Can a chicken win championship row if it's the only one of its breed?

[Campine Lover]

Can a chicken win championship row if it's the only one of its breed in its class? Like, for example, in the continental class if there's only one Campine, could it be the best out of continental and go onto championship row? I am getting some more chickens soon and I realized that I've only seen 2/5 of them at a show. Never seen a Houdan, Crevecouer, or Orloff. A Welsummer once and a Buckeye bantam once, but I'm getting a standard. So..... can it??
(Also, since Orloffs are not in the Standard, would they be shown in All Other Standard Breeds class?)

 

[josh44]

dought it

 

[cochinman2005]

Class size does not impact your potential to win the show. There could be 500 in the American class with lets say a Plymouth Rock and a Wyandotte as Best and Reserve of Class. Champions Row consists of all of the class winners, so the Best American, Best Asiatic, Best AOSB, Best Mediterranean, Best English, and Best Continental vie for Overall Champion. If your Campine is the only one there and it is chosen as Class Champion (it is possible not to be awarded class champion even if you have the only entry, aka not worthy), it would compete for Overall Champion. One additional point is that the Reserve Class Champions are also in consideration for Overall Reserve Champion. Let's just say that the Champion was the Plymouth Rock. If the judge thought that the Reserve American (Wyandotte) was better than all the other Class Champions, the Overall Reserve could go to the Reserve American, but in this case only the Reserve in the American Class. The judge could not select the Reserve of another class as the Overall Reserve Champion.

 

[Sugar Sand Farm]

I show Blue jersey giants and becasue there are not at least 15 other entries my bird does not count in Show champion elegability Thats why I started into another breed Why bothr showing if theres no competition. My bird might take a frist place best of breed but against what.

 

[blackred]

Quote:
If Blue Jersey Giants are what you want to breed then I would have changed shows not breeds. There is no rule by the APA or ABA that requires a certain number for consideration of Class or Show Champion. Either this was an Unsanctioned show or the show officials were breaking the rules.

Bob

 

[Sugar Sand Farm]

They were not unsanctioned shows. As I said my giants took best of breed and reserve breed and best variety but when theres nothing to compete against its a shallow win and I looked the booklet says you need at least 15 birds in class to be considered for awards.

 

[blackred]

OK, now that you said it that way it means something completely different.

What they are saying by limiting the AWARDS to classes of 15 birds or more means that you are not eligible to get the trophy or money.
You can still win Show Champion and get those AWARDS but not the ones for the 15 bird or less class.

At our show we limit the class to 25- you must have at least 25 birds in the Breed or Class to get the donated money or trophy.
If there is just one Old English it can still get show champion.

Bob

 

[Sugar Sand Farm]

When they were judging the champions they looked at all the best of breeds in a particular class. I was in the row with mine lonely giants and they never even came over to that row. They did however judge the classes with 15 or more birds. You might be elegible but they dont bother with one or two birds in a breed. And as I said its a hollow victory when there is no other competition. At the last show we went to I was very disappointed that there were only 5 birds registered 4 of them were mine and the other one didnt show. Where the competition This year I am hoping to add other breeds to show as well as my giants

 

[blackred]

There is a lot more going on at a show than you realize when you first start out. I can understand how you feel and to you they were ignoring your birds because there were less than 15 but that is not the case. I would bet that they were ignoring your birds because they weren't that good, and the judge that judged them knew this and directed the other judges away from them.

The problem with something like Blue Jersey Giants and a lot of other large fowl is that there just aren't that many people breeding them to the point that they can win a show. It takes a dedicated breeder ( or a number of them) raising mass amounts of birds for a number of years and then showing the heck out of them before they judges will take notice. While this may not seem fair to you it is a fact of poultry life.
For you to go out and buy some Blue Jersey giants and raise some, then expect to win a show is just not feasible, unless you can catch lighting in a bottle. The Wyandottes, Rocks, Reds, Sumatra's and Leghorns just have got too far a head start.

There is a way to get the judges attention though. You have to show them a lot in good numbers, preferably in all classes. Cock, Hen, Cockerel and Pullet. If a judge has to choose between 10-15 birds of good quality, then he has to actually judge them. If you only show 3 of them and two are average or in poor condition then it is a no brainer and he just moves on.
This is how breeders of lesser varieties or breeds get their point across. But you have to do it for a few years at as many shows as you can. That is what makes a dedicated breeder. But you have to have a plan.

I hope this helps in some way

Bob

 

[suzettex5]

Just came across this thread, and I appreciate the info Bob. Always interesting to learn about how the shows work. Maybe someday in a few years, I can show a bird or two.