Ameraucana Breeders Club

The Official Forum of the Ameraucana Breeders Club => Ameraucana Marketplace => Topic started by: Jean on October 14, 2007, 09:51:54 PM

Title: October 6, 2007 Ameraucana Nationals BV & RV Great Falls, MT
Post by: Jean on October 14, 2007, 09:51:54 PM: Best and Reserve Large Fowl Black

BV - Cockerel - Paul & Angela Smith
RV - Pullet - Paul & Angela Smith
Title: October 6, 2007 Ameraucana Nationals BV & RV Great Falls, MT
Post by: Jean on October 14, 2007, 09:59:45 PM: Best and Reserve Large Fowl Blue

BV - Pullet - Paul & Angela Smith
RV - Pullet - Jerry Desmidt
Title: October 6, 2007 Ameraucana Nationals BV & RV Great Falls, MT
Post by: Jean on October 14, 2007, 10:04:44 PM: Best and Reserve Large Fowl Blue Wheaten

BV - Pullet - Paul & Angela Smith
RV - Cockerel - Jean Ribbeck
Title: October 6, 2007 Ameraucana Nationals BV & RV Great Falls, MT
Post by: Jean on October 14, 2007, 10:07:20 PM: Best and Reserve Large Fowl Buff

BV - Hen - Michael Muenks
Rv - Pullet - Jerry DeSmidt
Title: October 6, 2007 Ameraucana Nationals BV & RV Great Falls, MT
Post by: Jean on October 14, 2007, 10:12:11 PM: Best and Reserve Large Fowl Silver

BV - Cock - Michael Muenks
RV - Hen - Michael Muenks
Title: October 6, 2007 Ameraucana Nationals BV & RV Great Falls, MT
Post by: Jean on October 14, 2007, 10:15:25 PM: Best and Reserve Large Fowl Wheaten

BV - Pullet - Paul & Angela Smith
RV - Cockerel - Paul & Angela Smith
Title: October 6, 2007 Ameraucana Nationals BV & RV Great Falls, MT
Post by: Jean on October 14, 2007, 10:18:15 PM: Best and Reserve Large Fowl White

BV - Hen - Jerry DeSmidt
RV - Pullet - Jerry DeSmidt
Title: October 6, 2007 Ameraucana Nationals BV & RV Great Falls, MT
Post by: Jean on October 14, 2007, 10:21:18 PM: Best and Reserve Large Fowl AOV Blue Splash

BV - Hen - Jerry DeSmidt
Rv - Pullet - Paul & Angela Smith
Title: October 6, 2007 Ameraucana Nationals BV & RV Great Falls, MT
Post by: Jean on October 14, 2007, 10:25:25 PM: Best and Reserve Bantam Black

BV - Pullet - Mike Gilbert
RV - Pullet - Mike Gilbert
Title: October 6, 2007 Ameraucana Nationals BV & RV Great Falls, MT
Post by: Jean on October 14, 2007, 10:29:14 PM: Best and Reserve Bantam Blue

BV - Pullet - Mike Gilbert
RV - Pullet - Mike Gilbert
Title: October 6, 2007 Ameraucana Nationals BV & RV Great Falls, MT
Post by: Jean on October 14, 2007, 10:33:26 PM: Best and Reserve Bantam Blue Wheaten

BV - Pullet - Bob Walchak
RV - Pullet - Mike Gilbert
Title: October 6, 2007 Ameraucana Nationals BV & RV Great Falls, MT
Post by: Jean on October 14, 2007, 10:37:23 PM: Best and Reserve Bantam Brown Red

BV - Pullet - Bob Walchak
RV - Cockerel - Bob Walchak
Title: October 6, 2007 Ameraucana Nationals BV & RV Great Falls, MT
Post by: Jean on October 14, 2007, 10:39:38 PM: Best Variety Bantam Buff

BV - Cock - Michael Muenks
Title: October 6, 2007 Ameraucana Nationals BV & RV Great Falls, MT
Post by: Jean on October 14, 2007, 10:43:26 PM: Best and Reserve Bantam Wheaten

BV - Pullet - Bob Walchak
RV - Cockerel - Bob Walchak
Title: October 6, 2007 Ameraucana Nationals BV & RV Great Falls, MT
Post by: Jean on October 14, 2007, 10:46:43 PM: Best and Reserve Bantam White

BV - Pullet - Jerry DeSmidt
RV - Pullet - Bob Walchak
Title: October 6, 2007 Ameraucana Nationals BV & RV Great Falls, MT
Post by: Jean on October 14, 2007, 10:48:50 PM: Best Variety Bantam AOV Lavender

BV - Cock - Michael Muenks
Title: October 6, 2007 Ameraucana Nationals BV & RV Great Falls, MT
Post by: Jean on October 14, 2007, 10:52:14 PM: Best and Reserve Bantam AOV Blue Splash

BV - Pullet - Mike Gilbert
RV - Hen - Jerry DeSmidt
Title: October 6, 2007 Ameraucana Nationals BV & RV Great Falls, MT
Post by: Blue Egg Acres on October 15, 2007, 07:24:26 PM: Jean, thank you so much for the pictures! And congratulations to all! Wish we could have been there but will plan see you next year.
Title: October 6, 2007 Ameraucana Nationals BV & RV Great Falls, MT
Post by: John on October 15, 2007, 07:49:58 PM: The photos are great and always help spectators, to the ABC Forum, know what show quality Ameraucanas should look like.
Thanks,
Title: October 6, 2007 Ameraucana Nationals BV & RV Great Falls, MT
Post by: Mike Gilbert on October 15, 2007, 11:06:45 PM: It might be fun to critique the winners as to their stronger and weaker points based on the photos. While the photos probably don\'t do some of these birds justice, I see birds I really like, and others I would not breed from. Is anybody interested, or is this a poor idea?
Title: October 6, 2007 Ameraucana Nationals BV & RV Great Falls, MT
Post by: Mike Gilbert on October 16, 2007, 07:33:49 PM: Okay, looks like nobody is bold enough to offer an opinion.
So I will start by just commenting on two of the birds, and any of you can jump in and say \"Enough Already!!!\" or,
\"more, please.\" Your call.

The first bird is Paul Smith\'s champion black cockerel. Judging from the photos, he was clearly the best of the lot.
I love his conformation, pose, conditioning, and color. The smooth transition from slope of the back to rise of the tail is outstanding. I would like to see the two main sickle feathers project beyond the main tail as the standard calls for. Can\'t tell from the photo for sure, but the eyes look to be dark brown and of course they should be reddish bay. The comb might be a little large, but appears to be nicely shaped. The muffs could be fuller, although from that angle it is difficult to say for sure. Over all a very nice bird that deserved to win.

Then I would like to say a few words about my BV Blue bantam pullet (and the RV - they are very much alike - full sisters). The standard says the following about the female tail: \"medium length, top two feathers slightly convexed . . . . . Coverts - quite long, flowing well up the tail.\"
These two birds have tails that are too long, and without the covert length called for. I will give them credit for having tails that are spread about right. We do not want tails that are pinched together, nor tails that are fan shaped. About the female breast, the standard says: \"Full, round, deep.\" Another area that needs improvement, not only with these two but several of the other winners. The blues have muffs that are not full enough, but I knew that from having raised them, not from the photos. I give them credit for outstanding eye color, the reddish bay really stands out on a blue or a black chicken. So these blues are far from perfect, but I would have been happy to breed from them last year.
The lacing is improving each year, and I\'m not sure these photos reflected that. When you see lacing on the wings in their naturally folded position, you know you are on the right track.

So do you want more of this, or is this already too much?
Title: October 6, 2007 Ameraucana Nationals BV & RV Great Falls, MT
Post by: Anne Foley on October 16, 2007, 08:17:14 PM: Looking at the bantam pictures, the low wing carriage on many of the birds was really noticeable.
Title: October 6, 2007 Ameraucana Nationals BV & RV Great Falls, MT
Post by: Mike Gilbert on October 16, 2007, 08:53:55 PM: Agreed. This is a common problem with many breeds of bantams.
Title: October 6, 2007 Ameraucana Nationals BV & RV Great Falls, MT
Post by: Blue Egg Acres on October 16, 2007, 09:03:51 PM: I think this is helpful and would like to read more, but then I don\'t own any of the birds you\'re critiquing so easy for me to say.
Title: October 6, 2007 Ameraucana Nationals BV & RV Great Falls, MT
Post by: Guest on October 16, 2007, 09:05:33 PM: Mr. Gilbert,
I thinkg the critiqueing is a good way to help some less experienced members (like me!) learn some more about show birds and what they should look like... but I don\'t know what the others think, just my 2 cents.

mckenzie