Saturday and Show Results

I must have woke up a hundred times between 9 pm Friday night and 3 am Saturday morning. I never sleep before going to something like this. My mind is racing, won't shut up and let me sleep. Always going over everything to make sure I dont forget to bring anything...planning the morning out in my head..SHHHHH! I try to hush my mind, but it won't be quiet.

At 2:47 I could stand it no more...so I went ahead and got on up. Up before the chickens this particular morning! Showered, hair done, make up (I dont wear make up unless its really something I am going to), clothes on, looking good, feeling good.

I already had all the birds caged and ready to head out, loading them all up along with my cart to wheel them in and two extra containers for birds I may buy at the show.

Camera, check. Baggies of food, container of water, food and water cups, check. Baby wipes, check. Shine spray, check. Money, purse, keys, directions, check.

I left right on time if you can believe it...4:30 am I was pulling out of the driveway. That is an accomplishment in itself for me.

I got there around 6:30 am. There were already lots of folks there...but not too bad. I got the birds all loaded up on the cart and got signed in. Then it was time to get tested. You have to have your birds tested for any diseases before you can coop in.

The guy in front of me being tested had 29 birds to put in show, so he was testing. That took some time...not too bad though. He turned around and looked at me, we got to talking. He says

"What is your name?"

I said, "Kelly".

He says..."Kelly C----y?"

I say..YES! How did you know?

He says, " I am the guy that was heading up the Hamilton show, the one we had to cancel remember?"

YEAHHHH!

We were gabbing on and on from that point all while he was testing. He was a cool guy. While there I also saw Darlene, the lady I talked to a bunch last year and she won Grand Champion Reserve. I thought it was GC, but it was Reserve, which is still great. Saw Brian, the guy I had bought my Frizzle babies from. We talked a lot and he invited me to a swap meet in March in Monroe they are having. All kinds of birds from chicks to adults for sale.

Ians dad and his new wife came to the show for a while. It was really cool to have them there to see what goes on. She shows Irish Wolfhounds so she could really appreciate what goes on at any kind of animal showing. We had a good time walking around and talking, catching up.

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Now, onto show results! No, I didnt win anything, but I ALMOST did...will explain this as I go along here.

First up...is Kuckoo and Coco.

 

 

Kuckoo was disqualified. I learned something I didnt know. When I looked on his card it just had the word STUBS written on there. What? What does THAT mean? I didnt have a clue. I asked the lady at the Araucana Club table, who had these STUBS marked on two of her cards too. She showed me what they were, on her birds.

Stubs are little tiny feathers...may just be one or two...that are growing out of the leg or toes. Clean legged birds are not supposed to have this, at all. It is a disqualification.

So I we go over to my two Polish, and she cant see a one on my birds. She suggests I ask the judge about it. So about five minutes later...I see the particular judge that judged them, and I ask him what exactly are stubs and where are they on my birds?

You wouldnt believe it. There were tiny tiny I mean TINY little eyelash looking feathers, in between his toes!

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The judge tells me he thinks I have a wonderful very nice pair of Polish, and when he saw my hen, he really really wanted to give her BEST CONTINENTAL, but then he found the stubs on her too.

I got told this not once, but twice. Later another judge came to me telling me to watch those stubs, to be sure to pull them out before a show, that I would have won best continental.

So just shoot me in the head now okay.

I want you to know..I looked when we got home, at Cocos feet. I found ONE little tiny stub. No bigger than half an eyelash..in between her toes. I pulled it out, looked at it in disbelief that this had caused me to not no win big. Live and learn. I wont ever forget this one.

Here she is in her show pen..she was disqualified too..but again...a superb perfect pair...so a breeding program will be in order for them this Spring. I have two from them already, but want to have more for next years show. Just because they were disqualified does not mean they are not really good birds. I was told by the judge that it has been a long time since he has seen such a good pair.

 

 

A couple of nice shots of Kuckoo below. I had it all set up in my head to do some shots out on a bale of hay with the grass and fence as a background...but you wouldnt believe the weather we had yesterday. High winds and pouring rain. So that was out.

 

 

I know that head shot of Kuckoo is huge, but I had to! It is just the PERFECT shot, and I wanted to put it on her BIG!!! ;)

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More show results to follow...you know I dont like to have long drawn out entries..and this one is kinda long for me...so more to come later. :)

Oh I wanted to add a picture of what Kuckoo looked like last year when I bought him...as opposed to what he looks like now..has he filled out or WHAT? Handsome boy! This is from last year...