Fowl Fest, in Birch Run, Michigan will wrap up in the morning. There were 807 birds entered in the show with another 351 in a junior show, for a 1,157 bird total by 129 exhibitors.
Usually we'll have 4 or more Ameraucana exhibitors, but this year it was just Russ and I. We had 9 bantams between us and Russ won BB on a wheaten pullet and RB on a wheaten cockerel. We had 16 large fowl between us and I had BB/Champion AOSB with a black cockerel (that, David Erickson, our newest member bought) and RB/Reserve Champion AOSB with a silver pullet. There were only 25 birds in the AOSB class. Phil Bartz judged both classes.
There were no large fowl shown in the junior show, but in bantams 4 wheatens and one lavender were entered. The wheatens were all "OUT", so the lavender cock, shown by a non-member, didn't have any competition from other Ameraucanas...but there were 33 birds in that junior AOCCL class. Wait for it. I think Butch Gunderson was judging. Now, keep in mind that junior shows are not APA/ABA sanctioned meets (just one reason I think they shouldn't take place)...only the so-called "open" show is the real sanctioned meet/show. After some consulting and discussion the
lavender cock won BV, BB and Reserve Champion AOCCL of the junior show! Of course in a real poultry show governed by APA/ABA rules the best bird of a breed isn't always allowed to win Best of Breed let alone Champion or even Reserve Champion of it's class.