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Bonnie Boyne Farms

Bill Braden Champion Turkey Breeder

By Silvio Mattacchione

Bill Braden's functional pens for some of his breeding turkeys.

On January 5, 2000 Janice Houghton-Wallace contacted me by mail and requested my assistance in a very important project. What was this project? Well it was a turkey project! It seems that most purebred turkeys in the UK had been closely bred. I was astounded to find out that, at the time, there were only 200 Bourbon Red turkeys in the UK and most of these originated from the same bloodline. In fact, I believe, from only one parentage.

A plan was hatched, by UK breeder, Ms. Houghton-Wallace, to import Canadian bred, turkeys. The first turkeys introduced into England, were imported by William Strickland in 1524, Spanish Blacks, I believe, directly from Spain. These Spanish turkeys were descendants of Mexican birds that were exported to Spain. So here we were 476 years later essentially doing the same thing, and in the process making great new friends!

Bourbon Reds in breeding condition April 24 2003.

Ms. Janice Houghton-Wallace former BBC producer, PR person and turkey lover without equal, was not after just any turkey, they needed to be show quality, of a particular required standard! The breeds that were of interest to her were Bourbon Red, Slate Blue, Narragansett, Lavender, Beltsville Small White and Crimson Dawn. Janice Houghton- Wallace was secretary of the Turkey Club of the UK. A group dedicated to the propagation, conservation and breeding of rare turkeys. Hopefully, these Canadian turkeys would be used to replenish and  improve existing UK bloodlines.

Finally After Two Long Years

After two long years with many failures were finally able to ship 60 day old poults to England on July 10, 2001. Of these 60 poults, 52 eventually survived and flourished in their new home in the UK. Not only did they survive but they made all of those involved in this unique little project extremely proud. How proud?

As they matured it was obvious that these were show quality turkeys and their subsequent results at the UK shows have now proven it! Janice proudly related to me recently, how she has won "Best In Show" two years in a row now. Janice ,as well as , the Canadian breeder and I are very proud of the following successes that she has attained, at major shows in the UK:

Lavender female: Champion Turkey at the National Federation of Poultry Club's Championship Show December 2001.

Bourbon Red female: Kingsbridge Fur & Feather Club Champion Turkey (42 turkeys entered) in Devon. January 2002.

NARRAGANSETT displaying in breeding pens.

Narragansett stag: Champion Turkey at the Turkey Club UK National Show, November 2002 and the National Federation of Poultry Clubs Championship Show, December 2002.

At various shows throughout the year, the birds have won Best Blue, Best Bourbon Red on numerous occasions.

The Royal Palms have improved with age and the generation hatched last year have produced some very nice females.

Royal Palm displaying in breeding pen.

Janice told me that her favourite turkey is the Narragansett, "It is a stunning bird."

Two Years Later A Long Overdue Visit To Bill Braden

Bill Braden sitting in his favorite chair.

Two years after shipping the poults I took the time on Monday April 28 2003 to visit the Canadian breeder of these exceptional birds. It was a very warm spring day, and I enjoyed the beautiful drive from Port Perry to Alliston , Ontario. I took all of the scenic back roads and loved looking at the farms along the way. As I arrived at Bill's farm he was just going out to ship some eggs by mail. Bill returned within 15 minutes and we proceeded to have a wonderful visit, lasting some 2.5 hours.

Bill Braden is a quiet, unassuming man. He loves his birds, both turkeys and his show quality poultry. He is the owner of "Bonnie Boyne Farms" in Alliston, Ontario, Canada. Next year, 2004 will be the 50^th year that Bill Braden has shown his stock (be they swine, turkeys or poultry) continuously at Canada's premier livestock show "The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair." Now that is an exceptional achievement, and I sincerely doubt that many breeders anywhere in the world could lay claim to fifty years successfully showing at an international level at one of the world's greatest livestock venues!

What Is The "Royal Agricultural Winter Fair"?

Bill Braden Champion turkey breeder.

What is the "Royal Agricultural Winter Fair,"you might ask? Held in Toronto, Ontario each November, the "Royal" attracts approximately 300-340,000 visitors annually. Billed as "COUNTRY COMES TO THE CITY," 2003 will be the Royal's 81^st  Anniversary.

The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, is the world's largest indoor combined agricultural, horticultural, canine and equestrian event. The Royal is a showcase of the very best in agriculture in the world today. Breeders and buyers come from virtually all countries to the Royal as a source of "World Class" breeding stock! You can understand therefore that to breed a winner at the Royal is a great honor, to do so year in and year out is a dream come true. Bill Braden has dominated the Turkey exhibitions at the Royal, eight of the last nine years. An incredible achievement once you know that he only began breeding turkeys 14 years ago.

Bonnie Boyne Farms

Bill collects turkey eggs for 14 days before incubating.

Bill had worked with, The Ministry of Natural Resources/Parks and Recreation, having started with them in 1958 and retired in 1989. However along with the Ministry employment Bill also owned and operated a 3^rd generation family farm in Alliston, Ontario, called Bonnie Boyne Farms. Bill wasa breeder of purebred swine, including Landrace, Yorkshire and Hampshire. Bill advised that as a young man he purchased his first purebred winning sow in 1950 and his first purebred winning boar in 1952.The result of this mating was the Junior Champion Boar for 1954. Since that time Bill has won more shows than most breeders will ever think of entering and has exported his purebred swine to at least a dozen countries around the world. I think we can safely say that Bill Braden has what we call "stock sense." It seems that whatever he puts his mind to breeding, success will soon likely follow.

Bill's dining room full of turkey eggs collected in the previous 14 days.

Bill usually hatches some 250 eggs in any given year but in 2002 he hatched 400 eggs. He says that he can safely collect and hold his turkey eggs at room temperature for 14 days at a time and still maintain excellent hatchability. I found it interesting to note that Bill makes it a point to keep poultry and pigeons together with his turkeys in the same spacious breeding and holding pens (I and many others were under the mistaken impression that turkeys and poultry had to be maintained separately). Bill strives for natural immunity and I can safely say that his stock is exceptionally fit and healthy. Most of Bill's stock is sold throughout Canada, from coast to coast.

At age 68 he says that he does not enjoy going to the super busy and ever changing Toronto International Airport and therefore refuses most request to export his stock to the USA. I actually hope to change this in the future by offering my services to would be importers of Bill's stock.

So Just How Good Are Bill Braden's Turkeys?

Evidence of years of winning at all levels. Bill has had the Champion turkeys at the “Royal Winter Fair” in Toronto 8 of the last 9 years.

What follows are the actual show results for 2002, 2001, and 2000 as posted on the site of the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair as you can see it really is safe to say that Bill Braden dominates the breeding of exceptional show quality turkey stock in Canada.

The 81^st edition of the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair will be special for to Bill for many reasons. First it will be his 49^th Royal and secondly he has been asked to co ordinate and take full responsibility for the Royal Poultry Show this year. At age 68 this exceptional breeder has many years of showing and breeding ahead of him and thanks to his efforts over the past 14 years the quality of Canadian purebred turkeys has benefited from his more than 50 years of stock sense!

2002 Results: Turkeys

2001 Results: Turkeys

Source document from : http://www.royalfair.org/rwf_agri/results/2001/1210.HTM

2000 Results: Turkey