2013 YEAR
betta person of the
by Seig Illig
My wife and I always feel sad to leave an IBC Convention, old friends and new ones we just met and already look forward for the year ahead. The 2013 was a very good, well-organized, Dallas convention that was no exception being #20 for us and winning Grand Champion it’s something we always will remember. Being asked to write an article for Flare I will start with a little history about me and finding the IBC. Before moving to the US from Germany in 1986 I was explicitly involved in breeding and showing Australian Finches for many years with success. Plans to continue with the same goal in mind failed, because the lack of quality birds and clubs available in PA. After raising fancy goldfish and koi, I came across some articles in magazines written by Dr. Gene Lucas mentioning the IBC and its show system. I knew about pet shop bettas, but never heard about showing them little fish. Visiting the fish room of Don McCooey I was amazed about the variety of colors especially the solid ones. My mind made up I took a plane to New Orleans for my first IBC convention in 1994. There I was able to purchase about 10 Bettas at the auction Sunday morning. 2 blue STF from Annette Lurton and 1 Cambodian blue STM from Norm Fickeisen were my starter stock for our iridescent Betta breeding project and today all our turquoise HM’s, DT or ST can be traced back to those 3 fish. Finely, I found an animal I had fun in raising and showing, and so in 1995 our career in the IBC shows circuit could start.
As the grizzle and pastel showed up in our spawns we made it one of our goals to establish good grizzle and adding those and PK’s we could expand the number of show classes. Being members for 20 years our highlights were Grand Champions for 2013 & 2004, 5 times Reserve Grand Champion, 4 times Warren Young Award, 4 times Presidents Award and finished 12 times in the top 10.
‘‘To be continuously succesSful in shows means being dedicated to the hobby.’’
18 FLARE!
Other surprising awards included my Fellow of the Congress in 2002, Betta Person in 2009 & 2013 and Judy’s Gene Lucas Memorial Award in 2007. To be continuously successful in shows means being dedicated to the hobby and involves spending many hours in picking breeders, raising, separating and jarring show fish. Also, there are some things too that are not so fun, as cleaning jars, tanks, taking care of sick fish and organizing the fish room. I’m very thankful having the help and understanding of my dear wife, Judy. As for the future, we are still planning to keep busy in the hobby, concentrating on our turquoise HM and red show PKs. We will also try to establish a grizzled line again after we lost them. It seems like there is a growing number of IBC members in all areas taking a stab at showing. There Story continues on page 23
Betta Person of the Year 2009 & 2013
Fellow of the Congress 2002
Gene Lucas Award [Judy] 2007
Grand Champion 2004 & 2013
Res. Grand Champion 5 times
Warren Young Award 4 times
President’s Award 4 times