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« on: November 27, 2017, 11:41:28 AM »
Sorry this is so late-been swamped in work since the Fayetteville shows. Normally I try to write the reports on the way home but I was either driving or asleep.
The South Central district held it’s annual district meet in Fayetteville, Arkansas at the Heart of the Ozarks (HOTO) poultry show on November 4 and 5, 2017. Seven ABC members from 4 states exhibited 36 large fowl and 9 bantams in the open show. Four junior showed 4 large fowl and 4 bantams for a total of 53 Ameraucanas.
Brad Stonebarger of Triple S farm showed 9 brown red bantams in the open show judged by Paul Monteith of Canada, with two cockerels winning BV, RV, BB and RB. It was great to learn that Brad is breeding brown red bantams. Keirsten Klaus showed 3 wheaten and 1 blue wheaten bantams in the junior show which was judged by Steven Beaty of New Mexico., Keirsten’s wheaten cockerel won BV, BB and Res. AOCCL. One of her wheaten pullets won RV and RB. Keirsten has a very good start purchased from Jeff and Cheryl Vance. Ameraucana bantams are getting good starts in the SC district now, with several ABC members breeding them. There will be an increase of Ameraucana bantams in the SC district shows as they come more available.
Four large fowl black Ameraucanas were shown by 3 Juniors with Steven Beaty selecting a cockerel shown by Adrian Stripe for BV and BB and Jackson Moore’s hen RV and RB.
Three large fowl blues were shown in the open show. Paul & Angela Smith won BV on a pullet and Clif Redden won RV on a pullet. Four blue wheatens were shown with Ann Horsman winning BV on a cock and RV on a hen, from chicks purchased two years ago from Paul & Angela Smith. Two wheatens were shown with Ann Horsman winning BV on a hen and Paul & Angela Smith RV on a pullet. One buff cockerel was shown into BV by Paul & Angela Smith. Two self blues were shown by Paul & Angela with their cockerel placing BV and pullet RV. Six whites were shown with Paul & Angela winning BV on a cockerel. Sherry Klaus won RV on a pullet purchased from Paul & Angela. One splash cockerel was shown by Clif Redden. Clif’s splash cockerel won best AOV over the self blue cockerel. The splash variety will soon start the long process of becoming a recognized variety of Ameraucanas. The ABC second pre-qualifying meet for the self blue is scheduled for the Dixie Classic in Knoxville, TN on Dec. 2 & 3, 2017. I have several Texas self blue breeders prepared for a second and last chance to meet the 4-4-4-4 second pre-qualifying meet before the deadline in January 2018. We should be able to meet the requirements at the Knoxville show. However, if the weather and roads get bad, it could cause a failed attempt to have the required numbers. The Bluebonnet Classic at College Station, TX. Entry deadline is after the Knoxville, TN. Show, so it provides a second chance to have a 4-4-4-4 pre-qualifying meet. We had our first pre-qualifying meet in Shawnee, OK on Dec. 10, 2016. Shawnee’s entries are closed, so it is not available to enter the required numbers. The four exhibitors that meet the pre-qualifying meet were all from Texas. Texas has only closed poultry shows, not allowing out of state birds due to Texas Animal Health regulations. Unfortunately this will not allow anyone out of Texas to help with the pre-qualifying meet. We are planning on taking 7 head of self blues to Knoxville to help with the pre-qualifying meet.
Blacks were the largest class with 17 shown. Jan Geis of M & J Farm won BV, BB, Champion large fowl and Champion Ameraucana on a cockerel. Jan also won RV, RB and Res. Ameraucana on a cockerel.
The SC district managed to have a good show even though it had to compete with a homecoming football game and another show in the district on the same weekend. Just for the record, hotel rooms which had not been pre-booked, were available in Fayetteville for the weekend. Most ABC members who showed went to the Golden Corral for dinner. We did not hold a formal district meeting to select a show for our 2018 district meet. I had planned for a meeting to select a back-up show in the event Larry Clionski chose the APA national meet in Shawnee, OK. on November 17 & 18, 2018 to be our ABC national. Having received word that our national ABC meet will be in Greenville, Ohio at the Dayton show, our South Central district meet will be at the APA national meet in Shawnee, OK. This should be our first qualifying meet for the large fowl self blue, as the qualifying meets are assigned to an APA national or semi-annual meet!
Amanda Stallman of California judged the ABC club meet at Fayetteville, Arkansas on Nov. 4 & 5, 2017. The open show is judged twice at the HOTO show. The Juniors are busy with showmanship so their birds are only shown once.
Paul & Angela Smith won BV on a blue cockerel and Clif Redden RV on a blue pullet. Ann Horsman won BV on a blue wheaten cock and Paul & Angela RV on a blue wheaten pullet. The wheaten class remained the same with Ann Horsman winning BV on a hen and Paul & Angela RV on a pullet. The buff and self blues also remained the same. Surprisingly both Amanda and Paul Monteith chose the self blue cockerel over the self blue pullet. Sherry Klaus won BV and RV on white pullets. Clif Redden won Best AOV with his splash cockerel. Jan Geis’s black cockerel won BV, BB and Res. large fowl. This was the same cockerel that won reserve breed under Paul Monteith’s judgement. The RV black and RB was a pullet shown by Brad Stonebarger of Triple S Farm. Amanda selected the same brown red cockerel for BV and BB in the bantams but chose a pullet for RV and RB.
The double judged shows are fun to see the difference in judge’s opinions and their interpretation of the APA Standard of Perfection (SOP). The past few years we have been seeing judges use Ameraucanas that are much larger framed (oversized), level backed rather than taller at the shoulders, loose feathered to the point that they are fluffy. We as Ameraucana breeders must get back to the SOP or we will have our Ameraucana breed in the same situation as the Berkshire hogs are now, where they have either the old time Berks or the new modern Berks with lots of white due to crossing with other breeds. We need to encourage each other to select our breeding birds as close as possible to the SOP! I had two ABC members ask what can be done to get the varieties other than black to win? My response was I don’t know. After a few days of thinking-the answer came. We as Ameraucana breeders must go back to the SOP and start breeding and showing the correct body type. Then start educating the judges, and everyone involved with Ameraucanas.
Most of the blacks at Fayetteville, were extremely different from the other varieties shown. After the judging of the second show was completed, while recording the results the clerk and judge Amanda Stallman came to me and ask if the ABC needed any other selections-(meaning Champion Ameraucana), which we didn’t since the second show judged by Paul Monteith was our SC district meet. The Champion Ameraucana only needs to be selected from a district and national meet. As we were walking by the black pullets-Amanda said “They are like Orphingtons with muffs and beards!” Ouch-I missed an open door to start the Ameraucana breed back on the right road, according to the SOP.
I thought the selection of BB that didn’t align with the SOP would correct itself in due time. A few years ago Max and I thoroughly discussed type. Max being relative new to the Ameraucana breed at that time, ask a judge when are you going to stop selecting the big fluffy ones for champion? Max told me that the judges reply was when the breeders stop bringing them.
Photos of both shows will be posted ASAP.
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