“I know you've heard it a thousand
times before. But it's true - hard work pays off. If you want to be good, you
have to practice, practice, practice. If you don't love something, then don't
do it.” Ray Bradbury once stated this
and it is most definitely true, especially in poultry showmanship. One of the keys to success is practice, but
there are most definitely other ways to success. First, the appearance and how a contestant
presents himself counts for about one third of the score. The other two thirds are decided on how
knowledgeable a person is about his bird and on whether or not the bird is
properly displayed and handled.
The appearance of a contestant will
give a first impression to the judge how serious the person is about
showmanship. While different shows have
different dress codes, there are some basic standards when dressing for a show. First, the contestant needs to have a clean
body and hair. Dark slacks, or a dark
skirt above the knees, should be worn with a light-colored long sleeve
shirt. A lab coat is not necessary,
although appreciated; badges and pins from achievements are also welcome on the
coat. Jewelry should be kept to as much
of a minimum as possible. All of these
things help make the exhibitor look the part.
The judge
will give points on how a contestant presents himself, so presentation is
critical. The contestant needs to give
the judge his attention and respect both the judge and the other exhibitors,
although he should not speak to other exhibitors. The exhibitor needs to allow to judge to see
that he enjoys what he is doing by smiling, and having a good attitude. When the contestant speaks he need to be
clear, confident, stand close, and speak up.
The exhibitor needs to refrain from drinking and chewing while speaking
to the judge. If the judge is not able
to understand and seriously take the exhibitor, he will get a lower score.
Another
factor is that the bird picked for showmanship can determined whether or not
the contestant wins. The bird will need
to be tame, clean (as if going to a show), and a good representation of the
breed. Picking a bird that is a good
representation of the breed shows that the person knows what his chicken ought
to look like. Taming and cleaning the
bird will show the judge the time spent and picking a good bird shows that the
contestant knows what the breed ought to look like. In order for the bird to be tame, it should
be put in a coop by itself with just water.
Twice a day it should be fed by hand until it will eat regularly from
the owner. Next, it should just be hand
fed once a day, then food put inside the coop.
The next step is to feed the bird treats by hand and gently talk to
it. This will teach the bird to come to
the door when there is a person near the coop and make it comfortable around
human company.
Finally,
the bird is shown to the judge and all the hard work pays off. The bird must always be properly carried,
posed, and displayed. The judge’s view
should never be blocked; instead, everything should be done so that the judge
has a clear view. As much information
possible should be given to the judge, and it should always be as detailed and
specific as possible. The chicken’s head
should always go through the cage first, whether taking the bird out or putting
the bird in.
Showing poultry may take time and
experience, but these are ways to improve and do well, even on a first
try. Appearance gives a good first
impression and shows you are serious.
Another critical aspect is presentation, as this will have a huge impact
in the competitor’s score. Picking a
bird that represents the bird, while not necessary, most definitely helps to
show the judge that the exhibitor knows
what the breed ought to look like. The
final part, showing the bird to the judge, allows the judge to see the
contestants knowledge and if showing excites his knowledge. All of these little things work together to
get an excellent score, along with “Practice, practice, practice.”
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