The girls rule the day again in the Logan County 4-H Poultry and Waterfowl competitions

[August 05, 2021]   The 4-H Poultry and Waterfowl Shows at the Logan County Fair this year were also not as large as in years past. In the poultry division, like in the rabbits, it was once again an all-girl show with three showing. However, there were quite a few more birds than bunnies as each girl brought in multiple entries.

The show differed slightly from the bunnies also in that when it came time to judge the waterfowl a male exhibitor, Ethan Bertram joined the competition.

This year the Maxheimer Family sponsored several of the top winner plaques. Other plaque sponsors included Central Illinois Feed & Supply, and Small Town Creations.

The 2020 Logan County Fair Queen Faith Doerr, Junior Miss Grace Carter and Little Miss Aubrey Rogers helped with presentations in the poultry categories, but as the nine o’clock hour approached they were called away to be present at the annual ribbon cutting event before the judging was completed for Waterfowl and Showmanship.

Chickens come in a wide variety of color choices, as most of us know. But they also come in a variety of sizes. This year, Natalie Palmquist brought living examples of the broad spectrum of sizes.

She showed about the largest rooster anyone could imagine, and a scrappy looking and acting tiny thing with a small body and very long legs. Side by side in the judging cages, the two birds were indeed a sight to see.

In the judging Kristina Morrow walked away with all the ribbons in the Mediterranean breeds. In the American breeds Rylee Davison had pullet and cockerel entries and took that class as the only exhibitor. Natalie Palmquist also took home all the ribbons in two classes, Bantam/Clean Legged and Asiatic Breeds.

At the end of the poultry competitions Morrow took the Champion Cockerel and earned a plaque, the “Maxine Maxheimer Memorial by her children." The award was presented to Morrow by Maxheimer children Dale Maxheimer and Teresa Strampp. Also joining the winner for a photo were the three members of Logan County royalty.

The “Maxine Maxheimer Memorial” Champion Chicken went to Palmquist and was presented by Maxheimer children Linda Ryan and Shirley Brittin.

Palmquist also took the Champion Pullet Award sponsored by Central Illinois Feed & Supply and presented by Queen Faith Doerr, Junior Miss Grace Carter and Little Miss Aubrey Rogers.

Ethan Bertram joined the mix in the waterfowl category bringing in both ducks and geese. Competing against Bertram in the duck category were Morrow and Palmquist. All three took blue awards.

Bertram was the sole exhibitor in geese and took the blue awards in all three categories: single gander, single goose, and breeding pair with the same two birds.

When all waterfowl, ducks and geese were considered, Judge Phil Bartz called Palmquist out as the overall winner with her little black East Indian female duck. The Champion Waterfowl plaque was sponsored by Small Town Creations and was presented by Megan Opperman.

The final judging of the day was Showmanship. Each exhibitor brought out one bird either chicken or waterfowl to be part of the judging.

Bartz explained that the showmanship category for birds is relatively new compared to other animal classes. He said he helped implement showmanship about 10 years ago because he felt that it needed to be recognized that there is showmanship in the bird classes just as there are with hogs and cattle.

He went around the arena and spoke to each exhibitor. Among the questions he asked, he wanted to know if each young person could identify the breed belonging to the exhibitor next to them.

In the end he said that between the four, only one was able to accurately identify the neighboring breed. He went on to say that though people don’t think about it, showmanship begins long before the exhibitors are called to the arena for that specific category. He said that he not only talks to each exhibitor, he observes them, the way they look, do they make eye contact, do they smile, do they speak audibly? All of this, throughout the showing process is a part of showmanship and worthy of consideration. He also asks questions that the person who cares for the bird should know. He said if he asks a competitor what kind of feed they use and that person doesn’t know, then there is a pretty good chance that it is mom or dad who is actually caring for the bird.

When Bartz announced the winner of the Showmanship it was Kristina Morrow with her black Mediterranean cockerel. He pointed out that Morrow was the only one who knew the breed of the red chicken in the pen next to hers.

After the winner was announced, Morrow said she was glad she was beside Rylee Davison in the judging because there were other breeds there that she would not have known.

The Showmanship award was presented to Morrow by the Maxine Maxheimer children Shirley Brittin, Teresa Strampp, Linda Ryan and Dale Maxheimer.

[Nila Smith]