A REPORT ON THE RYEDALE AQUARIST SOCIETY 25th ANNIVERSARY DAY

Report by Dr. David Ford
Photographs as credited

Held at the Old Malton Memorial Hall in Malton, North Yorkshire, on Sunday 11th July, the Ryedale Aquarist Society held their 25th Anniversary Day. This was more than an Open Show because the philosophy of Ryedale AS is “The little club with a big heart”. There were ‘Mini-Open Shows’ for special entries, such as Ladies Day (AV fish owned by a lady) and Dastardly & Mutley (unusual fishes, not normally seen on the show bench). There was also a craft competition with photographs and miniature models.

This beautiful Synodontis, well cared for by Bede Kerrigan of STAMPS, is a hybrid cross between S. decorus and S. pardalis ‘Czech variant’. He went home as the first fish to win a Dastardly & Mutley Class in the U.K. Photograph by David Marshall

The BCA (British Cichlid Association) had a Mini-Open Show with 4 classes. They also had an information stand at the Show. David Armitage of AAGB (Anabantoid Association of Great Britain) had a stand with aquarium fish on display and Fishphilosophy had a retail stand. David Marshall displayed the covers of, and posters about, Aquarium Gazette CD magazine but was too busy rushing around to have a proper stand on the day.

David Armitage manning the AAGB stand. Photograph by David Marshall.

Dr David Ford of Aquatic Services gave a talk on ‘How a Goldfish changed my Life’. He also helped judge the Open Show events, along with an FNAS ‘A’ Class Judge (John Cowan) and a YAAS ‘A’ Class Judge (Steven Grant) who pointed the 71 entries. Ian and Mary Fairweather judged the popular craft class. Steve Jones of the European Anabantoid Club then auctioned many items to an appreciative audience.

Dr. David Ford holds the winning photograph - a beautiful portrait of a Pseudocrenilabrus specie taken by Dave Hallam of Sheaf Valley A.S.. Photograph by David Marshall.

Auctioneer Steve Jones has the help of Ryedale members Richard Hebden, Mark Lyons, Frank Tolomeo and Henry Hallsworth. Photograph by Dr. Ford.

The main fish competition was a special ‘Ryedale 25th Anniversary Championship’ which was won by an unusual fish: Electris vittatus which is actually a family pet called George, by the owner, Phil Blackburn of Sheaf Valley AS.

A14 - ‘George’ the Electris vittatus, Winner of the 25th Anniversary Competition. Three YAAS, two TTAAFBAS and one FNAS ‘A’ Class Judges had their pointing scores averaged to find the Competition winner. Photograph by Dr. Ford

In the BCA Mini-OS the highest pointed fish was a magnificent Neolamprologus daffodil, an African Cichlid owned by John Douthwaite of STAMPS (South Tyneside Aquatic Marine & Pondkeeper Society).

The aptly named Daffodil Cichlid was the top-pointed fish in the Cichlid OS. Photograph by Dr. Ford.

And finally Steve Jones, whom is always ‘collared’ to hand out the prizes at Ryedale events, seen here with the 25th Anniversary Fish winner Phil Blackburn of Sheaf Valley. Organiser and Ryedale Events Secretary David Marshall is on the left...who is to be congratulated on organizing a successful 25th Anniversary Show. Photograph by Dr. Ford.