The 62-year-old from New Plymouth is one of New Zealand's top poultry judges, and was in Dunedin at the weekend to judge the Dunedin Poultry, Pigeon and Cage Bird Club's annual show.
On recent weekends, he has judged at shows in Hamilton, Wellington and New Plymouth, and next weekend he will judge at the National Poultry and Pigeon Show in Masterton.
Mr Selby is not one to crow about his ability. But with nearly 50 years' experience in breeding and judging poultry, he is considered a legend in the "fancy" - or for the layman, Mr Selby is an expert in conservation, breeding and showing of pure-bred domesticated birds.
"It's been a life-long passion," he said.
"I've kept chooks since I was a child.
"For me, it's the challenge of genetics and breeding to a written standard of perfection," he said.
"It's definitely not a case of `If you've seen one, you've seen them all'.
"They are all quite unique."
Mr Selby was responsible for judging some of the 700 birds on display at Forrester Park on Saturday.
He was impressed with the quality of entrants, particularly an Old English Game Crele hen, from Oamaru, which he judged to be the "best in show".
"I'd give my right arm for this hen," he said.
