Okay, don't throw rocks at me or anything.
The only disqualifications listed in my APA Standard of perfection specifically for ameraucanas is presence of ear tufts and absence of muffs. Any other disqualifications are the general DQ's listed that apply to about all breeds including comb, wing and foot issues and wry or squirrel tails. My S.O.P. is 10 years old, so maybe more has been added?
Perhaps the things exhibited by the other birds were considered a "fault" and not necessarily a DQ?
Like I said, don't throw rock at me yet. I'm putting this out there because I want to learn, too. I have black, silver, lavender and wheaten ameraucanas and I can appreciate the work the breeders have been doing to get the ameraucana breed recognized on it's own and not have all "colored egg layers" lumped in with their breed.
I think there is a large population out there that is not educated about varieties, so if it lays a colored egg it is this or that, and they use Easter Egger, auracana and ameraucana interchangeably. Thus, anything that lays a colored egg to them is an Easter Egger. Maybe this is a separate issue that the judging issue at the fair, but it kind of overlaps, I guess.
Maybe it would be less confusing to the general public if we called Easter Eggers something else. MixMutts maybe?