Can I exhibit my Irish canaries without rings?

I have a few Irish fancy canaries, which are not closed-ringed, and I would like to put into an open show. My question is, if the show is not patronised by the Irish club, can the birds be put in to the show without rings, and which class? Also I'd like to know more on show cage plans, classes and requirements. As a newcomer to the hobby, this seems to be something of a closed-book.
R.L., Worcester.

Brian Keenan, current president of the Yorkshire Canary Club, replies: Different canary varieties require closed rings in order to compete in the unflighted classes. That said, the birds can often be exhibited in the any-age classes, if they do not possess closed rings. This is a local matter for the show-promoting society, together with any specialist societies providing patronage for the show. I suggest you contact the show secretary of the show you wish to participate in, and ask his advice.

Regarding show cage plans, these are readily available through the specialist societies that promote the individual canary breeds. Again, it is simply a matter of contacting the club concerned. Contact details of various leading canary clubs can be found at: www.thecanarycouncil.co.uk

For the average DIY fancier's viewpoint, I suggest that the exacting standards for each individual cage make them both time-consuming and uneconomical to produce. There are a number of traders that offer new show cages at very competitive prices. Check the pages of Cage & Aviary Birds for sales of secondhand show cages. These can often be sanded down and repainted for use in exhibitions at no more than half the cost of new cages.