Ladies and Gentlemen:
Things are getting curiouser and curiouser! Aspects of any chicken breed are many, and the Barnevelder does not represent an exception in that regard. As in most cases, the idea of "purity" can sometimes be far-fetched. I know for a fact, for instance, that several "famous" single comb white Leghorn breeders crossed their Leghorns with other breeds, and when they achieved success in the show room, people offered their congratulations. During the banquet following a show I attended, one of the judges related his success in this regard (and looking around, I could see "disgust" and "disbelief" on the faces of some). Such cross breedings have been going on for years and years...to improve show points, to develop new varieties, to enhance vigor, what have you. Standard revisions have also been commonplace, and will be in the future. While every organization is free to adopt the standard members decide should be right for them, it may nonetheless be a matter of common sense and wisdom to take into account the many years of breeder experience from a breed's country of origin.
The Barnevelder faced multiple problems during the 1930s, as it had become rather popular also outside The Netherlands (German, The UK) as well--at the same time the brown egg laying American breeds became the thing (RIRs, New Hampshires) and the production qualities of some of the British brown egg layers improved. The Barnies were known for their susceptibility to Marek's, and--while respectable--their production quality could not match that of the other brown egg laying breeds. To add to that, the ideals in the various locations evolved along different routes. Perhaps the British (I only suggest this) veered farther away from the original than others (they tend to stake their own way in many things), but the German ideal also developed in a slightly different direction from the Dutch (which people are now trying to overcome through a unification effort). In the push to go for ever-more perfect show specimens, some aspects were neglected. Vigor was something that received attention in this process, I presume, but the production qualities were put on the back burner, according to some (this was something an old breeder in England claimed when we had a chat about 30 years ago). Both the quantity and the quality of the once-famous Barnie eggs suffered.
It would be unreasonable to suggest that breeders--wherever they were located--over the years have not crossed in other breeds in their Barnevelder flocks over the years. The Dutch, the British, the Germans, -- and we here in North America -- have been using these stratagems since the beginning of time, and will continue to do so. If anybody in her or his right mind thinks that she or he has a "pure" Barnevelder, Welsummer, Leghorn, or whatever, I will only shrug my shoulders and leave that person to her or his personal belief system. Acquiring birds and then keeping them in a closed flock for many years does not make those birds more "pure" than others; but one should be able to stabilize certain traits...conformation, productivity, or whatever.
I was a breeder of Barnevelders for years, and I truly admire the beautiful birds when they come out right. I have had birds from Dutch, German, and unknown origin, and I loved them all, despite some of the challenges inherent in the breed. I have raised bantams and large fowl alike.
The way I understand it, this thread is not exclusively an appeal to all of us to work together to improve the show bird, but it is "to work together and improve the breed," That means: production, eggshell color, vigor, conformation, SOP issues--everything. Whether we show or not should not matter one whit. Of course, it is laudable that there are people who promote the breed by showing their birds, but a great deal of credit needs to be sent in the direction of those who, while they may not be showing, keep working to produce good birds; and that includes developing new varieties.
The Dutch are somewhat reluctant to accepting new varieties of Barnevelders and Welsummers, but the Germans are not, and the British are also more open to such innovations. Such differences do not give rise to a World War III, however, and neither should they here. Personally, I am immensely impressed by what Trisha has achieved, for instance, and I have seen pictures of some of Royce's birds that I have also admired.
There is no reason whatsoever to get upset at the suggestion that we might consider revising our APA SOP when it comes to certain points. Those revisions happen all the time, and I would totally support a revision as far as the breast color of the male is concerned. I showed birds at the qualifying meet, I have raised the breed for years, and I have studied both Dutch material (I can read Dutch, and I have gone through stuff from the 1930s onward) as well as German and British material. In other words, I came to the breed not only through a theoretical avenue but also through years of experience. Dr. Hans Schippers saw my birds and critiqued them and subsequently arranged to have shipped to me and Lowell Barber hatching eggs from top breeders in Holland. By the way, I sent birds to the city of Barneveld in NY state on the occasion of the city's anniversary, and those birds were offspring from the last shipment of Dutch hatching eggs.
In brief, I support a push for the improvement of the breed by all--exhibitors and non-exhibitors alike--in ALL ASPECTS of the breed: breeding practices, quantity and quality of eggs, conformation, etc.
Happy Halloween to all.
Bjorn
Honestly...Good for you! Be glad that you can show, but please don't judge others for not showing. They may have reasons not to show that are completely valid in their situation. 
