Colonel Pulling / Bruce White Shield
Competition 2025
Saturday 11 October 2025, 9:00am - 3:00pm
Tocal Beekeepers Field Day, 815 Tocal College, Tocal NSW 2421
BACKGROUND
The Col Pulling competition started around 1986 in honour of Colonel Guy Pulling who called the meeting on 3rd December 1954 that led to the formation of the ABA.
Later the Bruce White Shield was introduced to give smaller clubs a better chance to win a trophy.
| COMPONENTS of COMPETITION | ||
| 1. Honey | sub group | total |
| - Liquid and/or Creamed Honey | 20 | |
| - Frame of Honey | 10 | 30 |
| 2. Beeswax Products | ||
| - BeesWax block | 10 | |
| - Candles | 5 | 15 |
| 3. Honey Products | ||
| - Honey Cake | 15 | |
| - Mead | 10 | 25 |
| 4. Photography | 10 | 10 |
| 5. Quiz | 20 | |
| Total | 100 | |
SUBMISSION OF ENTRIES
Clubs are required to enter in at least three of the four groups (1. Honey, 2. Honey Products, 3. Beeswax Products, 4. Photography) and the Quiz. Scores will be calibrated to adjust for any category missed.
Honey, Honey Products, Beeswax Products
To be dropped off at the ABA stall at the Field Day on Sat 11 Oct 2025 by 08:30 am
Photography
To be sent to editor@beekeepers.asn.au by Sat 27 Sep 2025
Acknowledge receipt of the files will be sent to the club.
Quiz
The Quiz will be held during the field day. Details to be announced on the day. At least one club member is to participate in the quiz.
ORIGIN OF ENTRIES
Clubs are encouraged to enter products from their club apiary and/or their members.
However, products from non-members (including purchased products) must not be entered into the competition.
JUDGING SCHEDULE
Honey – Liquid and/or Creamed Honey
Per class (liquid and/or creamed honey) two clear 500g / 375ml glass jars without any labels are to be provided.
If liquid and creamed honey are entered, the average of the combined score will be applied
| Liquid Honey | Points |
| Flavour | 25 |
| Density | 25 |
| Colour | 25 |
| Aroma | 10 |
| Clearness | 10 |
| Brightness | 5 |
| Total Points | 100 |
| Creamed Honey | Points |
| Evenness of Grain | 30 |
| Flavour | 30 |
| Firmness | 30 |
| Colour | 10 |
| Total Points | 100 |
Frame of Honey
One Full Depth Frame of Honey. The frame will be totally enclosed within a sealed container / frame holder. Front and rear sides shall be clear to enable viewing of the comb. No trimmings of paper etc is to be added to the frame.
| Frame of Honey | Points |
| Fullness | 30 |
| Colour of Capping | 30 |
| Evenness | 20 |
| General Appearance | 20 |
| Total Points | 100 |
BeesWax Block
One block, square, rectangular or round, not less than 500 g and at least 25 mm thick of pure beeswax and contain NO paraffin or other additives. No fancy shapes are allowed.
| Beeswax Block | Points |
| Colour | 35 |
| Clearness | 25 |
| General Appearance | 30 |
| Aroma | 10 |
| Total Points | 100 |
Candles
Candles, moulds or tapers. Made from pure beeswax. Must be provided with a non- flammable support base.
| Candles | Points |
| Appearance | 25 |
| Burn Response & Wick | 35 |
| Feel | 10 |
| Ease of Lighting | 10 |
| Cleanliness | 20 |
| Total Points | 100 |
Honey Cake
A baked cake in which honey is used as the predominant sweetener and flavour. The cake must be submitted with the recipe. The source of the recipe should be noted.
| Honey Cake | Points | ||
| Appearance (colour, symmetry, presentation, uniformity, cleanliness) | 20 | ||
| Aroma (warm, inviting smell — honey should be prominent) | 20 | ||
| Texture (moisture, crumbs, density) | 20 | ||
| Taste (honey flavour, sweetness, complexity, aftertaste) | 20 | ||
| Compliance (recipe and origin supplied) | 10 | ||
| Overall Impression | 10 | ||
| Total Points | 100 | ||
Mead
Mead is an alcoholic beverage created by fermenting honey with water, sometimes with various fruits, spices, grains or hops. Mead can be sparkling (carbonated) or still. The defining characteristic of Mead is that the majority of the beverages fermentable sugar is derived from honey. Mead contains no products of distillation.
| Mead | Points |
| Flavour | 50 |
| Aroma | 20 |
| Appearance | 20 |
| Mouthfeel | 10 |
| Total Points | 100 |
Photography
Provide three (3) images taken by member(s) of the club submitting the images. The photographs will be judged as a group or a series/collection of photographs.
All Photographs entered must be made with a camera. No synthetic or artificially generated images are allowed, and no use of artificially generated fill is allowed. Any use of generative AI will automatically disqualify the entry.
For each image, provide a phrase or one sentence description and the name of the photographer. For example: “West Coast club healthy brood, photo taken by Judy Smith”.
Theme: “In the hive”
Condition of Entry: The copyright of submitted images is retained by individual photographers, However, it is a condition of entry that the photographer grants the ABA (Amateur Beekeepers Australia) free permission to use submitted images in print or digital products and/or publications produced by the ABA.
| Photography | Points |
| Relevance to Theme | 20 |
| Scientific Accuracy (authenticity, clarity of data, no misleading edits) | 25 |
| Visual Quality (focus and resolution, contrast and colour, composition) | 25 |
| Communication Value (purpose, context) | 20 |
| Composition and Metadata (informative, concise caption, clear attribution) | 10 |
| Total Points | 100 |