Show Duck?

[DustyShadow]

Hi,
so, in 2012 i entered my gorgeous Pekin drake into some Junior Exhibitor classes. There, he placed "Highly Commended" at his first show (also my first show), and at his second show, he placed "First", and "Champion Junior Waterfowl".

We were so impressed with his results, that we've decided to take him to a few more shows in 2013 (we missed out on quite a few shows earlier in 2012, because we didn't own him then).

I was thinking that, seeing as i'm 16 now, i should consider trying him in some open classes - not junior exhibitor.

I am obviously a bit worried that in open classes he wont do as well as in the junior exhibitors. So, i wanted to see if anyone could give me some advice/tips with him?

He is a purebred Pekin drake, of unkown age (at least 2 years).
He's pure white, with bright, intense orange legs/feet, and an orangey/yellow beak.

With Pekins, are there specific show standards that i should be looking for in him? Should his feathers be a particular tinge?

Are there any markings to avoid?


Below is a picture of him. Can i please get constructive criticism on him?
If there is anything in particular that you think he needs to be a champion drake, that'd be awesome (did that make any sense?? Basically, is there anything that i can do for him to help him have a better chance at placing well? maybe feeding him a specific food to make his colour better or something??)

Also, if anyone knows of any things that a judge looks for in his breed, it'd be awesome to hear what they actually look for in Pekins!





THANKS

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Are you absolutely sure he is pekin? He looks much more like a runner. How much does he weigh? http://www.iwba.org/duckstandards.htm may help; I'm just not sure how close these standards are to APA standards.

 

[cubakid]

Head is too narrow, as is the whole body. Pekins are bred for meat, with great depth and width, and a big blocky head.

 

[DustyShadow]

I was given him as a Pekin from my school. I'm hoping that my school knows what they're talking about.
Nothing was mentioned at either show when i said that he was a Pekin... here's an image of him just standing about his yard... Could it have been that he was just standing too upright in the original photos? apologies for the terrible quality, but this was at his first show in the pen. I definintly think he does NOT look Runner here.
I mean, there is a 0.9% chance that he could be cross bred (perhaps Pekin with Runner), but why would he get first and champion over all the gorgeous purebreds in his class??





I my mum, and she said that she does not think that it could be a Runner, because he doesn't stand that upright.

 

[Chris09]

I mean, there is a 0.9% chance that he could be cross bred (perhaps Pekin with Runner), but why would he get first and champion over all the gorgeous purebreds in his class??

Quote: What class was he in?
Was he in a Pekin class or just a waterfowl class? If he was in a Pekin class how many other Pekins were in the class?

It could have been a matter of which duck was closest to what the breed should look like.

I agree with the others in that your duck isn't a very good Pekin duck.
To me he looks a lot like a hatchery type Pekin.

Chris

 

[DustyShadow]

He was in a Junior Exhibitor - Waterfowl class.
There was at least one other Pekin against him, and then a few muscovys (top condition Muscovy drakes)

I'll take him the the Junior Exhibitor classes at the next couple of shows - this being my last year of being able to do it, i'll keep trying to see how we go, and I'll talk to a judge at the show, and get his opinion. I'm not trying to imply that i don't trust your opinions, but just to see what the actual judges at my shows think... Obviously the animal will look different in person when you're 20cm away.

I think the first show only has open classes, so i'll do the open, and see how we go... It'll be a good chance to see what he should look like. Also, I'm new to showing, so it's all experience - prepping and entering...
Then, my next 3 or 4 shows should have junior exhibitors classes, so I'll try those... I mean, so far i've gotten highly commended, first and champion so there's obviously something right about him for that particular classes.

 

[cubakid]

What show was the first one. Many times a bird that wins doesn't have to be good. Out here in CA a Muscovey will kick your butt. But at a junior show, a well conditioned animal may not be of correct breed type. This doesn't mean that yours is very nice. And the fact that you bought it at a high school scares me. It could be from all sorts of backgrounds.

 

[DustyShadow]

The first show was my local Agricultural Show. The second show was the local poultry clubs show.

he was given to me - i didn't pay for him.
I chose him for two purposes -
1. I loved him - he has so much character, and i just love him to bits as a pet.
2. I'd never shown poultry before... I wanted to start, and i was offered to show him... I had been told that he would do okay.

I didn't choose him because i thought that he was a champion duck. I chose him because i fell in love with his quirkiness, and character.

I'm not deep into the art of poultry showing... I do it as a bit of fun; to try something new.
And i just happened to come out with a few prize cards.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

I was given him as a Pekin from my school. I'm hoping that my school knows what they're talking about.
Nothing was mentioned at either show when i said that he was a Pekin... here's an image of him just standing about his yard... Could it have been that he was just standing too upright in the original photos? apologies for the terrible quality, but this was at his first show in the pen. I definintly think he does NOT look Runner here.
I mean, there is a 0.9% chance that he could be cross bred (perhaps Pekin with Runner), but why would he get first and champion over all the gorgeous purebreds in his class??





I my mum, and she said that she does not think that it could be a Runner, because he doesn't stand that upright.

Doesn't look like a runner here, so maybe it was just the pose he was in in the earlier photo.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

The first show was my local Agricultural Show. The second show was the local poultry clubs show.

he was given to me - i didn't pay for him.
I chose him for two purposes -
1. I loved him - he has so much character, and i just love him to bits as a pet.
2. I'd never shown poultry before... I wanted to start, and i was offered to show him... I had been told that he would do okay.

I didn't choose him because i thought that he was a champion duck. I chose him because i fell in love with his quirkiness, and character.

I'm not deep into the art of poultry showing... I do it as a bit of fun; to try something new.
And i just happened to come out with a few prize cards.

Sounds like however he may place at any show that you have a winner--a winner of your heart!