I just returned from our local annual "County Youth Fair." I was invited by a local 4H boy that I have come to know. He gave me the grand tour and explained how it worked. I asked why there were so many blue ribbons. "If the judge likes them and sees no faults, they get a blue. If there is something he doesn't like, they get a red." WHAT?
There were cages of Cornish Crosses panting and without water. I asked who the 4H leader was. "The parents." Each child has his own 4H leader, the parent. Meetings? Yes, to discuss what the projects will be. There is supposed to be 6 or 8 hours of education, but it is generally accepted that the parents simply sign off on this, as the child feeds and waters his chickens. Simply, there is NO education. Each kid had his/her name on the cage. If the judge knows any of them, how fair is this?
Mutts galore. Hardly no pure bred birds at all, even though the cage said, "American Class," etc. No breed name on the cage. This young man with me also entered an Easter Egger in the "hybrid class". The judge had no idea what an Easter Egger was, and said it was a beardless Ameraucana. I saw little birds that I thought must be bantams, "No, that is a Barred Rock." Furthermore, this judge told them he was studying to become an APA judge.
Hardly none of the birds were bathed or looked show worthy to me. I was just shocked. Is this how it works?
This young man asked me if I wanted to judge next year. hahahaha The judge is just an anybody that volunteers? No, they wouldn't like me to judge, and I wouldn't anyway.
There were cages of Cornish Crosses panting and without water. I asked who the 4H leader was. "The parents." Each child has his own 4H leader, the parent. Meetings? Yes, to discuss what the projects will be. There is supposed to be 6 or 8 hours of education, but it is generally accepted that the parents simply sign off on this, as the child feeds and waters his chickens. Simply, there is NO education. Each kid had his/her name on the cage. If the judge knows any of them, how fair is this?
Mutts galore. Hardly no pure bred birds at all, even though the cage said, "American Class," etc. No breed name on the cage. This young man with me also entered an Easter Egger in the "hybrid class". The judge had no idea what an Easter Egger was, and said it was a beardless Ameraucana. I saw little birds that I thought must be bantams, "No, that is a Barred Rock." Furthermore, this judge told them he was studying to become an APA judge.
Hardly none of the birds were bathed or looked show worthy to me. I was just shocked. Is this how it works?
This young man asked me if I wanted to judge next year. hahahaha The judge is just an anybody that volunteers? No, they wouldn't like me to judge, and I wouldn't anyway.