Author Topic: State Fair of Texas 2017  (Read 3924 times)

Paul

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State Fair of Texas 2017
« on: August 28, 2017, 01:39:52 PM »
  Considering all the adverse restrictions that the Texas State Fair Poultry Show now imposes on its exhibitors
   1. 50 day before the show entry deadline
   2. extra hassle of entrance through gate #15 rather than gate #2-so PT papers can be shown which were sent in with the entries!!!
   3. purchase of a parking permit
   4. only one exhibitor pass
   5. new rule of no advertisements allowed along with the extra heavy traffic that the fair creates, the extremely high food prices, the possibility of the TAHC quarantining every ones flock who showed, and the weekend before our ABC national we have decided not to enter any birds this year.  There are many other shows in the area that are more exhibitor friendly than the Texas Stat Fair.  It is scheduled to be an ABC meet.  The entry deadline is Friday September 1, so get your entries sent in if you want to show.  We will try to make it to the fair on Saturday Oct. 21, to see the birds and all who showed!

  Paul Smith

  P.S.  We committed to showing at the Texas State Fair before knowing some of their new requirements which pushed this show into the "no show zone".  Sorry if you were counting on Angela & I to be there.  We will try to make the new April show in Dallas.

Paul Smith

Birdcrazy

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Re: State Fair of Texas 2017
« Reply #1 on: August 28, 2017, 02:11:41 PM »
Wow Paul, with friends like that at the State Fair of Texas, who needs enemies? I don't blame you for not entering the show. I know shows need rules to follow, but some consideration needs to be given the exhibitor. Without exhibitors, how can you have a show? Thank you for putting the ABC National Show in the forefront ahead of the State Fair of Texas. Perhaps if others do as you, the Fair Board will take a look at their excessive demands.
Gordon Gilliam

Paul

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Re: State Fair of Texas 2017
« Reply #2 on: October 23, 2017, 10:05:09 PM »
 The Texas State Fair poultry show at Dallas was short of a total disaster due to new stock show rules which were not revealed very well.  Stock show officials tried to destroy the poultry show by not allowing poultry exhibitors to bring their birds onto the show grounds after 6:00 PM Friday nigh.  The past years exhibitors could coop in up to 8:00 PM, then from 6:00 AM to 8:00 AM on Saturday morning.  This year if the birds were not on the grounds before 6:00 PM Friday they didn’t get to show.  There were a lot of empty coops in the barn!  The poultry show officials did not like the new rule which they had forced on them by the stock show management.  I feel sorry for Craig, Kathy and Lu Ann who disliked seeing the show destroyed.  The junior and open show birds are shown together.  Melody Jonas judged the Ameraucanas.  Fifteen head of large fowl managed to get cooped in and 27 large fowl didn’t.

  Three blue pullets were shown with Clayton Tackel winning BV and Eric Waterman RV.  One buff hen was shown by Moss Haven Elementary into BV.  Two whites were shown with Lauren Craine winning BV on a hen.  The white cockerel was DQ.  One blue cuckoo cockerel was shown into BV by Dakota Weimar.  Dakota also showed two self blue pullets into BV and RV.  Four black pullets were shown.  Dakota Weimar won BV, BB and Best AOSB. 
Eric Waterman won RV and RB on a pullet.  One EEL which was DQ made the total head count 15.

  Six bantams were entered but were unable to get in the show.  A boycott has been called by some ABC members along with some breeder of other breeds.  The only way to get this show managements’ attention is for no one to enter or show their birds at the Texas State Fair in 2018.  This is the first show that I can say that I’m glad that we didn’t enter, as we wouldn’t have been there before 6:00 PM Friday.
Paul Smith

Paul

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Re: State Fair of Texas 2017
« Reply #3 on: October 23, 2017, 10:07:59 PM »
Large Fowl Show

« Last Edit: October 23, 2017, 10:31:07 PM by Paul »
Paul Smith

Birdcrazy

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Re: State Fair of Texas 2017
« Reply #4 on: October 23, 2017, 11:54:02 PM »
Wow Paul, It sounds like it was heart break city for many of the exhibitors. I'm glad you didn't get effected by it since you did not enter the show. I really feel for those poultry show officials who tried to put on a legitimate show with one hand tied behind their back. Is the stock show management trying to do away with the poultry part of the Texas State Fair Show? See you in Hutchinson, MN the end of the week.
Gordon Gilliam

Susan Mouw

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Re: State Fair of Texas 2017
« Reply #5 on: October 24, 2017, 08:32:58 AM »
Howard Story posted about this on FB - he didn't make the 6PM deadline (which was not clearly published beforehand by the Show Committee) and was turned away.  They did not refund entry fees to any of those birds, either.

I agree on the boycott for 2018.  If enough exhibitors/clubs do this, maybe it will be a wake-up call for the Show Committee.
Susan Mouw
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http://www.sandcastlesfarm.com

Paul

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Re: State Fair of Texas 2017
« Reply #6 on: October 24, 2017, 10:25:25 PM »
  I know that an empty barn is the only thing that is going to get the show managements attention!  The show officials will not even listen to their show superintendents!

  Paul Smith
Paul Smith

Don

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Re: State Fair of Texas 2017
« Reply #7 on: October 24, 2017, 11:18:57 PM »
Paul,  Most of the breeders in our area will not show at fairs.  Part of it is the hoops that county officials make exhibitors go through.  Part of it is the stress the birds have to sustain to be in close quarters with other's birds for a week at the time.  More time exposed to other flocks which may have some infection.  The NPIP P/T tests pretty useless IMO and are only indicative of that one eradicated infection.  There have been mandatory de-populations of farms after fairs where outbreaks of other things were found or suspected.  And there also has been a fair in our area where a child was thought to contract salmonella from one of the animal exhibits.  This caused all kinds of issues.

The old time poultry "string-men" are pretty much gone now.  But the livestock is normally a large draw for the fair goers.  Once the exhibit is down the Fair Board may realize its value and make changes.  I've even heard of one county fair that is paying a Club a nice check now to fill a certain number of coops for the week.  Time will tell if they really value the poultry exhibits for sure.       
« Last Edit: October 24, 2017, 11:26:35 PM by Don »
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