Ameraucana thread for posting pictures and discussing our birds

[BooBear]

I find this to be a huge turn off to showing.
If no one pushes for strictor judging by the true standards of the breeds then the lax attitude toward the breeds will continue.
Folks who are winning Ameraucana points/awards with an EE will also be breeding and selling their mixed birds under the guise of Ameraucana. Also, just because it is a kid or 4-her does not mean the guidelines should be bent. By bending the standards for a kid is teaching them the wrong message.
Misrepresentation by the people running and judging these shows does damage to the value of true breeds and the hard work that breeders have put into them.

 

[BarnGoddess01]

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Don't feel defeated!!! It's part of the learning curve. Shows maybe aren't what you expected them to be.

Enjoy YOUR birds. Educate yourself. Breed the best you can. Like we always say to the kids at the horse shows that don't win - if you feel like you've done your best, you've won. Doesn't matter what any particular judge says on any particular day. YOU and your husband - those are the opinions that matter. And above all, have fun. Don't take it too seriously!!!!

You KNOW the spectators at the show liked your bird and took pictures. You won.

 

[BarnGoddess01]

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Right now there are TWO Canadians registered with the ABC. Me and another professional breeder. I was SO excited about the prospect of showing my birds. So I've been visiting shows in advance of entering shows so I can be prepared. And I called the professional Ameraucana breeder. Lovely woman. I enjoyed our conversation very much. She is very serious about producing quality Ameraucanas. She shows extensively. She also actually put me off showing the most. She talked about how she keeps her "show" birds in permanent quarantine (a lesson she learned the hard way) and the "cooties" that she brings home from shows. And I enjoy all the folks I'm meeting that do show their birds, even if they aren't perfect - and the judges - even if I don't agree with their choices.

My conclusion, showing birds is not necessarily for all of us. That doesn't mean, however, we shouldn't keep working to improve the birds we produce. Or to enjoy them any less.

 

[Christie Rhae]

Quote:
Don't feel defeated!!! It's part of the learning curve. Shows maybe aren't what you expected them to be.

Enjoy YOUR birds. Educate yourself. Breed the best you can. Like we always say to the kids at the horse shows that don't win - if you feel like you've done your best, you've won. Doesn't matter what any particular judge says on any particular day. YOU and your husband - those are the opinions that matter. And above all, have fun. Don't take it too seriously!!!!

You KNOW the spectators at the show liked your bird and took pictures. You won.

Oh my gosh Denise how stressful!! Ok, here is what I would do (not that I have a clue what I am talking about...lol) I would observe and write stuff down, get the judge's name, take lots of pictures... maybe you can use that info to make some changes for "next time". There is more than one way to skin a cat.
Fight the fine fight Denise... Baltadina is cheering for you !

 

[flower]

All the votes are in except mine.

What I would advise is to document with pictures, use the information that you have posted here and as professionally as possible send the facts to the folks in charge anonymously just to be a voice for the Ameraucanas and the people who are developing the breed and the standards. That way you can enter your voice and stay sane. Sanity and happiness make for a comfortable person but you do not need to jeopardize
your convictions which are also important.



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No- I am saying she cannot ban you. Take your beautiful birds to the Nationals in Indy and start fresh. And Jean will be there to set eveybody straight- lol!

I got conflicting reponses but the most poiniant was from CA who reminded me it's not worth arguing with my husband/best friend over this since he belives I am out of line. He's most important in my life and if he can't join me in it then I will just go to raising EEs ( which are prettier because of their variations in my opnion) or just slaughter them all for food.
It really did mean a lot to me but not worth the heartache or trouble at home. I can give it up - I have been given so many other gifts in my life - I don't need to have it all.
I love my husband very much

I'm a little gun shy right now.

 

[ParadiseFoundFarm]

Amy, CA, Barn Goddess, Pips, Boo Bear, Flower, Gerry 2011, Araylee, Jeremy, Illia, Phage, Dak, Muggsmagee, OSUman,
Cass, Christy and my grandchicky Baltadina

and all the silent ones who feel my pain, I tip my hat to you

.
Thank you I belive you are right - something has to be done. I am not the bold fighter I was in my youth. But I promise to take pictures, document, and turn it over to the authorities, whomever they turn out to be - pehaps the best person might be to start with is Jean?

This is a newer breed. It's reputation needs to be protected and polished. I will quietly work towards that endevour. This I promise to you all.

Once again THANK YOU!

Final judging is Saturday at 9 AM by the very mysterious and professional knowlegable judge who's name will not be spoken by WIC so I have no idea who he is. No One should have any qualms about me taking them after that although pick up is technically Sunday. After I get my birds home and into quarentine, I will let you know more.

Thanks for the pic of Baltadina, first time I smiled in more than 24 hours.

Denise

 

[Cloverleaf Farm]

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Please don't let this one power hungry moron discourage you from showing altogether. Fairs are often like this, we had a judge at our fair this year judging open class who even wrote "wheaten" on the cage card of thee EE he placed first (there were no true Ameraucanas entered). But this same judge will DQ youth birds at open shows with no problem. Please consider showing again somwday at an open show. It really is a great time. I leave the fairs to the 4H kids & the hatchery birds.

 

[OSUman]

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You should come to the IPC show in Belvidere and see what a real show is like.

 

[Cloverleaf Farm]

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No- I am saying she cannot ban you. Take your beautiful birds to the Nationals in Indy and start fresh. And Jean will be there to set eveybody straight- lol!

I got conflicting reponses but the most poiniant was from CA who reminded me it's not worth arguing with my husband/best friend over this since he belives I am out of line. He's most important in my life and if he can't join me in it then I will just go to raising EEs ( which are prettier because of their variations in my opnion) or just slaughter them all for food.
It really did mean a lot to me but not worth the heartache or trouble at home. I can give it up - I have been given so many other gifts in my life - I don't need to have it all.
I love my husband very much

I'm a little gun shy right now.

I think your husband needs to read what you wrote right there. It doesn't sound like he knows how much this meant to you. My husband is not into my birds either but if I wrote something like that & he read it, he would feel like a huge heel.

 

[ParadiseFoundFarm]

Quote:
I got conflicting reponses but the most poiniant was from CA who reminded me it's not worth arguing with my husband/best friend over this since he belives I am out of line. He's most important in my life and if he can't join me in it then I will just go to raising EEs ( which are prettier because of their variations in my opnion) or just slaughter them all for food.
It really did mean a lot to me but not worth the heartache or trouble at home. I can give it up - I have been given so many other gifts in my life - I don't need to have it all.
I love my husband very much

I'm a little gun shy right now.

I think your husband needs to read what you wrote right there. It doesn't sound like he knows how much this meant to you. My husband is not into my birds either but if I wrote something like that & he read it, he would feel like a huge heel.

Nope - sorry you got the wrong impression. I didn't mean it to sound like he was at fault in any way. He is a sensitive caring person who often reels me in before I hurt some one accidentally as I can bee too passionate about some subjects. He does a lot for me and the birds. As a matter of fact, as we were talking he had 4 baby chicks asleep in his lap and woldn't move because he didn't want to disturb them even though they had pooped on his shirt. I would never want to make my other half feel like a heel - that's just not how you want the ones you love to feel for any reason - let alone from your own hand so to speak.