Masters Cup 2015

[Mike Gilbert]

Sunday 2:20 p.m. -   John and Kathy Blehm are on the highway heading home from Webster City, Iowa.    They attended the Master Cup event this weekend.   We had a reception Friday evening, seminars most of Saturday during the day, including a lengthy talk by the Iowa State veterinarian about the HPAI epidemic and current situation.   They expect to lift the ban on shows early in 2016 pending no reoccurrence of HPAI.    Saturday evening brought a very nice banquet with smoked turkey and roast beef as the meat entrees.  They had drawings throughout the day Saturday and again Saturday night for cash prizes and many nice poultry items.   The Rademachers of Minnesota won the top prize of $500.  John had his name drawn for $50 and I did for $25, besides being presented with the nicest plaque you can imagine.  Mary and I headed for home about 8:20 a.m. this (Sunday) morning, and I expect to get a little deer hunting in by late afternoon.   It was a very nice trip and we all had a good time. 

[John W Blehm]

It was a very nice weekend with great poultry people.  During the Saturday banquet Mike was presented the Pinnacle Award by Bart Pals.

The Pinnacle award was designed to for someone who has actually made a difference with purebred poultry, not just winning. That most certainly is Mike.
Bart

[Mike Gilbert]

I do treasure the award, but as I said at the ceremony, the friends made over the years through the poultry hobby mean immeasurably more.     I have to admit it is nice to be recognized for something besides accumulating points. 

[Russ Blair]

Congratulations Mike, that is an awesome achievement. Glad you all had a great time and safe journeys. Hopefully next year they will be able to exhibit as well.

[Tailfeathers]

Where is that "Like" button?    In lieu thereof I'm officially giving a "thumps up" to all those posts! 

And, might I add, that it is tremendously unfair that you, Mike, get to have a weekend like that by topping it off with a bit of deer hunting before it's over!! 

[Mike Gilbert]

Royce, just to help you feel better, there is no venison hanging at the Gilbert homestead yet.    In fact, out of six hunters, we only have one so far.  But the season is not over. 

[Ed Brockman]

Mike, congratulations on the award.  It is certainly well deserved.  Good luck in your search for Bambi's father.
I am not a fan of the NFL, but there is another football game in the near future with Mn. vs Wisc. that I hope has Badger fans disappointed.

[Beth Curran]

Congratulations, Mike! A beautiful plaque, and well deserved!

I, too, am jealous on the deer hunting. I haven't been in many years... good memories with Dad...

[John W Blehm]

Besides the seminars we had opportunities to talk with Dave Schmidt, the state vet for Iowa, and Bud Woods, the owner/operator of McMurray Hatchery.  Both were down to earth and easy to take to (pick their brains). 
Bud talked about and showed photos, on his cell phone, of a new 40' by 200' bantam barn they put up.  Oh, would I like one like that!  It is 8' high with an 8' aisle down the middle.  The coops on either side are 16" deep with various widths from 8' to I think 16'.  The floors in the coops are elevated, so the birds stand on 2' by 4' plastic panels with about 50% of the surface open for droppings to drop thru.  A "scraper" is under each side to scrape the manure down and out to the end of the barn.  The feeders and waterers are automated and there is a small recessed pan type area in each coop, with wood shavings/sawdust, for the birds to bathe in.  The metal nest boxes were being customized for this setup, so not yet installed.  The eggs should roll out on the aisle side for easy collection.  For bio-security reasons we couldn't visit the barn.