2016 National Meet

[Mike Gilbert]

I know it is early, and I don't believe it was discussed at the annual member meeting, but has anyone thought about where we might hold the national meet in 2016?   Of course it will depend to a large extent on which states are allowing open poultry shows and their testing requirements if they do, but it wouldn't be a bad idea to throw some ideas out there.    I would not be totally opposed to going back to Indiana, as it is fairly centrally located for many of our members.  Lebanon's 2016 show date is October 15th.    Any other ideas?

[John W Blehm]

And if Michigan lifts the ban...I'm partial to Fowl Fest, just a week earlier than Lebanon, and it is a two day show with a great facility.

[The Malcolms]

We have always wanted to go to Fowl Fest but the Indiana show was very convenient to get to (6 hours closer than Michigan).  They put on a great show and were very good to our club.  We will pencil in the Nationals wherever they may be...🐔🐔🐔🐔

[Suki]

I'm for moving it around personally,so each year different people may show up.  In that spirit I would nominate Nebraska.

[Russ Blair]

Where ever it may be I will plan on attending 😃, breeding pens are going into planning and setting stage.  Stay tuned for any future warnings as to what I may bring 😉. At this moment all I can say is there are more conditioning pens being constructed this winter in anticipation of a great Hatching season.

[Beth Curran]

I know it is early, and I don't believe it was discussed at the annual member meeting, but has anyone thought about where we might hold the national meet in 2016?

Maybe I'm still on that chicken high, but I've been thinking about it since I got back. I know a lot will depend on the shifting sands of AI, but what do you guys think about Sedalia? It's a long haul for me, but realistically everything is going to be, and Mike's brother & his family live a half hour from there, and so we could combine the trip.

Edited to add: I loved the Lebanon show and wouldn't mind going back there again, although I agree with Brownie that moving it around is probably a good thing. I wouldn't be opposed to Fowl Fest, either. Ohio/TN/WV/VA/PA are about the closest for me. I know PA's regulations are off-putting to some, but NC is just as bad so I'm used to it. Speaking of which, we also have Cape Fear up in Johnston County...  Just kidding. But this time last week I was thinking hard about it!

Russ, after seeing your birds I'm anxious for you to get those breeding pens set up, I want some!

[John W Blehm]

I would like to have as much input as possible on this and have the board vote on a location by November 15th, so it can be promoted in the next newsletter to all members.  The advance notice helps members schedule hatches to try to have birds in prime condition for the show and allows plenty of time for planning, making reservations, putting in for time off from work, etc.
I know each year many members don't renew memberships, so these numbers will change but as of today here are the states with 3 or more members each.
MI & PA have 7 each.
NC & WI have 6 each.
CA has 5.
IN has 4.
CO, IL, KS, KY & MO have 3 each.
Realistically Indiana in pretty much centrally located for the majority of these to attend.  Of course some members have always been more into showing than others and are more willing to drive longer distances to attend a National Meet...it really is our one big annual event.  They call the TV show "The Middle" (about a family in IN) for a reason.  Lebanon is only about 30 minutes from Indianapolis...The Crossroads of America.

The Crossroads of America is a nickname given to the state of Indiana as it, and, more specifically, the city of Indianapolis is the hub for several major Interstate highways that criss-cross the state, connecting Hoosiers to the rest of the United States.

I would be very open to Lucusville, but as in Michigan the quarantine has not been lifted.  NPIP testing for Indiana is much more accommodating to most of us than states that require also require AI testing.

[Cesar Villegas]

I know it is early, and I don't believe it was discussed at the annual member meeting, but has anyone thought about where we might hold the national meet in 2016?   Of course it will depend to a large extent on which states are allowing open poultry shows and their testing requirements if they do, but it wouldn't be a bad idea to throw some ideas out there.    I would not be totally opposed to going back to Indiana, as it is fairly centrally located for many of our members.  Lebanon's 2016 show date is October 15th.    Any other ideas?

I would like to see two national meets if possible (East & West) with the option of attending both. Keep in mind that the western states aren't that close together as the eastern states are. So from Arizona we have to drive cross country (1,700 miles) to attend the show in Indiana.

Here in AZ, people who raise Ameraucanas has increased by 55% and growing in the last couple of years, from the initial official breeders that I knew off. Even experienced breeders and exhibitors in AZ are procuring Ameraucanas to start raising them for showing purposes, one is a young ABA judge apprentice.  I think we need to get more people like my friend involved in AMs and a western presence would encourage to attend the show,join the club and breed AMs.

I think a western presence will do good for the club and breed.

[Gina Neta]

My first choice (by slim margin) is Lebanon, Indiana.  Second choice is Fowl Fest in Birch Run, MI.  Can't go wrong with either of those venues.  Thank you for getting us thinking about this and the ideas flowing!  Russ - remember - I bought birds from you a couple weeks ago.....   

[Tailfeathers]

Has any thought ever been given to moving the Nationals on a rotational basis between the Districts?  It's just an idea and question. 

WA State has had no shutdowns from what I know.  We've had a few cases of AI confirmed but it hasn't caused any problems with our shows except for the Canadians being prohibited from bringing birds down and vice versa.  That put a pretty good dent in our March Show and a small dent in the Vancouver show that was just held.  I do know though that Californians and Oregonians had no problem coming to WA.  The PacNW is a beautiful area to visit if one could extend their trip for a few extra days of sight-seeing.  So I'll throw a vote in for WA.

On another note, wrt the time of year, even if I could've made it to Indiana for the show this month, I wouldn't have had any birds at all to be able to take.  October is a bad month for us here as everything is in molt.  And they started later this year I think.  We had a really strange year and I don't know if it made any difference or not but there was VERY little rain.  My south pond was nothing more than a puddle at one time.  I'm just hoping I have a couple I can pick out to take to the show on the 20th.  So anyways, in addition to location I just wanted to remind everybody that we need to look at time of the year too.

[John W Blehm]

Originally we didn't have National Meets every year.  With a new club and new breed some felt there wouldn't be enough participation to do it annually.  Since all the creators of the varieties where from the mid-west that meant most exhibitors were too and the National Meets were placed at shows in the mid-west.  Several years ago we changed the constitution/bylaws to rotate it, clockwise, between the districts.  Still most participants were from the mid-west and those meets were placed at shows, within a district, that were as close to the mid-west as possible to try to still make it a reasonable drive for the diehard members that would travel within reason.  Ohio was moved from the North Central district so the NE district would have shows closer to the mid-west.  Western district National Meets were placed in Montana to get them in the NE part of that district and South Central National Meets were placed in Missouri to get them as close to the mid-west as possible.  In recent years it was solely up to each district director to place the National Meet at any show they wanted, but they understood it had to be as close to the active exhibitors to be successful.  The directors were required, by the constitution, to place a District Meet each year but more than once they didn't do it without my reminder.  Often even these district meets didn't draw enough members to warrant ribbons from the club.
Since the forking of the club earlier this year we have a new club name and are working on a new constitution.  We no longer have districts, district meets, state meets or special meets.  Except for an annual National Meet all others are Club Meets.  Few have been requested, so other than bans on shows due to the AI scare it shows little interest in members having meets.
Someday the club may go back to districts and rotating the National Meet around the country, but I believe we need to get back to placing it where the most members will participate. 
I've drove west to Montana, east to Virginia, south to Missouri and north to Minnesota to attend but I do have my limits.

[Beth Curran]

October is a bad month for us here as everything is in molt.

Same here. October is a bad month for me anyway, with Walker's birthday and all.

I've drove west to Montana, east to Virginia, south to Missouri and north to Minnesota to attend but I do have my limits

Missouri is about as far west as I'd want to go. East more than 11 miles and I'm getting wet.

[John W Blehm]

Here is a little more history on the subject that I put together...

Ameraucana National Meets…

2016 - ?
2015 - Lebanon, IN
2014 - Lucasville, OH
2013 - Great Falls, MT
2012 - Sedalia, MO
2011 - Indianapolis, IN
2010 - Frankfort, KY
2009 - Columbus, OH
2008 - Hutchinson, MN
2007 - Great Falls, MT
2006 - Sedalia, MO
2005 - Frankenmuth, MI
2004 - Portage, WI
2003 - Lucasville, OH
2002 - Columbus, OH
2001 - Galax, VA
2000 - Hutchinson, MN
1999 - Connorsville, IN
1998 - Alma, MI
1997 - Janesville, WI
1996 - Hutchinson, MN
1995 - Alma, MI
1994 - Belvidere, IL
1993 - Mason City, IA
1992 - Mason City, IA
1991 - Milwaukee, WI
1990 - No National Meet
1989 - Highland, IL
1988 - No National Meet
1987 - Hutchinson, MN
1986 - Hutchinson, MN
1985 - ?
1984 - Milwaukee, WI
1983 - Columbus, OH
1982 - No National Meet
1981 - Santa Rosa, CA (January 1982)
1980 - Bluegrass, IA (near Davenport)
1979 - Pleasantville, CA

[Stan Alder]

I'm not a diehard show person. I came close to going this year, but it would have been about my travel limit...sorry that I decided to skip it...I will do my best to make it next year, but I don't think I will go farther west than Kansas City..fowl fest might be too far north ..it's close to 900 miles...so my preference would be in the Indiana, Illinois or Ohio area..That is if no one will come to South Carolina...lol

[Mike Gilbert]

1981 in Santa Rosa, CA, would have been the ABA qualifying meet for wheaten and white bantams, the first Ameraucanas ever recognized.   Then1983 in Columbus, OH, is when the rest of the bantam varieties were qualified for the ABA (although no buff bantams were actually shown), and when the APA decided they would adopt our bantam Standard and varieties for both bantams and large fowl.  They did not announce that until a year later at the APA national in Milwaukee.   I was there when Harry Halbach announced it.   John, I'm 99% sure there was no national meet in 1985, as that was about when Don Cable resigned as secretary.