Meet the Judge

Leon J. Saad
ABS Judge

Leon was raised in South Africa and immigrated to the USA in 1986 with his wife Vivienne. Having practiced law as a "barrister" in Johannesburg, South Africa for a number of years, Leon now maintains a legal practice as an attorney in San Diego, California, where he and Vivienne have lived ever since their move. In addition to their two children, Sarah (17) and Ian (15), both of whom have exhibited budgies as juniors, they maintain an aviary of budgerigars, two dogs (a mutt, Jake, and an afghan hound, Sasha), and two bearded dragons. Leon first got started in this hobby in San Diego. In 1995, while walking through a large pet store with his wife and (then) young kids, he spotted some pet budgies on display, and thinking back to pleasant childhood memories of budgies kept in a garden aviary by his mother, realized that it would be fun to convert an eyesore backyard shed into a garden aviary and keep a few budgies. Even before the project was completed, a couple of pet budgies were acquired, followed by a few more, when the aviary was ready. Leon learned about the local budgie club from an avian pet store, and attended a meeting. Impressed by the friendly members, and the beautiful exhibition budgies at the meeting, including a large light green opaline cock generously donated to him by one of the local champion breeders, Leon joined the Budgie Fanciers of San Diego County, and membership of ABS soon followed. Enjoying the keeping and raising of budgies, Leon regularly attended club meetings, visited local members aviaries, and read up what he could. Through generous support and encouragement of local members, the initial pet birds were replaced, and he started to breed exhibition budgies, showing first in1996. He became a keen fancier, exhibiting as a Novice 1996 and 1997, as an Intermediate 1998 and 1999 and as Champion since 2000. In April 2006, at Portland, Oregon, Leon got his last leg to qualify for admission as an ABS Judge Trainee, and after completing the Judge Trainee program, took the final exam and became an ABS Judge at the 2006 All American. Leon says that Portland, Oregon has a special place in his Budgie heart, since it was there that he had his great good fortune to win BIS, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and Best Young at the 2003 All American. Leon is an active member of BFSDC, where he has served mostly as program director, and at the national level serves ABS as legal counsel. He is looking forward very much to commencing service as an ABS Judge.

Last modified: 2/26/07