Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
your area, plan to go and just watch the first time to see how things work. It's an entirely
different experience from 4-H or FFA shows.
In an APA-sanctioned show, you don't stand with your bird when it's being judged.
Only the judge and the judge's secretary are with the bird during the judging process.
No one can watch and listen to the comments of the judge to learn at an APA-sanctioned
show; the quality of the bird is the only thing that matters. Your knowledge about the
bird or breed is not considered.
You may find you are competing against a professional show exhibitor the first time
you show. These folks may never really raise the birds but just simply show them. They
buy the best of the best to go from show to show to compete in competition. In the mid-
twentieth century, there were sometimes many of these “stringmen” who purchased the
flock and traveled from show to show. The show birds rarely saw the exhibitor's home
place.
Junior Division
You may choose to show in the junior division, where only youths compete. If you fit
in that category, that's a great place to start. Don't be discouraged if your birds are left
in the dust in the race to show the top bird. If you don't take home any prizes and find
yourself humiliated when trounced by the competition, remember that the winners prob-
ably have much more experience. It's key to get back up and try again.
Learn What You Can
Closely examine the winners in the breed classes you have entered and even take pic-
tures of them as a reference. Back home, compare your birds to the pictures of the win-
ners. Then get out the APA
Standard
to see how to improve your birds' quality. To com-
pete in the APA you may have to buy offspring from specialized bloodlines from pro-
fessional breeders.
Hatchery chicks may win a few shows, but in most cases, these chicks are for produc-
tion purposes and not for showing. Show specimens are often larger, have feather colors
more closely matching the standard, and possess other traits that you may not see in the
hatchery-quality chicks.
At APA shows, you often can find someone who breeds specialized lines. You'll find
folks who have raised these birds for years, perfecting and selecting breeding pairs based
on the most desirable traits dictated by the breed standard. You also may meet members
of breed clubs such as the Crested Fanciers Club, the Dorking Club, and the Jersey Giant
Club. These groups sponsor contests within the poultry show, providing prize money,
and using the spotlight to promote the breed they love. If you, too, have a fascination
