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Things were really up in the air this year, money was very tight and I didn't send an entry until the deadline for the National Young Bird Show. I only entered twelve and usually take twenty, I really didn't decide to go for sure until Thursday morning before the show. I worked all day Thursday came home, packed the birds up and left about 7:30 that night. I got to my Parents in North Arkansas at 2:00 in the morning after being stopped for speeding in Little Rock. The officer was very nice and I think seeing I was so tired he let me off with a warning.The next morning I headed for Kentucky and got to the show about 4:00 that afternoon. Ron Davis and Joe Mureniz along with wife Virginia arrived minutes later, Ron had not shown here in fifteen years and had won that show. I hadn't had the chance to see any- one else's birds in person all year but Ron and Joe had some impressive ones. Mike Barra was there with some good birds and Mike always makes me laugh. He has treated me like one of the guys from the very first time I met him and is really appreciated. Ed Bachmann had a nice team as well. Robert Muszynski from New York had the best birds I think I have ever seen him show, not to say he doesn't always have nice ones but a red splash young cock in particular was quite spectacular to me . I believe finished I would have had a chance against this bird in splash, very few are finished for this show and its a near miracle if one of your best is showable this early. Jim Ecker came by Friday night to tell us how it should be done.
I saw three guys at this show that I have been seeing at the big shows for the past couple of years and I know they have had good starts and a couple from me but they never show. So I just want to say again please show your birds and support the shows. You will never know where you are until you set your birds down and compare. There was quite a bit of interest and some new members were signed to the Central(The Oldest Jacobin Club in America) I always recommend the American as well as the Yahoo Jacobin group too. The Judge was Don Chevalier and I would like to say Don is a very Great teacher as a judge, he went into every detail of every bird .I have always liked Don but was blown away by his understanding of the intricate feather structure of the breed.
The entry's were down this year too, around 70 from normally about 100, still there was a nice class in most colors. The largest classes were Red, Yellow, Black, Splash, Kite-Dunn and AOC. Four Almonds were shown by three breeders, this is the most almonds I have seen at this show in five years of showing. The black class was really nice with both Ron and I and Joe Mureniz having a big interest in black. Don gave me best Black, white, yellow, almond, kite-dunn and splash. This was pretty overwhelming. I really had only felt confident in the white and almond hens. Mr.Muszynski had best red with a cock, Joe Mureniz won two of the bar classes, one with a very smooth well finished silver hen and Muszynski had the other. This was Joe's first show and he has worked very hard and it showed, winning bar classes against Bachmann. Ron had best AOC with one of three great brown hens. If the best one of these had won champion I would not have been surprised, she was so outstanding. But it went my way and I had champion on the white hen and reserve on the almond.
I took the almond to try and win and the white in all truth only really came into her own about two days before the show and took her as a sub, this is the way it is at these early shows. The final four birds Don said he could make the perfect jacobin from but the white had the best balance, was in great condition and showed well. I am grateful for the chance to show my birds. I had wanted to show at the Great Canadian show in Brandon this January with Bernd Wanke of Germany judging, but this truly does not seem likely at this time. I hate not to go, this promises to be one of the show of shows in jacobin history. It may be more reasonable to shoot for Lancaster but I will have to see how things go in our crazy world. However it turns out for me, if it is possible to get to one of these great shows and show your birds with some of the best people in the world. Its a great hobby!
Steve Gaskin
Steve Gaskin * Steve's Jacobins * Dallas, Texas * 214.828.4689