The South Texas State Fair at Beaumont, Tex. poultry show was held Easter weekend, March 26, 1016. Ameraucanas had an excellent exhibition with 74 large fowl and 22 bantams for almost one-sixth of the total show!
Jacob Bates, judged the bantam classes. Ernie Haire showed seven whites with his cockerel winning BV and hen RV. Five blacks were shown by Madison Budde and Ernie. Madison had BV on a cock and one of Ernie’s pullets won RV. Madison also showed the only chocolate a pullet to BV. Peggy Taylor showed five blue wheatens. Peggy’s hen was BV and RB. Her pullet was RV. Peggy also showed four wheatens. Her cock won BV and BB and her hen RV. Ameraucana bantams are getting a good start in the SC district!
Newly licensed judge Bill Hopkins filled in for judge Steve Jones who recently passed away. Bill did an excellent job of thoroughly working through the birds and placing them according to the standard! The largest class was whites with 30 head shown by three exhibitors! Ernie Haire took the top two places with a pullet and cockerel respectfully winning BV & RV. There were 11 blues shown by 4 exhibitors. Max Strawn won BV and reserve breed with a cockerel. Max also won RV with a pullet. Eight wheatens were shown by three exhibitors. Matthew Smith won BV with a cockerel and Paul & Angela Smith won RV with a cockerel. Matthew showed the only blue wheaten, a pullet to BV. Peggy Taylor showed the only splash wheaten, a pullet to BV. Presently several ABC members are breeding splash wheatens to be able to get them as a recognized variety by the APA. This will cause the number of both splash wheaten and blue wheaten to increase at ABC meets in the future. Sarah Meaders has accepted the responsibility and challenge of this project for the ABC. If you are interested in breeding splash wheatens (either bantam or large fowl) and want to help get them recognized then let Sarah know! Angela and I are helping with the splash wheaten, splash and self blue recognitions. Speaking of splash, there were two shown. Paul & Angela had BV on a pullet and Mary Laska had RV on a cockerel. There were 19 blacks shown by 4 exhibitors Paul & Angela had BV on a cockerel which won BB, best AOSB and res. large fowl. The RV was a pullet shown by Dorothy Haire. This show completes the show season for many ABC breeders including the Smiths, Dorothy Haire, Ernie Haire, Mary Laska, Peggy Taylor, and Max Strawn. Breeding/hatching season is in full gear now! We are heavily booked for chicks. Max Strawn said he was also! Ernie Haire prefers to ship hatching eggs over chicks and has been selling them on an egg internet auction-many over $100 per dozen.
Any ABC member who wants to request an ABC meet in the SC district needs to let me know and we will get it booked before the next ABC bulletin. Presently have two more requested! Its really great to see many Ameraucanas shown and winning top honors and on champion row. They have come a long way the past two decades!
