchor Award in 2015, also winning 8 Higgins awards under 7 different judges. I am very excited to be judge for first time at National Birds Shows, on Divison 13 Rares and Eyerings. Thanks to NBS and ALBS for the invitation, looking forward to a good show.

Division 14 -Peachfaced Lovebirds

Frank Horan - New York - I grew up in suburb of Dublin, Ireland and moved to Brooklyn, New York in 1980. I have kept many different types of birds and one of my earliest recollections is having a pet Bantam Rooster when I was 3 or 4 years old. Many birds have attracted me since I emigrated to the U.S. but Lovebirds, so far, are the species for me. They have kept my attention, and I believe will keep it. I attended my first Lovebird show in 2001 and have been an active exhibitor since then. I have been a top 10 exhibitor in ALBS for a few years, making it to number three for 2006. In the future I would like to achieve Champion breeder status. I was fortunate enough to win a Higgins in 2008 for a Peachfaced. I would like to win the Anchor and Scannell awards, perhaps a pipe dream… I am a retired Lieutenant/Paramedic from FDNY EMS. I live with my wife and daughter, in Staten Island, N.Y., without whom I would not be able to judge and exhibit my birds.

Division 15 - Cockatiels

Juliette (Julie) Mitchell - North Carolina - With over 25 years of dedicated experience in breeding and exhibiting cockatiels, Juliette (Julie) Mitchell is a respected figure in the cockatiel community. She began her judging career in 2011 and has remained an active judge ever since, contributing her expertise to numerous shows and events. Born and raised in Virginia, Julie enjoyed a distinguished 36-year career as a financial analyst with the United States Navy. Now retired, she and her husband reside in North Carolina, where they continue to breed and showcase high-quality cockatiels. Their aviary has produced numerous outstanding birds, including Supreme Hall of Fame, Hall of Fame, Grand Champion, and Champion cockatiels. Julie is passionate about advancing the breed through ethical breeding practices, education, and fair judging, and she remains committed to the hobby she loves.

Division 16 - American Singers

Thomas Yang - Michigan -USA. Tom is a seasoned professional in the food service industry, was born in Thailand, raised in France, and
relocated to the United States in 1993, where he currently resides with his wife, Emily, and their children in
the Detroit, Michigan area. His interest in avian affairs began at a young age, sparked by raising canaries,
which evolved into a fervent passion for the American Singer Canary breed after being introduced to it in
2003. As an esteemed member of the DRAGON Chapter 22 of the American Singers Club (ASC), Tom has
actively contributed to local and national levels, and his dedication led him to become an accredited ASC
Judge, receiving his judging card in 2007. Since then, he has judged numerous ASC shows across North
America, including the prestigious National Bird Show in 2015. Renowned for his expertise, devotion, and
integrity, Tom has garnered notable achievements, including winning the distinguished Higgins and Best
Song Canary award at the 71st National in 2019, breeding two Grand Champions, and attaining Master
Breeder status in 2018. Tom looks forward to judging the American Singer Canary division at the 78th
National bird show, expressing gratitude for the opportunity and wishing all participants success.

Division 17 -Rollers

Jacques de Beer - I am Jacques de Beer from Leiden, Zuid Holland, Netherlands. German rollers canaries have always been a part of my life. I learned from both my father and grandfather. Even when I worked abroad the German rollers were always around me. I've been breeding German rollers since 1975 and currently raise about 120 birds a year. I am a “Team Player” always showing my birds in teams, never singles or pairs, and have won multiple Dutch championships with my teams. This year for the first time I have bands from the German Association (DKB) because I want to compete at the highest level in Europe, the German Championship. I have been a national judge of German roller canaries since 2013 and an international judge since 2020. I judge about 10 shows a year and have served at the Dutch championship multiple times including teaming with Steve Billmire in Dordrecht in 2024, twice at the Moroccan championship in Oudja, in San Francisco at the Oakland International Roller Canary Club and at the World COM/OMJ in Belgium for 2026.

Division 18 - Timbrados

Orlando Pérez Crespo - is a breeder, song researcher, and certified judge specializing in the Timbrado Español (Spanish Timbrado). His career has been dedicated to the technical, biological, and musical study of canary song as a structured artistic expression and a recognized racial standard. His work integrates genetic selection with acoustic training, emphasizing clarity of emission, rhythmic consistency, precise articulation of musical phrases, and overall structural coherence. He is the founder and director of the National College of Songbird Judges (NCSJ), where he develops training programs aimed at preparing highly qualified songbird judges. As a judge, he is recognized for an approach grounded in: Structural evaluation of the song rather than personal taste, strict adherence to the Timbrado racial song standard, Emphasis on musical organization, tonal cleanliness, and technical balance, Strong commitment to ethical, objective, and practical judging principles! He has collaborated in technical, academic, and training initiatives in multiple countries—including Mexico, Argentina, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, and Spain—promoting the harmonization of judging criteria, development of new judges, and responsible advancement of the Timbrado song. Pérez Crespo views the role of the judge not as an authority figure but as a technical, educational, and cultural steward of Timbrado’s acoustic heritage.