Ohio National Champion of the Show

[Robert Blosl]

Just got a phone call from some of my friends in the Plymouth Rock Club who are heading back to the East Coast and Champion Bantam of the show was a Call Duck by Charlie Hodum of Mississippi. I am betting it was a White Call and of course it was Champion Water Fowl of the show. Champion Large Fowl of the show was a White Rock Pullet owned by Doug Eckers of Indiana. I am very happy about that as we had our National Meet for the Rock Club at Columbus this year and our best Rock was on Champion Row and one of the Top Two birds in the show. We had about 75 large fowl Rocks and over 200 Rock Bantams. Thats all I have heard, but I am happy a Call Duck won Champion bantam of the show. More will come as exibitors get home to their Computers. Bob Blosl Plymouth Rock CLub Sec.

[MattL]

Grand Champion of the Show-Ohio National 2009--Thanks to Dr. Keith Bramwell for the Photo!

[Robert Blosl]

Think about this. When have you ever heard of a Turkey winning Grand Champion of the Show at a show over 1000 birds? I have never heard of this, but congrads to the Turkey Breeders you have done it and a show with such a high entry as Columbus this is a major unheard win in the Poultry World.

[Pathfinders]

I would imagine Patrick will be gratified.

;)

[Patrick]

I would imagine Patrick will be gratified.

;)

I am. I'm sorry I missed it.
I'm also happy to see how many from New England and New York were represented on Ch Row. Barnaba, Gould, West, Roy, Hare, Ferguson, Koedatich, Henning, all incredibly deserving people.

[MattL]

Patrick,
I heard they changed the name from New England to New Ohio!:)
MattL

[dakers]

And, what did they change New England's "Bella-chicks" name to, after his visit to the Midwest last niight?

[Neil E. Grassbaugh]

I'm also happy to see how many from New England and New York were represented on Ch Row. Barnaba, Gould, West, Roy, Hare, Ferguson, Koedatich, Henning, all incredibly deserving people.

Just OHIO NATIONAL hospitality. Nothing but the best for all our exhibitors and guests!

(it's called spin)

[Neil E. Grassbaugh]

http://pic40.picturetrail.com/VOL384/1082797/22724819/378090178.jpg
484

[goosedragon]

http://pic40.picturetrail.com/VOL384/1082797/22724819/378090178.jpg
484I knew I should have got my food shoping done before I looked at this site! Now I am going to have the mental image in my mind of that nobel bird as I dig through the frozen butterballs! Steak instead?~gd

[Neil E. Grassbaugh]

I knew I should have got my food shoping done before I looked at this site! Now I am going to have the mental image in my mind of that nobel bird as I dig through the frozen butterballs! Steak instead?~gd

Don't confuse the two.
Here is a site that shows some pretty good pictures of the "Butterballs" on the hoof.

http://www.eatturkey.com/consumer/modules/modules_01_welfare.html

[Evy]

Isn't a Royal Palm supposed to have another row of black on the tail ?

[MattL]

Only one band in the tail and one in the coverts and lesser covers as per the Standard. Can't see the band in the coverts unless he is in a strut.
MattL

[Evy]

Only one band in the tail and one in the coverts and lesser covers as per the Standard. Can't see the band in the coverts unless he is in a strut.
MattL

The photos of him displaying are what I was refering to.

[Christopher]

http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s38/cgmccary/IM001068.jpg

[Patrick]

Only one band in the tail and one in the coverts and lesser covers as per the Standard. Can't see the band in the coverts unless he is in a strut.
MattL


Actually, you should be able to easily see it whether in strut or not. The greater tail coverts extend slightly beyond the lessers when the bird is not displaying, and obviously lay on top of the main tail feathers. With the contrast of black and white, with no other dark colors to obscur anything, like in Bronze and Narragansett, both tail bands in a Palm should be easily visible no matter what the bird is doing. I can see even from the small thumbnail picture, that this bird has a complete absence of the black band in the greater tail coverts. Say what you will about the standard drawings, some of it justified, but the drawing of the Palms at rest clearly shows both bands. This lack of a covert band is nothing new in Palms. I've actually never seen one which had a band across the greater tail coverts, as called for in the standard. I've asked a half dozen or so judges who know turkeys. One or two have told me that they do exist, but I'd sure like to see one someday. I did once raise a Palm which had a faint red band on the greater coverts. Another benefit to this win is that it will be sending people to the turkey standards to look up some of these details. Unfortunately for Palms, I bet that it will be a long time before one gets put up again, unless someone surfaces with birds which actually have these elusive tail covert bands.

[MattL]

I agree with what Patrick says about the standard and the picture in it. I do think the bird had a black band at the end of it's coverts but it's not seen real clear for whatever reason. Even with the lack of the band farther up on the tail, I am not sure there is a clear point cut defined for this variety. He was as nice of one as I have seen, good turkey type and super condition. I stand by my pick:) Now I do have a Narragansett question for Patrick, so many I see appear more bronze coloring than the standard calls for, I have been told that most have bronze crossed in. I remember a Narragansett Danny Padgett exhibited at Lucasville a few years ago that had no bronze and was beautiful. Interested in your opinions as I know you have had them in the past.
MattL

[Patrick]

Me have an opinion? The second thing that jumped out at me on this bird was that the lacing goes all the way to the base of the neck. It's clearer on Neil's pictures. I've found it to be very hard to get that, without also adding a lot of smut, or without the lacing getting too wide on other parts of the body.
Steve can answer this question better than I. In my experience, bronzing, esp in the tail bands, and excessive darkening or lightening of overall color are big challenges in Narragansetts. In birds which were pure Narragansett for at least three generations, I've seen the bronzing begin often in the outer one or two main tail feathers on each side, and begin to creep inward toward the center with subsequent generations, just like solid red tail feathers in Bourbons. I have seen otherwise nice Narragansetts take CH Turkey in a large show, with quite a bit of bronzing. Given that there are a probably a lot more Bronze out there which approach standard weights closer, and that the two color varieties are sex linked and compatible, I'm not opposed to breeding Bronze into them, especially if one is also having difficulty with color becoming lighter. The good thing is that it's not a DQ, but like the double tail band in Palms, it's sure nice to see a Narragansett without bronzing, when you can find one.

[MattL]

Thanks Patrick, I appreciate the info and always trying to learn.
MattL

[Hummer]

Me have an opinion? The second thing that jumped out at me on this bird was that the lacing goes all the way to the base of the neck. It's clearer on Neil's pictures. I've found it to be very hard to get that, without also adding a lot of smut, or without the lacing getting too wide on other parts of the body.
Steve can answer this question better than I. In my experience, bronzing, esp in the tail bands, and excessive darkening or lightening of overall color are big challenges in Narragansetts. In birds which were pure Narragansett for at least three generations, I've seen the bronzing begin often in the outer one or two main tail feathers on each side, and begin to creep inward toward the center with subsequent generations, just like solid red tail feathers in Bourbons. I have seen otherwise nice Narragansetts take CH Turkey in a large show, with quite a bit of bronzing. Given that there are a probably a lot more Bronze out there which approach standard weights closer, and that the two color varieties are sex linked and compatible, I'm not opposed to breeding Bronze into them, especially if one is also having difficulty with color becoming lighter. The good thing is that it's not a DQ, but like the double tail band in Palms, it's sure nice to see a Narragansett without bronzing, when you can find one.

It is going to be difficult to completely eliminate the bronze in the tail from Narragansetts but certainly a nice goal. Most color issues with Narragansetts involve them being overall dark or light in color. You can cross Narragansetts with Bronze to work on color since Narragansett is sex linked but the Bronze hens you would use would be a whole lot different than the Bronze hens you would use for Bronze mating. A Narragansett tom bred with Bronze hens would give all Narragansett daugthers. The Bronze hens you would use for the mating would have a little bronze in the tail as possible to try to minimize the bronze in the tails of the resulting Narragansetts. Breeding Bronze to Bronze would be a whole lot different since you would strive to have those 'double rainbows' of bronze in the tails of the Bronze. One slight downside of breeding for 'double rainbows' is the ends of the tail and coverts tend to be more of a tan color as opposed to the white color called for in the standard. Personally, I don't loose too much sleep over a little tan in the coverts if you have those nice bronze double rainbows :-P.

Hummer