Show Standards for the Welsh YCC based on the 'Golding' model

Within the Yorkshire Canary fancy we refer to our ideal as the 'Golding' model.  This beautifully proportioned canary depicted by the late Sid Golding gives all of us breeders a challenge in our attempt to reproduce the perfect Yorkshire.

The scale of points of the 'ideal' as laid down by our specialist clubs are quite clearly defined, but I trust the following additional comments may assist the novice.

The scale of points devised for the standard of perfection of the Yorkshire canary total 100 and are allocated as follows: 

Head: 20 points	Full, round and clearly defined backskull.  Deep and carried back in line with rise of shoulders.	The head qualities of the Yorkshire canary have greatly changed since the creation of the breed. A fuller head is required with no sign of flatness which can give a square appearance.  A good frontal rise from the top of the beak is a required asset.  This coupled with neatness at the backskull helps to give the required full and round appearance.  Birds with so called 'Goldfinch faced' ie; those with a pinched-in and narrow face, should be avoided.
	Eye as near centre of head as possible.	Avoid overhanging brow feathers which tend to hide the eye.  A bird with squint eyes often has a flat skull and has a tendency to make the bird look unwell.  A round, clearly visible eye with no baldness around the eye-lids is desired.
	Shoulders proportionately broad and rounded, carried well up to and gradually merging into the head.	Without a full round shoulder the Yorkshire loses one of its main features. A flat backed exhibit is always plain and lacking in character. There should be no suggestion of square corners as this makes the shoulders appear that they are hung on coat hangers.
	Breast full and deep, corresponding to width and rise of shoulders and carried up full to base of beak, which should be neat and fine.	The chest should start right by commencing from the base of the beak and should be proportionate with the height of shoulder.  A course beak can spoil an otherwise good exhibit.
Body: 10 points	Well rounded and gradually tapering throughout to tail.	Often it is the smaller exhibit that shows good tapering of the body.  Tapering roundness is best described by the old statement 'as if turned on a lathe'.
Position: 25 points	Attitude erect with fearless carriage, legs long without being stilty and slight lift behind.	When compared to the hands of a clock the correct position for a Yorkshire is twenty five to one.  The exhibit should grip the perch in a steady confident manner. If the legs are not laced correctly then the result can be birds that push themselves across the perch, which is not required.  Legs correctly placed will help to push the shoulder up, improving the outline.  Any inclination to crouch is alien to the breed.  A Yorkshire that is deemed to be stilty tends to break the outline of the bird on either side of the leg.  A slight lift behind adds to the style but to the degree of being Robin-tailed or hinged tail.  A straight tail aids a plain appearance which is not eye-catching for the judge.
Feather: 25 points	Close, short and tight.	With the Yorkshire canary we are attempting to produce the type of feather associated with the smaller canary breeds on a bird with greater body length.  Although not simple to control it is essential in order to succeed on the show bench.  Any coarseness or excessive length of feather is certain to spoil the outline.  A Yorkshire of the finest feather will appear as if it has been carved from wax.
	Wings proportionately long and evenly carried down the centre of the back and firmly set on a compact and closely folded tail.	While we require short and tight body feather, the opposite is needed for wing flights and tail.  The wings should be well braced without any tendency to cross.  Any fault with wing carriage will count against any bird in competition.  A piped tail is required which remains as closely packed as possible.
Size: 10 points	Length approximately six and three-quarter inches with corresponding symmetrical proportions.	A Yorkshire may carry many desired features, but if they are not in proportion with one another then the result is an exhibit that excels in some points and fails in others which presents a bird that is unbalanced.  This is again where a smaller Yorkshire often beats its larger competitors.  Length is an important feature and our written standard states 'approximately six and three-quarter inches' therefore a bird may be better proportioned at six and a half inches or even seven inches, depending on its other attributes.
Condition: 10 points	Health, cleanliness and sound feather.	Although only a small number of points are awarded under this heading, an exhibit should always be in the best of health and staged in a clean condition if its owner wishes to succeed on the show bench.
	Colour, pure and level	Since colour is included along with health, cleanliness and sound feather it may seem that colour is of little importance but in strong competition an even coloured exhibit will always fair better than a similar quality individual.  There is no statement within the standard in respect of depth of colour, just that it be 'pure' and 'level'.  Colour feeding is a skill that the novice will need to learn but natural colour should still be bred for. Whites and self and foul greens that are to be entered in those classes for non-fed greens should of course not be colour fed.