Ameraucana Breeders Club
by
Paul Smith
The Ameraucana Breeders Club held it’s annual national meet and Arkansas State meet at the HOTOPA poultry show in Fayetteville, Arkansas on November 7 & 8. Six ABC members from five states showed 78 large fowl, 26 bantams and 15 Jr. large fowl for a total of 119 head. Dr. Bill Patterson from Michigan judged the open show. The blue class had 15 competing with Max Strawn winning the BV and RV with two pullets. Max also won the blue wheaten class with a pullet which was selected Reserve Breed and Reserve Ameraucana. Paul & Angela Smith won the RV with a cockerel from the six head of blue wheatens. Clif Redden showed the only brown red, a cock. Hopefully brown reds, buffs and silvers will increase not only in the SC district but also in the whole U.S., as no buffs or silvers were entered. Since no buffs were shown, the decision was made to pass the Arne Schmidt’s memorial plaque on to the whites for our 2016 national meet. Angela and I plan to have some buffs for 2016 as we have some ordered from Will and Christina Kitsch. There were four wheaten shown with Sharon Caywood winning the top two with a cockerel and pullet respectfully. The white class had five shown with Jerry DeSmidt winning the top two with a cock and pullet respectfully. There were four lavenders shown in the self blue class. Paul & Angela Smith had the top two with a pullet and cockerel respectfully. We need to get use to calling them self blue, as that is the only name that the APA is going to accept. Self blue is the name used by all the other breeds that has them as a recognized variety. There were also four splash shown. Sharon Caywood had the BV on a pullet, and Jerry DeSmidt had RV on a cockerel. The two splash were selected the best and reserve AOV winning over the self blue. The black class had 30 head competing for the top spots. Max Strawn’s cockerel not only topped the class, but went on to be selected best Ameraucana, best AOSB then announced on Sunday to be Res. Large Fowl of the show-another great win for Max and the Ameraucana Breed. Clif Redden had RV on a black pullet. The black class was the only large fowl that contained trios. Two trios were shown in the young class with Jerry DeSmidt winning first and Paul & Angela Smith second. Paul & Angela showed the only old trio which was selected best of the three trios. Blacks also contained the only displays. Figured by the abandoned APA guidelines Paul & Angela scored 60 and Jerry DeSmidt scored 48. Figured by ABA guidelines Jerry DeSmidt scored 61 and Paul & Angela scored 52, so Jerry was proclaimed to have the best display.
Jerry DeSmidt showed 26 head of bantams. Unfortunately, seldom are any bantams shown in the SC district by any local Ameraucana breeders, as very few are raised in the area. Our ABC national meet wasn’t any different with only Jerry’s shown. Dr. Bill Patterson placed Jerry’s birds as follows: Black hen BV and pullet RV; Blue hen BV and pullet RV; Blue wheaten pullet BV and hen RV; Wheaten cockerel BV and pullet RV; white hen BV and pullet RV; splash wheaten pullet BAOV and cockerel RAOV. Jerry’s white pullet was selected reserve breed and his white hen won best of breed, and reserve AOCCL. Jerry received the champion, reserve champion, the best bantam trio, bantam display and bantam high point awards. Congratulations and thanks Jerry for showing an outstanding set of bantams at our ABC national and Arkansas state meet! Jerry sold several bantams during the show-so hopefully starts are here in the
SC district.
The junior show also had one exhibitor, Matthew Smith. Matthew exhibited 15 head of large fowl which were placed by Zach Rose from California. As follows: black cockerel BV and pullet RV; blue pullet BV and cockerel RV; blue wheaten pullet BV and cockerel RV; wheaten cockerel BV; white cockerel BV and pullet RV; self blue pullet BV and cockerel RV. Matthew’s white cockerel was selected reserve breed and his blue pullet won best breed, best AOSB and proclaimed to be Jr. show Res. large fowl on Sunday. Matthew received the champion, reserve champion, high point for both national and SC district Jr. awards. Thanks Matthew for choosing to show at our ABC national and helping with the table and egg entries,
instead of staying home and showing your pigs.
The ABC meets earn points for it’s BV and RV winning bird’s owners. 2015 begins a new award for each district to award it’s high point winner. Congratulations to Max Strawn on his accomplishments and winning the SC district high point. We have started a high point traveling plaque for points won at the national show which also was won by Max with a score of 184 points.
Jeff Vance and Sharon Caywood judged the four bantam egg entries. Jerry DeSmidt black hen’s eggs won best bantam hen and his white pullet’s eggs won best bantam pullet. Max Strawn and Clif Redden judged the ten (5 each hen and pullet) large fowl egg entries. Jeff and Cheryl Vance won the hen’s eggs from their black hens. Sharon Caywood won the pullets eggs with her wheaten pullet’s eggs. Congratulations to the four winners. Special thanks to all who brought eggs, the four judges, Angela for receiving entries and Jean Ribbeck for the egg trophies! It was a success, and drew much attention to our Ameraucana Breed!
We held an annual meeting. Several issues were discussed. Among them continued effort in getting new varieties recognized-self blue/lavender, splash, and splash wheaten; a member of both Ameraucana Clubs contacting the major hatcheries about the incorrect use of the name Ameraucana; the possibility of changing the names State meet and Special meet to an ABC meet. The Lifetime Achievement Award was proclaimed to go to Larry Clionsky who was unable to attend. A special award was presented to Jerry DeSmidt in recognition of his achievement of reaching the grand master exhibitor by accumulating over 1,000 points with the ABC. A drawing from the 82 names of new ABC members was held and Kathy Holly from Marana, AZ. won the new incubator. Meeting adjourn.
The silent auction was run by Sharon Caywood. It netted about $200 for our 2016 national awards. Several ABC members also contributed to the fund as they were unable to bring birds to donate due to the AI situation. Several ABC members came to see the national that weren’t able to bring birds, among them Don Cash, who did an excellent job of helping with the meet-especially manning the ABC table, Gordon Gilliam, Erne Haire, Dorothy Haire, Mary Laska, Spencer Crouse, Brant Barnes, Kelly Stockman, Brad Stoneberger, Jan & Mike Geis, Jan Wells, Donna Dunn and Jeff & Cheryl Vance who were awarded the farthest traveled plaque. Thanks to all who came to show your support of our great breed! The AI situation caused our ABC national meet to be down in number exhibited. The HOTOPA had less than half their normal entries, with about 20% of their show being Ameraucanas! An evening meal and awards presentation was held at the local Golden Corral. Thanks Sharon Caywood for getting this set up for the ABC!
Steve Beaty from New Mexico judged the Arkansas State meet. The results proves my statement “It’s one’s opinion,” as many changes in the top were made. Personally I feel both judges did a very good job!
Clif Redden’s black cockerel won the black class, best of breed, champion Ameraucana, best AOSB, Champion large fowl, and Res. Show Champion-another great win for Clif and the Ameraucana Breed! Bent Spur Bantams had RV on a black pullet. The blue class was won by Max Strawn on a pullet, and Paul & Angela Smith had RV also on a pullet. The blue wheaten class was won by Sharon Caywood on a pullet with Max Strawn’s pullet being RV. Clif Redden had BV on his brown red cock. Clif also had BV on his self blue hen and Paul & Angela had RV on their pullet. The splash class was won by Sharon Caywood’s pullet and Paul & Angela had RV on a cockerel. Sharon also had top two spots in the wheaten class with her hen and cockerel respectfully. The white class was won by Jerry DeSmidt’s cock which won res. Breed and res. AOSB. Jerry’s pullet won RV.
In the bantam classes there were some differences of opinion also. The following is how Steve Beaty placed Jerry’s bantams: black pullet BV and hen RV; blue hen BV and pullet RV; blue wheaten pullet BV and cockerel RV; wheaten cockerel BV and pullet RV; white pullet BV and hen RV; splash wheaten pullet BAOV and cockerel RAOV. Jerry’s wheaten cockerel was selected reserve breed and his blue wheaten pullet won best of breed and reserve AOCCL.
The Jr. birds are only judged one time. They have a showmanship during the second judging. Another great event for the Ameraucana Breed was completed!
