FALL FEATHER FEST

This is beautiful to hear that so many attended and congratulations to award takers too, awesome! Geeze, I so wish I could have come, sigh.  Oh well, maybe it will be next year.  February...one in February eh?  Need to maybe go to that one if I can.  Need details of event days though. Congratulations Alyssa, KathyS's buff orpingtons are a lovely line too, should be lots of golden beauties around the Okanagan with her addition to your line.  Have a wonderful day, CynthiaM.

I do hope to see you and your lovely Buffs at the February show Cynthia. I am trying to convince Alyssa to take her Rooster from you to the national show in November. He is simply HUGE.... HUGE and stunning.

Her rooster was huge...and the same with the one she entered in February! He was very vocal and I spent a lot of time over there just listening to him... I don't know how to explain it other than his crow sounded antique.

When Heather spoke of her placing on her KoShamo? I don't know if I spelled that right... And how it brought a tear to her eye because the hard work she put into them.. I was having a hard time not tearing up as well.
It's so nice to see her meet her goal after her hard work.
It really was the best weekend I've had an a long time, and it can be addicting?? I'm hooked... Fully!!
Time to go on an incubator hunt!!

I am so happy that you guys had such a good time and maybe picked up a bit of knowledge. Putting on a show is huge and I for one am exhausted but will be back on my stride by tomorrow. I personally always fret because I cannot devote the time I want to put my final polish on my own birds while trying to make sure everything goes smoothly.
In the big picture of things always remember that the show's most important part for all of us should be connecting with other people who enjoy the hobby and while winning is always nice in the long run as long us you enjoy your birds at home that's all that counts.
Many thanks go out to our official photographers Fran for some great pictures of the birds.
So have fun with your birds ladies, I am off to judge the "bash at the beach" in Ventura, California this Thursday.

Sorry to make you tear up Izzy and I actually did cry when my little KO-Shamo got his first Best in Show. The breed has only been accepted in the standard since April and I started with a pair 4 years ago and have worked though a lot of stuff to get to this point. I really love this breed they are such little charmers.

Have a great day everyone.
Heather

That was a very touching moment. I was close to shedding a tear as well. Heather is so dedicated, so helpful and willing to share her vast knowledge. Poultry are addicting...VERY addicting. Not even 18 months ago we had 4 fluffy Buffs living in a large dog run with an insulated dog house for shelter (which they used and loved). Now we have 3 coops with another on the way, 4 6x6 foot fully covered breeding pens 2 incubators and almost 80 birds. There is a funny youtube video about how chickens are a "gateway" livestock.... worth a watch and a laugh!

It started for me when my sister went to the IPE and told me of these adorable tiny little white call ducks she saw.
She said there was a very friendly lady named Heather in Armstrong who has them. That's all I knew.
I googled them and saw a few videos by Boombella on YouTube and when I saw these videos, I fell in love with the big personality on her little white duck.

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That was it!! I knew I had to find these comical creatures.
Thanks to the Internet I was able to find Heather and learn more. She has been a great teacher and an amazing friend.
At home I enjoy taking pictures of my ducks, and just listening to them laugh. It always puts a smile on my face.
Being able to take part in Featherfest makes it more special because its great learning from everyone and talking about their chickens, pigeons, and waterfowl, as well as other farm, garden and livestock projects.
I will have to look for that video Echo
Have a safe trip to California Heather, can't wait to hear how it went.

Darned awesome....now I have to go and google a KO-Shamo, cause I have no clue what that bird would look like. But now, ain't that just nice to see that they have been accepted into the standard so recently. Yahooo!!! Go, go, go...off to find KO-Shamo images. Have a beautiful day, CynthiaM.

Oh, oh, oh, now I have a pretty good idea of a KO-shamo breed look....oh, oh, oh!!! Stunning beyond stunning! Reminds me of the Malay (and that is indeed one breed I will have, probably not for years down the road, but gonna get some of those....smiling that big smile). Beautiful day wishes! CynthiaM.

Have to say, we have made the trip out twice now and for as long as we can, this show will be on the calendar!

Not only driving over the mountains but the Armstrong area is so beautiful and the show set up this year was awesome plus you can't complain about having Conor Keegan judge. This is the second time we have shown under him and it is an absolute learning experience from a straight shooter.

Dudley, Connie, Heather and office support Clayton, plus all the rest of their club and volunteers did a bang up job and the buffet was great with 40 people in attendance!

We always feel like kids in a candy store and were pleased to have our Sumatra pullet end up as Res Champ AOSB and as Heather pointed out, 5th best OEG behind her(2), Dudley and Drew Mazur. We were shocked a little when Conor stated he had just judged a Californian show with 150 OEG's and that the Armstrong show OEG's would have blown them out of the water.

Congrats to everyone whom exhibited as its a lot of time & work to get those birds in shape but it's all worth it!

It's a little like leaving family when we drive away!

I'll be posting pics on the Vernon Pigeon & poultry FB page as well as the Exhibition Poultry FB page.

Thank you Mel, we love having you and Ed out here. You are doing a bang up job with your birds. I know we had almost 70 Old English bantams entered, all very good examples of the breed, and wonderfully conditioned.
Best of breed- Black Breasted Red -cockerel -Heather Hayes
Res. Of Breed- Crele -cockerel
3rd Best - splash - hen -Drew Mazur
4th Best- Brown Red-cock- Dudley Deleenheer
5th Best- Mel and Ed -Crele -pullet
The OEG class is always deep at the majority of shows that I judge or exhibit and I concur with Conor that these birds here are as good as any, So most times placing in the top 5 is a win in my eyes.

Glad you made it home and our weather here is fabulous.
Heather

I've enjoyed so much hearing all about the Fall Feather Fest! It sounds like such a great event and I regret I have't made it there yet to take it all in. Who knows, maybe some day.
Special Congrats to Alyssa and her big win with her Buff Orpingtons! It warms my heart so much to see my favorite variety now regularly winning top awards in the western provinces...it wasn't long ago that good quality Orpingtons were a rare find here in the west. I believe they are here to stay!

Kathy S, Feather fest 2015 you bring RC reds and I bring SC reds. We can meet in person and talk Heritage SOP RIR Reds, just a thought. Bob

Bob G wrote:Kathy S, Feather fest 2015 you bring RC reds and I bring SC reds. We can meet in person and talk Heritage SOP RIR Reds, just a thought.    Bob

Now that sounds like a heck of a plan!