Post by astronankin on Nov 11, 2024 0:08:36 GMT -5
Just got back this afternoon. Left Friday around noon, got to the state fairgrounds in Columbus, OH around 4:30 Friday evening, show was yesterday. The Ohio National Poultry Show is one of the world's premier poultry shows, and the largest in North America, usually sitting around 9,000-10,000 chickens, geese, ducks, turkeys, and guinea fowl. This year it was still big but they were low - around 7,000 birds but still about a dozen poultry clubs or more had national or special meets. We only decided to go because I needed to buy a bantam Chocolate Wyandotte cockerel (young male less than a year old) from a New Jersey breeder. My brother bought a trio (1 male, two females) of Belgian Bearded d'Uccle bantams from a breeder in Michigan, who is also a well-known poultry judge and his Black Rosecomb bantams usually win something at just about every show - one of his won the entire show this morning. We took 13 chickens to the show between the 2 of us, my brother with 5 in the Jr. Show and me with 8 in the open show. This is our second time at this show - we love it just a long 4 hour drive plus Columbus traffic. Brother had Dominique large fowl, a Silver Sebright bantam that went Res. Silver Sebright out of 3 birds, and the only 2 Nankin bantams in the entire Jr. Show. I had a Single Comb Nankin, 4 Rose Comb Nankins, a Chocolate Wyandotte, and 2 Black Wyandottes. The Nankin Club of America (new and revamped - we were members of the old club which had leadership and communication problems and dissolved) had their first national meet - we ended up joining despite knowing about the communication problems online because joining lets us get points (for winning in classes with over 100 birds) towards Master Breeder and Master Exhibitor for the American Poultry Association and the American Bantam Association. We also were impressed with how cohesive the club seemed, and their leadership and communication seems better than the old one - last Nankin national meet was back in 2018 and we were the only exhibitors with no table, no club awards, and a few other confused and unhappy Nankin enthusiasts at that show. This time there were 21 Single Comb Nankins and 11 Rose Comb Nankins in the open show between 5 exhibitors, and my brother's birds in the Jr. Show. Everyone we met was super nice and friendly and I got to talk over birds with 2 other ladies who haven't had as much experience breeding specifically for the show types. We ended up taking home 5th place SC Nankin cock for the Single Comb cock, 2nd and 3rd RC Nankin pullets, and 2nd place RC Nankin cock with a bird that has consistently won the breed and used to sometimes nearly be one of the top Rose Combs in the shows. Also got hooked up with a Wisconsin breeder who has some Single Comb girls for sale and will be back down this way in IL at a show at the end of this month. We need to rebuild our flock a bit....
The Chocolate Wyandotte got 4th in her class. Last place but she has some color issues. Black Wyandottes went 1st place Black Wyandotte cock and 1st place Black Wyandotte hen - mother and son. Only 1 other exhibitor in those classes. But I still feel good because the Best Black Wyandotte also got Best Wyandotte out of, well, more than 100 Wyandottes and she belongs to the lady I get my Wyandottes from. My brother's Dominiques went 5th place Dominique hen in the Jr. Show with 1 not placing at all.
Loads of poultry supplies and chicken themed things in the front of the building. I came close to spending all my cash on a new set of cages, but my Dad doesn't want to go that route yet. Wire show cages would be great for separating birds while they dry from their baths, etc and we can put them out on the lawn safely. Wooden transport cages would be nice because they would look good, have small compartments that only allow for one or two birds at a time, and aren't a big damaged feather risk like per carriers are. I ended up getting an egg potholder from the Nankin Club and a T-shirt from the Wyandotte Breeders of America after joining them. But lots of neat stuff.... Even some blown glass, ornaments, candies, kettle corn, cards, you name it, it was probably there. They had more than 100 young poultry showman doing showmanship - my brother waited a few hours before his class got called in. Answer the judges questions, etc. He didn't like the judge too much. Asked the seniors super simple questions and was a little hard to hear apparently. They also had an egg show, an essay contest, and I believe there were a few other contests for the Juniors. Egg show included decorated eggs.... Some super funny, some interesting ones, and one or two showcasing someone's incredible painting talent.
We were amazed at how many birds showed up for some breeds. There's the popular, common ones like the Wyandottes that can take up multiple rows. Then there's the usual ones, like the Rhode Island Reds, the Plymouth Rocks, etc that take up anywhere from a few cages to 2 rows. The. There's the rare ones, like the Nankins, which usually only have one or two birds showing, if at all. It was incredible to walk towards the back of the building and see not 1, not 2, but more than 20 Ayam Cemani large fowl chickens! This is an endangered, extremely rare breed from Indonesia that is slowly rising in popularity a little and is known for its black, well, everything. Black inside and out. The eggs are the only thing about them that isn't black. Apparently the Ayam Cemani group was trying to qualify to get the breed into the American Poultry Association's Standard of Perfection. This means that there may be an actual standard for breeders to follow and any Cemanis can also have a chance at winning classes alongside other breeds. There were also a breed I'd never heard of - Sundheimers. A German breed that is also rare today in America. Big white birds with feathers on their feet and some black in their neck and tail.
I better stop here. Starting to lose my logic due to lack of sleep.
The Chocolate Wyandotte got 4th in her class. Last place but she has some color issues. Black Wyandottes went 1st place Black Wyandotte cock and 1st place Black Wyandotte hen - mother and son. Only 1 other exhibitor in those classes. But I still feel good because the Best Black Wyandotte also got Best Wyandotte out of, well, more than 100 Wyandottes and she belongs to the lady I get my Wyandottes from. My brother's Dominiques went 5th place Dominique hen in the Jr. Show with 1 not placing at all.
Loads of poultry supplies and chicken themed things in the front of the building. I came close to spending all my cash on a new set of cages, but my Dad doesn't want to go that route yet. Wire show cages would be great for separating birds while they dry from their baths, etc and we can put them out on the lawn safely. Wooden transport cages would be nice because they would look good, have small compartments that only allow for one or two birds at a time, and aren't a big damaged feather risk like per carriers are. I ended up getting an egg potholder from the Nankin Club and a T-shirt from the Wyandotte Breeders of America after joining them. But lots of neat stuff.... Even some blown glass, ornaments, candies, kettle corn, cards, you name it, it was probably there. They had more than 100 young poultry showman doing showmanship - my brother waited a few hours before his class got called in. Answer the judges questions, etc. He didn't like the judge too much. Asked the seniors super simple questions and was a little hard to hear apparently. They also had an egg show, an essay contest, and I believe there were a few other contests for the Juniors. Egg show included decorated eggs.... Some super funny, some interesting ones, and one or two showcasing someone's incredible painting talent.
We were amazed at how many birds showed up for some breeds. There's the popular, common ones like the Wyandottes that can take up multiple rows. Then there's the usual ones, like the Rhode Island Reds, the Plymouth Rocks, etc that take up anywhere from a few cages to 2 rows. The. There's the rare ones, like the Nankins, which usually only have one or two birds showing, if at all. It was incredible to walk towards the back of the building and see not 1, not 2, but more than 20 Ayam Cemani large fowl chickens! This is an endangered, extremely rare breed from Indonesia that is slowly rising in popularity a little and is known for its black, well, everything. Black inside and out. The eggs are the only thing about them that isn't black. Apparently the Ayam Cemani group was trying to qualify to get the breed into the American Poultry Association's Standard of Perfection. This means that there may be an actual standard for breeders to follow and any Cemanis can also have a chance at winning classes alongside other breeds. There were also a breed I'd never heard of - Sundheimers. A German breed that is also rare today in America. Big white birds with feathers on their feet and some black in their neck and tail.
I better stop here. Starting to lose my logic due to lack of sleep.