Oamaru Poultry, Pigeon and Canary Society president Clint O'Brien said planning for the event was well under way.
The society had already received 600 entries for the show and was planning to stage up to 2000 birds, with all breeds represented.
‘‘Every chook in the world will be there,'' Mr O'Brien said.
The show will be held in conjunction with the society's 125th anniversary show at the Drill Hall, Itchen St, Oamaru, from July 17 to 19.
Mr O'Brien, who is also the New Zealand Association [South Island] of Poultry, Pigeons and Cagebirds vicepresident, said the idea of a South Island-hosted national show was first mooted 12 years ago.
‘‘We finally got around to it,'' he said, laughing.
The association's national show is presently hosted only in the North Island, every second year.
Mr O'Brien said it was hoped from this year the national show would be hosted in the South Island in alternate years to the North Island event.
All New Zealand Championship awards are contested at the show.
Mr O'Brien said the judges, all of whom judged 25 years ago at the Oamaru society's centennial show, were coming from throughout the country.
The society staged about 2000 birds at its centennial event - ‘‘so we've done it before'', he said.
The Oamaru society's show is one of the oldest in the country and one of the largest South Island shows, usually attracting about 900 entries from throughout the South Island.
Mr O'Brien said keeping pure-bred fowl on small blocks was becoming very fashionable - something which could only benefit the fanciers.
‘‘At least the gene pool is out there,'' Mr O'Brien said.
While the quality of birds kept on small blocks did not always meet exhibition standards, keeping the numbers up in the community meant breeders might better guarantee securing the genetics for future breeding, he said.
Mr O'Brien said, to celebrate the occasion, schools throughout North Otago were being asked to participate in an art project funded by a Creative Communities New Zealand grant.
The school pupils are working with North Otago artists such as Burns Pollock, Donna Demente and Trish Shirley, to each produce an artwork, 1.8m x 1.1m, depicting what poultry means to their community.
These would be installed at the hall and it was hoped could be kept there to provide a permanent reminder of the occasion, Mr O'Brien said.
- Mr O'Brien said people wanting to exhibit could contact society secretary Trevor Hill on (03) 437-1340 or email aehill @xtra.co.nz
