Happiness is....

Happiness is....

Learning that your birds won not only Large Fowl Champion, but Reserve Large Fowl Champion also!

Oh yes, I took it all yesterday in the Large Fowl! I did actually have competition too!

Let me back up to the beginning though.

I got up to the show around 7:30 am. I was an hour and a half early so I got me a good parking space. I unloaded my four birds out of the truck and took them on in. Laverne and Shirley had already had their blood test this past show so they were good to go. Kuckoo and Coco got their test, and as usual there was blood smeared on feathers to clean off as best I could. I found my coops easily and got everyone put in their designated spots, got their little hanging cups and put in their food and water. Everyone was relatively calm and settled in for the day pretty easily. I did some last minute grooming since I had plenty of time before the judging was to start (9 am). I brushed mineral oil on their slate blue legs and toes to enhance their already good looking legs. I have a 'shine' spray I mist over them and run my hands down their bodies.

After settling in I went wandering about...looking for familiar faces and found Bobby, the guy I bought the moderns from. He was showing some of his lemon blue moderns. I talked to him for a while..then moved on to others. I talked to the guy starting up the BBQ grill...huge barrel grill sitting on a pull behind trailer to haul the enormous cooker. Talked to a few old timers that had been doing this for many years. Talked to this one guy, he wasnt showing but his buddy was. He later was the one that came outside (I was getting nervous while my birds were being judged so I just walked outside) to tell me my birds did VERY well. I ran in to see and read the cards and was just grinning from ear to ear. I of course was by myself at this show, as I am at most shows. He was so happy for me and so I told him I had to hug somebody to come here and give me a hug! LOL! He didnt mind, he seemed genuinely happy to celebrate this moment with me. For a little while I walked around, my face feeling hot from the excitement of my first big win...joking, telling Bobby if my head exploded off of my body to please pull my cell phone out of my pocket and call my husband to collect my remains...lol. I did call Ian at work as soon as I found out I won and he congratulated me and was so happy for me. :)

I had such a nice time. I always have a good time at the shows. Every show I go to I meet someone new and make new friends, and see everyone I made friends with the times before. So...how about some pictures to go with all this rambling?

Here are my four pretties lined up in their coops at the show...





Here are some of the birds I was up against. There was a LONG line of these Black Copper Marans, Both hens and roosters. I reckon there was about ten or so of these. The remaining competition was a black austrolorp hen, and a black austrolorp rooster. This was a smaller show, so the large fowl were not judged by class and then the large fowl champion judged from those classes (for example Laverne won Reserve Continental at the last show, that is a class) All large fowl were judged together as one group.








After the judging on the large fowl was finished I went up to Tommy Lee, the judge that judged my birds, (I like him a lot, not just because of his judging SKILLS ;) but he is one that is willing to talk to you, he takes the time for folks)and asked him if he would take a picture with me since he was the one that judged my birds. At the time he didnt know which birds were mine, the cards you will see on down this entry are folded shut at the bottom so they judges cant see what the number is of that owner, thus assuring they judge the birds by the birds and not the owners reputation.






The poor man I asked to take the picture for me didnt have a clue how to work my camera. I tried to help him out and show him and eventually he did take a picture. By the time he finally did take one I look like I was in pain rather than smiling...from trying to keep the smile going until he took the picture.

So...Shirley won Best Variety, Best of Breed, and Large Fowl Champion...





Coco won Best Reserve Variety, Reserve Best of Breed, and Reserve Large Fowl Champion...





Kuckoo placed with a number one, and Laverne placed with a number two...after Shirley and Coco...which means basicly, third and fourth place out of the four Polish there. There were no other Polish there, so the four of them were competing against themselves for that breed. Here are their cards. They still did fine. Like I have said before, some birds can be disqualified or not deemed worthy of show, such as the Rhode Island Reds judged at the last show...the were deemed Production Reds. So to have a number is still good. :)


I did take some pictures of some of the other birds there...but I will post those on another seperate entry.

Next weekend is a bigger show..in Monroe, Ga. I am on a roll...I hope I stay on a roll. These birds are precious commodities now. Now they are deemed Champion bloodline, and I am so proud of them. We will be seeing about extending this bloodline just as soon as possible by hatching out many more of these beautiful birds.