Meet Policy

[Mike Gilbert]

Since Gina Neta has resigned her position of Director of Ameraucana Alliance, the Board of Directors has appointed me to complete her term which expires, as I understand it, December 31, 2018.
So that means yours' truly is your new Director of Placing Meets.   Accordingly, I am attaching a link for all to review just what exactly our meet policy consists of.   Be advised that I will enforce the rule that says meets should/must be requested in time to be published in a quarterly newsletter.   That is only fair in my estimation, as not all of us use computers to check for upcoming meets on our website.   Members need time to plan for shows insofar as conditioning birds, motel reservations, arrangements for chore help while away from home, etc.    Also, I will expect the names of at least three Ameraucana Alliance members who would be expected to participate in the meet requested.   Points and ribbons don't mean much when a person is only competing against himself/herself or maybe one other member.    That said, please consider requesting meets at all your favorite shows.  The more the better.   If you are unsure who may or may not be a member, John keeps the membership list right up to date, so contact him with those types of questions before submitting your request to me.   It will save some time.    Here is that link:  http://ameraucanaalliance.org/DnLd/Meet%20Policy.pdf     Mike G.

[Tailfeathers]

"

I will expect the names of at least three Ameraucana Alliance members who would be expected to participate in the meet requested.   Points and ribbons don't mean much when a person is only competing against himself/herself or maybe one other member.

Mike, I think you may wish to, and probably should, rethink that.  A quick look through the Directory shows many states having only one member.  Even my state only has 4 and I'm heading to a show this Friday where road conditions could very well prevent Linda from coming all the way over from Spokane.  The same would be true for me if Linda or Larry requested a meet.

Moreover, I would offer these two other reasons.  One, the ABC is having a Club Meet at the show this Saturday.  So there will be several other Ameraucana breeders showing.  It seems to me that it would mean something for both the AA and the Ameraucana breed should just one AA member show up and beat all the other ABC members for BB or even BV.  And two, in those states where only one member exists there may also be ABC members to compete with but, even if not, it seems to me that an AA member just getting their birds out to a show is good for both the AA and Ameraucanas and that, in and of itself, is worth awarding them points for.

[John W Blehm]

The policy says "when it can be reasonably expected that three or more exhibitors will show Ameraucanas".  In order to allow our members to compete for ribbons and points where other Alliance members aren't showing we purposely used the word "exhibitors".  Also, we said "reasonably expected" because we all know that sometimes an Ameraucana fancier plans to exhibit at a show, but for whatever reason just doesn't make it.

Club meets may be placed by the Director in charge of meets when a member requests a meet for a specific show in time for the meet to be publicized in the quarterly Ameraucana Newsletter prior to the show's entry deadline.   Members need to know well in advance when and where meets are placed for planning purposes.   Meets should only be placed when it can be reasonably expected that three or more exhibitors will show Ameraucanas.   The requesting member may furnish the names of at least the minimum number of expected exhibitors to the Director in charge of meets at the time he or she requests the meet in order to facilitate the Director's decision making process

[Mike Gilbert]

All right, I will change my expectation from the names of  three Alliance members to the names of  three Ameraucana exhibitors.    The former expectation should have been a great recruitment incentive, and I don't see any incentive at all in the current policy, but it is what it is and I can certainly live with that. 

[Tailfeathers]

Well, the "Exhibitors" is better than "Members" but I still think that a member should be allowed to request a meet even if they are the only ones bringing Ameraucanas.  I get the "recruiting incentive" and totally agree with that.  Thought the same thing myself when I read it. 

But imagine this:  We have a member in the Club who is the only member in that state, and the only one who shows up with an Ameraucana, and it happens to win Best Of Show outta, oh, let's say 750 birds.  They wouldn't even get their 2pts for showing the bird.  Not much of a recruiting incentive.

Now, I realize 2pts ain't much but at least it's some recognition.  Most of us who've been at this for any length of time now, I imagine, don't really care about the ribbons.  But at least the 2pts on the board is something that shows they're getting their bird out and letting people see it.  Of course a nice write-up in the Poultry Press or something would be nice too.   

[John W Blehm]

I don't see exhibiting as recruiting, although it is great to have members that want to recruit more members and someone may get into Ameraucanas and even join the Alliance if they are turned on by birds in a show.  I feel the only requirement to membership is paying dues.  Fanciers show that are into showing, but with close to a couple hundred Alliance members very few are into exhibition.  Breeding chickens is what I most like about the fancy and we all have our own reasons for club membership.
I don't want to handicap any members that are into exhibiting just because others aren't competing against them at shows.  Personally I feel if there is at least one other person showing in the same class our member(s) should be eligible for ribbons and points at a sanctioned Club Meet.  As it stands 3 exhibitors are needed before a ribbon is earned, but once a meet is sanctioned points are earned even if only one member ends up showing.  I think this is an area that should be looked into and what is good for one may be what we should do with the other.  Then again, if the same exhibitor entered more than one Ameraucana in a class there is competition.   
There was a lot of compromise to come up with the policies we have regarding placing meets and exhibitor points.  Member comments on these type subjects helps bring up issues that the board may look into.   

[Rebecca G Howie]

Thanks to everyone for this discussion.  I know of only one other Bantam Ameraucana Breeder in Florida. He shows mostly in North FL and further north, only occasionally in Inverness.

I enjoy the challenge of the breeding aspect, choosing who to mate, watching the chicks grow and develop, the traits they got from the sire and dam, and guessing “the pics of the litter” almost from day 1, changing my mind often as they feather out and mature and display that extra something that makes them stand out from the crowd.

I decided to show -
1. I think I have nice birds and want to expose then to others who may appreciate them and take an interest in Ameraucanas
2. The art of breeding fascinates me and I need the feedback from others to HELP me verify that I made good choices
3. I want to be respected as someone who strives for improvement.   


This is my limited experience so far:
The only bantam AMs in Central FL that may go to a show are at my house and 4 that I placed in the hands of a 4H girl, Kady, who shows Open and Youth.  A friend advised me that by having more exhibitors, the judge would put more thought into placing them. He took some home to prep to show. There were my own F2 pullets/cockerels and others bred by John, Jeff and Beth. We all had an assortment to prepare for the last show.

I did not ask for a meet.

Yes, I was still competing with myself since they were all owned by me but then NO I wasn't. Chuck, Kady and I conditioned our own groups. There were birds from 4 breeders total competing. I chose 15 out of about 40 for the 3 of us to work with - did I make the right choices?? Am I looking for the right things?  They are all pretty.

I read and re-read the Standard and decided the Silvers should be seen, also.

Beth's Silver was AOCCL and Jeff's Wheaten was Reserve AOCCL in a class dominated by Polish and Cornish against Exhibitors accustomed to being on Champion Row, both are ABA Master Exhibitors/Breeders

With chicks from John, Jeff and Beth to raise, I hatched only a few and raised 3 Wheaten, 2 Blue Wheaten pullets from 2 of my F1 hens.
Kady showed my F2 Wheaten and was 2nd and 3rd out of the 9 Wheaten pullets. I felt pretty good about that. I was in good company.

Got the Cornish breeder's attention and he asked Chuck about those Ameraucanas (he won't talk to a newbie like me  HA)

Missions accomplished!

Whatever you decide about meets is fine with me. I will probably not show enough to amass any appreciable number of points, ribbons gather dust    .

But, it is kind of nice to be recognized in some way at the end of the day.     and a certificate can go into the pedigree records.

PS Sorry for the novel, my 2 cents turned into a quarter     didn't it?

 

[Russ Blair]

I like the terminology exhibitor better than member for one reason. Not only do our meets reward/recognize our members with ribbons and points for exhibiting. Our Meets also promote our Club, which I have found out, a lot of newer breeders/exhibitors don't know we exist still. Since they don't know we exist they tend to join the other club. Then they tend to get fed misinformation and falsehoods pertaining to our breed and even those that helped create most of our varieties. If we get those meets placed where it is expected 3 exhibitors will be attending we will also be promoting our club as well. Oh and I got a good chuckle Rebecca out of your "$.25" lol