How do Judges figure out which bird looks the best?
Putting your bird(s) into a poultry exhibit can be very exciting! We know how much work you have put into preparing and taking care of your bird(s) and now you have come to the final step- being judged against other birds to decide who looks the very best.
Judges are very experienced experts who have spent a lot of years learning all about poultry and waterfowl. If you talk with any of them, they could probably tell you how they started raising & showing birds just like you when they were your age.
Part of what they have learned includes memorizing the American Poultry Association AND American Bantam Association Standards of Perfection books. The American Poultry Association is the oldest agriculture club in the United States. Their Standards of Perfection book includes lists of what a perfect bird from each breed should look like. Judges use their experience and what they have learned to compare birds to find which ones are the most perfect and have been well cared for.
Even if you have a "perfect" bird but bring them dirty, with broken feathers, and boo-boos, your "perfect" bird may not do as well against a "near perfect" bird who has shiny feathers from good nutrition, clean body from a bath, and is healthy because they took so much more time then you to care for their bird. The judges take all of this into consideration before they assign prizes & awards.
If you would like to learn more about the levels, ribbons, and prizes that your bird could win , take a peek at the "Participation Tips" section. We have pictures of past winners, breed trivia, and our awards chart that you can explore.
Judges are very experienced experts who have spent a lot of years learning all about poultry and waterfowl. If you talk with any of them, they could probably tell you how they started raising & showing birds just like you when they were your age.
Part of what they have learned includes memorizing the American Poultry Association AND American Bantam Association Standards of Perfection books. The American Poultry Association is the oldest agriculture club in the United States. Their Standards of Perfection book includes lists of what a perfect bird from each breed should look like. Judges use their experience and what they have learned to compare birds to find which ones are the most perfect and have been well cared for.
Even if you have a "perfect" bird but bring them dirty, with broken feathers, and boo-boos, your "perfect" bird may not do as well against a "near perfect" bird who has shiny feathers from good nutrition, clean body from a bath, and is healthy because they took so much more time then you to care for their bird. The judges take all of this into consideration before they assign prizes & awards.
If you would like to learn more about the levels, ribbons, and prizes that your bird could win , take a peek at the "Participation Tips" section. We have pictures of past winners, breed trivia, and our awards chart that you can explore.
How do showmanship judges figure out who is the best show gal or guy?
While showmanship is a competitive event, judges at youth shows like ours, really do want to help you learn to become the best you can at speaking to adults, in front of groups, and to learn to appreciate how really cool your birds & others like them are. We have included some great resources to help you learn how to be a great show guy or show gal below.
One of the main ways a judge keeps track of how you're doing, is to use a score card & showmanship rules listed in the APA & ABA Standards of Perfection books. Check out the score card to learn some of the ways you can earn your points while you practice, practice, practice!
One of the main ways a judge keeps track of how you're doing, is to use a score card & showmanship rules listed in the APA & ABA Standards of Perfection books. Check out the score card to learn some of the ways you can earn your points while you practice, practice, practice!
