The annual FBAS Festival of Fishkeeping weekend was held at the Sand Bay Leisure Resort, Weston super Mare on October 26-28.
Over 260 aquarists booked into the Holiday Camp on the Friday and several hundred visitors had free access to the Show on the Saturday and Sunday.
There were six huge marquees with a carpeted floor area of almost 5,000 square feet with many stands selling everything from aquariums to bonsai.
Trade stands included the main show sponsor Hagen, who, together with Tetra, supported the FBAS fish shows — the 'The British Open Championship', the 'Supreme Championship', the 'Supreme Pairs', the 'Supreme Breeders' and the 'Festival Open Show'.
The FBAS Supreme Champion was won by Steve and Debbie Edwards with a Chisel-tooth cichlid (pictured at the top of the page).
The Best in the Festival Open Show was won (from 250 entries) by John Egan of Port Talbot AS with a Wolf characin (above) – they are all members of the Port Talbot Aquarist Society, hence the Welsh connection….
A special competition developed over the year was the Diamond Jubilee Award, to celebrate the Queen’s Jubilee – this was won by Alan Finnegan of Leicester AS with an Elliot’s Cichlid.
Alan and his son Jack (pictured above) also won several other Firsts included Supreme Pairs and the President’s Organiser’s Award...
The Goldfish Society of Great Britain (GSGB) also held an Open Show at the Festival — won with a Bubble-eye Goldfish by Graham Turner of GSGB.
The UK Discus Association (UKDA) had 120 tanks, each with a giant Discus in the classes Solid Blue, Solid Red, Spotted, Striped and ‘Other’. Their Grand Champion was a Striated Discus by Clive and Sandy Brampton (UKDA).
The Killifish Keepers had a competition, judged to the Yorkshire Association of Aquarist Societies (YAAS) standards. The winner was a Spanish Killie (Aphanius dispar) by Mick Kirkham of AAGB.
There were many other competitions including three different Furnished Aquaria displays.
The Ladies’ Furnished Aquarium section with supplied nano-tanks, was won by Sylvia Anderson of Hounslow AS. The Individual Furnished Aquaria was won by Glynis Cambridge of South Hants Koi and the Society Furnished Aquarium (pictured above) was won by Island Fishkeepers (Isle of Wight)…
The club with the most awards was the AAGB – which won that award in the 2011 Festival too.
Chairman Joe Nethersell announced that the Festival will be on the move (again) in 2013, when the FBAS celebrates its 75th year. Next year's event will take place at the Hounslow Urban Farm, close to Heathrow Airport, although full details aren't available as yet. We'll keep you informed as and when we receive them.
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