I first met Mathieu Bily when I was invited to judge the 2016 Baby Show in Belgium.
I was very impressed with the birds he entered, but even more impressed by his zest for life and genuine love for our hobby.
My 2016 Prediction About Mathieu
In 2017 I was able to pose a few questions to Mathieu about his involvement in the hobby.
What
city/town and country do you live in?
I live in Lesrterny, a small village in Belgium
How long have you been breeding exhibition
budgies?
I have been breeding birds for 26 years.
Winners at 2011 and 2013 shows.
How many years exhibiting?
I participate for 14 years after my meeting with Patrick Van Zwolle
How many birds do you keep?
I try to start each breeding season with 30 cocks and 60 hens
How many chicks do you usually breed on average
per year?
More and more each years(LOL) this year 200 babies
Who did your first budgerigars come from?
I was 12 and i got a gift from my father, 2 hens raised by hand by a small breeder whose name I do not know.
Do you still have this original bloodline in your
aviary?
No, between 16 years old to 20 sport... and later I discovered girls. These
interrupted the hobby
Do you have a mentor who has guided you in the
hobby?
This is no secret to anyone!!! Maarten Heylen is certainly the basis of my
success
How has your mentor helped?
He created the hidden feeling which was inside me since the acquisition of
birds in 2013
Which exhibition features do you find the most
challenging to achieve?
It takes a bird at the top, in harmony, complete, in perfect condition.
For the rest luck and judges with good eyes, that for the great show, it is for me the most difficult....
On the other hand, the quality is sufficient to win
a baby show. The problem is that some judges do not always see an excellent
bird in the moult transition. There is also a need for competition because
everyone raises quality.
Have you introduced any outcrosses/bloodlines in
recent years?
Yes, the great basis of Maarten Heylen has been a perfect mix with a bird of Harry Vangeneethen and Kris Huxley... and also a few birds from Harry Hockaday, and "The Boss" (Daniel Luetolf).
What features are you looking for in these
outcrosses?
Maarten the power in the body and nasal implantation.Huxley for the blow,
Hockaday the position of the perch, the quality of feathers, Harry
Vangeneethen a love story for the yellow face..
What features are you focusing on improving in
your birds?
Shape and size of spot
How
many shows do you attend?
1,2,3 shows , this year we participate in all the BGC shows history of going
up in the great course
They come from the birds that impressed you in 2016 with a new mix, story to
keep one step ahead
Please tell us about your favorite win at shows….
-One...!!!!! There are 3. The 3 bests in show of this year are one and same
reward of my partnership with my brother Julien
MJBI Mathieu and Julien Bily
What is the best bird you have bred? .. and why?
The "big grey" 2 times best this year, has for me all the ideal
characteristics
What are things you like most about our hobby?
They
are numerous, having a drink and and a meal with friends have a real
interest in the hobby, discussions about the behavior and food of parakeets
and so on....Ah! Yes...I forget..jealous evil tongues make me laugh as
well..
But what I prefer is breeding and see the young evolve
