2013 United Peafowl Association Convention

[Arbor]

Its an age old question, the "Greens". Kermit does know what he is talking about, so he would have been a great speaker to listen to. He reminds me of a professor I had during my horticultural training... "when it comes to botanists (those dealing with assigning names to plants in particular), there are 'clumpers' and 'splitters'". Kermit is a 'splitter', defining a species in to more subspecies or varieties. When it comes to preserving the "Greens", this 'splitting' will help preserve the largest genetic variability still available. Good to hear the UPA had some time for him.

 

[msmolly]

Right, I think Kermit was concerned with conserving the integrity of the original lines. The fact that he can trace their specific origins back through time, he shows that there is good reason not to lump them together. I got the impression he would like the Powers that be- with in UPA, to champion more conservation with regards to the Peafowl lines- or integrity of. Am I saying that right?

 

[Arbor]

The difficulty with the UPA, is that they really have no "power". The best they can do is promote. They could accept Kermit's nomenclature for the green peafowl, but that would not guarantee any kind of conservation, or correct listings within their breeder's directory. At present, they have to take each breeder on their word as to what each of them is actually breeding them. As a side note, the UPA is (or seems to be) more directed to promoting the Indian Blue peafowl and its cultivated varieties (cultivars). A breeder's club mostly interested in sharing the info they have acquired through experience of raising and cultivating these birds. Since Kermit is outside of this bubble, with a main focus on the greens, he is/was often criticized for "lack of understanding". It will really come to the UPA as an organization, to decide their own focus and direction. Do they remain a breeder's club, or do they focus on creating a genetic database of species and their cultivars. One main thing (I must stress this is only my opinion) is the grey area of Spalding peafowl. This is becoming a problem, to the point that how does one decide what an Indian Blue variety should actually look like. I have my doubts that there are few, if any, purely Indian blue cultivars available (ie. Cameo blackshoulder with no history of breeding with greens or green/blue hybrids).

My apologies for my little "rant", but I recently became a UPA member with the hopes of learning something other than what I could read in 2 days on this forum. I was rather disappointed by the number and quality of articles in their publication, and though the subject has come up a few times, I have yet to see any positive changes. THis is where they have to decide their direction. Membership is only worth while if it is beneficial to its members.

 

[WestKnollAmy]

The difficulty with the UPA, is that they really have no "power". The best they can do is promote. They could accept Kermit's nomenclature for the green peafowl, but that would not guarantee any kind of conservation, or correct listings within their breeder's directory. At present, they have to take each breeder on their word as to what each of them is actually breeding them. As a side note, the UPA is (or seems to be) more directed to promoting the Indian Blue peafowl and its cultivated varieties (cultivars). A breeder's club mostly interested in sharing the info they have acquired through experience of raising and cultivating these birds. Since Kermit is outside of this bubble, with a main focus on the greens, he is/was often criticized for "lack of understanding". It will really come to the UPA as an organization, to decide their own focus and direction. Do they remain a breeder's club, or do they focus on creating a genetic database of species and their cultivars. One main thing (I must stress this is only my opinion) is the grey area of Spalding peafowl. This is becoming a problem, to the point that how does one decide what an Indian Blue variety should actually look like. I have my doubts that there are few, if any, purely Indian blue cultivars available (ie. Cameo blackshoulder with no history of breeding with greens or green/blue hybrids).

My apologies for my little "rant", but I recently became a UPA member with the hopes of learning something other than what I could read in 2 days on this forum. I was rather disappointed by the number and quality of articles in their publication, and though the subject has come up a few times, I have yet to see any positive changes. THis is where they have to decide their direction. Membership is only worth while if it is beneficial to its members.

I am glad you said this and you are not the first I have heard say this either.
I joined the UPA to learn more and some of the members are awesome while others are not very helpful.
I did write in after I received my first Peafowl Today magazine and gave a list of great articles that newbies like me would love to see. I received back a very curt note and felt I was being a bother. If I mean so little to the UPA then I will not be continuing my membership when it is due again. I would love to be part of something that cares about my thoughts and ideas, not be pushed aside as if I do not matter.

I would have loved to have gone to the Convention and spoke about my concerns but I am one person working a farm with around 700 birds plus my family to take care of and responsibilities to my local poultry club, such as building their website and getting ready for our upcoming show season.

 

[zazouse]

Some times websites just take off.. like this one, do you think Nifty thought it would turn out to be what it is? NO
what I am sayen is sometimes things click and take off sometimes they don't it takes a lot of community to make that work and for whatever reason we have it here so I didn't join the UPA cause what I was seeking I found here and it is ongoing daily from each and every one of us we make this site what it is.
I am a past member of a few art forums that are the same way.. there are major ones everone joins and others that barely change so no body uses them.

It is sad that we are not connected with the bigger breeders but ya know they are not on UPA much either .. so it is what it is.

We are the UPF united pea folks.

 

[zazouse]

PS facebook seems to be the place to find some of the bigger peafowl breeders we don't see here on this site.. just type in Peafowl and look what comes up.

 

[leo7]

Such a big organisation '' UPA '' more then 1000 member and then of the meeting or convention only around 20 members this give to thinking.
As an exemple WPA meeting section Germany last year from around 330 member visited 120 member the meeting and in this year round 90.

 

[AugeredIn]

This will come off bad to some but here it is. There is probably never going to be a serious database or registry for green peafowl in this country because the fact is there is no incentive to. Although i admire and respect them, here in the states the folks that would strive for that are a tiny fraction of a very small sample to begin with regarding an animal that is not even native to this country. At the end of the day there are a few reputable breeders that you can obtain pure birds from. I could register my birds and you are still not going to trust anyone else even if there is a registry because there is no EASY way to prove the birds in that pen are what you say they are.

I will give you another perspective. Consider the wolf. Do more people own wolves or dogs? Every dog came from the wolf. There are millions of dogs sold every year and few wolves. There are those folks that fight for and advocate for the wolves, but at the end of the day, the money and interest follows the dogs. Ironically it is the dogs that are registered. That registry works because of volume and diversity. UPA is made up of members that have interests. The general interest is elsewhere.

 

[AugeredIn]

....And the dang convention needs to be in the south next year. come on, someone man up.

 

[zazouse]

Mabe one year I can host one for the UPA er UPF which ever comes first.