Author Topic: South-Central District and Fayetteville, Arkansas club meet Nov. 4 & 5, 2017  (Read 8763 times)

Susan Mouw

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I wish you would post it, Ernie.  I think you'd find quite a few in agreement...
Susan Mouw
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Susan Mouw

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  He looks great!  I agree with your assessment.  From the grayed out photo his wings are not visible to access the carriage or tips.  Cockerels raised in hot regions will have larger combs than cockerels raised where it is cooler and doesn't stay hot for long periods of time.  A few years ago we only missed a day or two seeing 100 or above for 100 consecutive days.

This is the full picture of the bird posted.  But you saw him this past weekend at Dixie Classic, so can make your assessments from the real thing. ;)

Susan Mouw
Sand Castles Farm
http://www.sandcastlesfarm.com

Peggy Taylor

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Well, I've been the same route as Ernie and came to the same conclusion.  Doesn't do any good to go round and round the same tree.  We can write that "novel" Ernie referred to but everything boils down to the fact that if judges do not adhere to every part of the standard as much as possible with their judging then its pretty meaningless anyway.

My primary focus is on the Bantams. I enjoy them.  My program with them has been working pretty well. So, I think I will just stay on the same track. However, there are some of the same issues beginning to show up with the Bantams as with the large fowl. I will be watching judges closely in the Bantam division and make my show decisions accordingly.

I won't be able to make it to Shawnee this week end but wish everyone good luck and sake travels.

Peggy

 

Susan Mouw

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I'm just going to throw this out there...

I bred/raised/showed dogs in the AKC venue since the early 70's.  The breeds I mainly worked with were Golden Retrievers, Smooth Fox Terriers, and Doberman Pinschers; although I ventured into a few other breeds from time to time to see if I liked them.  In showing dogs in conformation (where they were judged for their resemblance to the Standard for their breed), you have two ways of showing - owner handled, where the registered owner of the dog takes it in the ring, or hiring a professional handler.  I've done both, but I learned, by about the mid 80's, to take a Dobe into the ring as an owner-handler was to admit defeat walking in the ring.  Why?  Because the handlers had taken over the breed.  I may have been a fairly good handler of my dogs, but there is no way I could compete with someone that spent every weekend at a show all year, with 30+ dogs in their show van.

When I first started showing Goldens, they were a moderate coated breed.  By the time I got out of showing dogs, many of the top winning Goldens would not be able to do any field work without severe damage to their coat.

Why am I talking about this?  Well, because I'm seeing a trend here that disturbs me.  While we don't have handler vs owner-handled at chicken shows, we do have the novice breeder versus the person that buys birds from all over,  just to take them to shows.  And while we don't have the working characteristics of our breed, we do, and are, seeing some changes in type in the winning birds that do not match what the original standard calls for.

At that time, I was kinda like Ernie - just keep doing what I was doing and move forward.  And, I still won at some shows.  But the fact is, if I could resurrect a top winning Golden of 1971, that dog would not do well in the ring today.  Same with Labrador Retrievers and we won't even talk about German Shepherds.

I don't want to see history repeat itself in the world of exhibition poultry and, particularly, with Ameraucanas.  If we don't stand up and decry these birds that are being shown and are not within Standard (and I don't just mean a couple of minor points - none of our birds are perfect), then we will be facing the same sort of challenges in the chicken "ring" as I faced years ago in the AKC breed ring.

The more people see that top winning, but incorrect, bird - the more people, including judges, will begin to believe that it is the correct version and the rest of the birds are not.  More people will breed for those incorrect characteristics (size, short back, over wide/long tails..whatever it may be) and, soon, those of us breeding to the standard will not recognize the birds being shown...and winning.
Susan Mouw
Sand Castles Farm
http://www.sandcastlesfarm.com

Peggy Taylor

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Very very well said Susan.  I've seen the same issue in may avenues of livestock.

Peggy