- Oct 22, 2012
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Love the new APA newsletter article in the back about trends in exhibiting, breeding and judging, of course its a reprint, but maybe they are thinking it needed to be reprinted? but it definitely applies to today as well. Here is an excerpt from the article....
"This brings me to the trends I’ve noticed in the last few years at the shows I have attended in the east. It seems to me and a lot of others I’ve talked with that the breeders, the exhibitors, and the judges are going overboard for BIG LONG TAILS and lots of feather in many breeds whether the Standard calls for them or not. I’ve noticed standard birds in the American Class, plus Standard Leghorns being shown in double coops. In many cases they not only have big long tails, but are way over sized. The American Class is supposed to be dual purpose: eggs and meat. Let’s not go so far astray.
In bantams, how about Old English Games with big tails, lots of feather, long wings, and soft feather and bodies? Is that a Game? Also Rosecombs, Leghorns and others are over furnished.
I don’t blame any one group: breeder, exhibitor, or judge. What I, and a lot of other fanciers I know, would like to see would be a meeting of the minds and do something to get back to chickens that come close to the Standard instead of trying to make them prettier to look at."
What!? I'm not the only one to think birds are oversized, glad to see that the APA must be realizing it too, if they are willing to print it in their newsletter. I agree with this article
"This brings me to the trends I’ve noticed in the last few years at the shows I have attended in the east. It seems to me and a lot of others I’ve talked with that the breeders, the exhibitors, and the judges are going overboard for BIG LONG TAILS and lots of feather in many breeds whether the Standard calls for them or not. I’ve noticed standard birds in the American Class, plus Standard Leghorns being shown in double coops. In many cases they not only have big long tails, but are way over sized. The American Class is supposed to be dual purpose: eggs and meat. Let’s not go so far astray.
In bantams, how about Old English Games with big tails, lots of feather, long wings, and soft feather and bodies? Is that a Game? Also Rosecombs, Leghorns and others are over furnished.
I don’t blame any one group: breeder, exhibitor, or judge. What I, and a lot of other fanciers I know, would like to see would be a meeting of the minds and do something to get back to chickens that come close to the Standard instead of trying to make them prettier to look at."
What!? I'm not the only one to think birds are oversized, glad to see that the APA must be realizing it too, if they are willing to print it in their newsletter. I agree with this article

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