Bailey is a name synonymous with excellent quality Australian Game fowls within the poultry ranks throughout the country.
Line bred for almost 70 years, Alan Bailey's Australian Game fowls have won more major awards than any other line, however, that run came to an end with the complete dispersal of Mr Bailey's Australian Game flock after the national Australian Game Show in Parkes.
Mr Bailey has retired from his job and is looking forward to doing some travel as well as doing more judging.
He said that continuing to show his Australian Game fowls would mean relying upon other people and he didn't want to do that.
"From the day they are born, you need to be looking after your Australian Game fowls," he said.
"Basically I would get home from a show, then 10 days later new pullets are born and I would be back at it again.
"It really is a 365-day a year effort. I want to travel and I didn't want to rely on other people to manage my birds.
"You don't win the awards in the last two weeks before a show, you win it in the first two weeks of the birds life.
"I didn't want these award-winning blood lines to go to waste either.
"I couldn't just leave them for a couple of years and then go back to them - they would be a long way off the mark.
"This family of fowls has been shown with great success by myself and many exhibitors throughout Australia, including QLD, VIC, TAS, ACT and WA.
"This flock has a great list of winners including numerous times out the front at Sydney Royal, culminating with Grand Champion Bird of Show Sydney Royal 2019.
"There are many Champion Birds of Show at all games shows such as The Mid North Coast and three times Bird of Show at the NSW Game Show.
"They have claimed countless Hardfeather and Grand Champion Awards at poultry shows.
"I decided to sell this quality family of fowls, while they and I are at the top of our game.
"I'm happy other breeders will now be able to utilise the blood line in their flocks."
Mr Bailey said the dispersal sale exceeded his expectations, as did the praise he received.
"The write up I received ahead of the show was probably the highest praise I could get without being dead," he said.
"The response to the sale itself was amazing and hard to describe what it was like.
"People from throughout Australia bought my birds, including people from NSW, QLD, VIC and the ACT.
"There were even people from WA and TAS who bought via a phone hookup.
"Every bird sold with the Golden Duckwing first year cock topping the prices at $1320 which is a lot of money for a chook.
"There were also a number of birds which went for over $1000 which was very pleasing.
"As is often the case, the first two birds sold were the cheapest.
"One breeder got a real bargain with the Black Red pullet.
"Due to the wet weather, it began malting just before the sale.
"This resulted in it dropping all its feathers and it didn't look great.
"It was the Champion Hardfeather Large at Sydney Royal Show this year and went for only $480.
"The purchaser even said afterwards how lucky he was to get it at that price."
While Mr Bailey has dispersed his Australian Game fowls, he will continue to show his flock of Australian Pit Game fowls.
