2017 National Meet wrap up

[Russ Blair]

Jensen Pierson won Ch Overall Ameraucana with an outstanding LF Black Cockerel and Kraig Shaffer took Res Ch Ameraucana with very nice LF White Cock. Both Birds went on to respectfully take Ch and Res Ch AOSB. Hopefully a full report will be coming soon, just thought I would relay the big winners.

[John W Blehm]

In junior competition Alex Berryer had Bantam BB on a wheaten cock and Colton Friedel had RB on a blue wheaten hen.  In large fowl David Erickson had BB & Reserve AOSB on a black pullet and RB on a black pullet.

[John W Blehm]

Jim Fegan was presented with this year's Ameraucana Lifetime Achievement Award during our annual club meeting, by President Beth Curran. 

[John W Blehm]

Photo 1...John Blehm (MI), Neil Townsend (PA), Bob Rennolet (SD), Ru$$ Blair (MI) and Mike Gilbert (WI) at the Fowl Fest! 

Photo 2...Tim Bowles judging our Ameraucana National Meet.

Photos 3, 4, & 5...random shots of the Fowl Fest in the Birch Run Expo Center.

[John W Blehm]

1st photo is Jensen Pierson and her father, Doug, with some of her awards and prize winning Ameraucana.
2nd photo is Russ Blair modeling the beaded Ameraucana Alliance cap made and donated by Becky Howie, from FL.  She used the bantam blue wheaten portrait from our logo as the design.  Neil auctioned the cap, after our meeting and Russ had the winning $100 bid!   Thanks Becky and Russ. 
3rd photo is Mike Gilbert accepting awards from Beth and the 4th is Neil Townsend accepting awards from her also.

The last photo is a group shot of the Alliance members, along with some of the spouses, that attended the meeting.   
Standing: Mike & Sue Paolini, Dante Pirouz, Neil & Donna Townsend, Russ Blair, Gary Burton, Jim Fegan, Bob Rennolet & John Blehm
Seated & kneeling: Adler Pirouz, Debbie Hogan, Jennifer Fegan, Jensen Pierson, Mike Gilbert & Beth Curran.

[Mike Gilbert]

Here is a pic of Russ Blair's beautiful Blue-wheaten cock bird that took Champion Ameraucana bantam and Reserve AOCCL in a class of 155 AOCCL entries.   ABA starred win!  Click on photo to enlarge it for a better view.

[Mike Gilbert]

And here is a shot of Russ's Black bantam hen that took Reserve Ameraucana bantam in a very large class.  She's a beauty!

[Mike Gilbert]

Here are a couple of shots from the Alliance's Saturday night party at the Blehm's in their beautiful pavilion that was just built this summer.   In the bottom photo we have Jim Fegan and daughter Jennifer with Sandy Rennolet of SD in the right foreground.   Jim's Black Ameraucana trio took champion trio of the entire show!  That is Russ's good luck charm, his Uncle Dave, sitting behind them.

The top photo is Sue and Mike Paolini who drove out from Pennsylvania and took home a load of Ameraucana breeding stock.  That's Doug Pierson, Jensen's dad, on the far left.

[Mike Gilbert]

Here are the Junior Competition bantam winners by Alex Berryer and Colton Friedel, a wheaten cock bird and a blue wheaten female, respectively.   Congratulations young men!

[Mike Gilbert]

The champion large fowl in the junior completion was this black pullet by David Erickson!   Congrats to David!

[Russ Blair]

Thanks for posting the pictures, there were some really nice Ameraucana displayed, congratulations to Jensen and Kraig who brought some outstanding LF. I would just like to add that the Blue Wheaten Cock was bred by Neil and Donna Townsend and they graciously gave him to me last year after the National Meet in Lebanon as a cockerel. So the only credit I get is for conditioning him for the show. I would also like to add it was really great to meet Debbie and Sue not to mention many other members of our club I haven't been fortunate to meet before. To see the excitement of the youth exhibitors was truly priceless and was well worth the trip by itself. They are the future breeders of Ameraucana and I can't wait to see everyone again. The fellowship of Ameraucana Alliance is just amazing, I truly recommend all our members to try and experience it. Oh not to mention our Silent auction was also a huge success in my eyes. We had a pair of LF Blue Silvers donated by yours truly that Melody Teller won for $25.00. A LF Silver pair donated by yours truly that Sue Paolini won for $22.00. 2 pair of LF Brown Reds donated by Mike Gilbert that I won for $50.00. A pair of LF Black donated by Jensen Pierson that Carol Straight won for $50.00. A Bantam pair of Blacks donated by yours truly that was won by Tim Bowsher for $60.00. A Bantam Wheaten pair donated by Neil & Donna Townsend that Kate Sparks won for $40.00. And Finally a pair of Bantam Blues donated by yours truly that Jensen Pierson won for $60.00. After paying for the 1 year memberships from the proceeds to not only non members, but also our current members that prefer to pay yearly dues it generated $242.00 for our club. The real success is the three new members and Ameraucana enthusiasts it attracted. So be sure to welcome Melody Teller, Tim Bowsher and Carol Straight come January 1, 2018 when their memberships start. I would like to thank everyone that graciously donated, participated and helped out in order to make it a success.

[Mike Gilbert]

Here is another shot of Jim receiving the Ameraucana Alliance lifetime achievement award for 2017, presented by our President, Beth Curran.   Congratulations Jim!   Congrats also for winning the champion large fowl trio of the entire show on blacks!

[Rebecca G Howie]

Gosh, looks like everyone had a wonderful time at the Nationals. Maybe next year I can make it. Would love to meet everyone!!

Thank you, Russ, for your generous bid on the cap to benefit the AA. Enjoy and wear it in good health.

[Mike Gilbert]

Gosh, looks like everyone had a wonderful time at the Nationals. Maybe next year I can make it. Would love to meet everyone!!

Thank you, Russ, for your generous bid on the cap to benefit the AA. Enjoy and wear it in good health.

Rebecca, thank you so much for all your hard work and trouble to make that cap and send it to the show.   It was quite appropriate that Russ should end up with it.

[Suki]

We need a picture of that cap.  I never did see it.  And the one to thank is Neil Townsend == he was the auctioneer that got Russ to bid against himself.