Poultry exhibition in Tzaneen

Poultry shows are the ideal place for anybody, from the newcomer to the fancier, to learn about poultry and the showing of them. They are usually friendly affairs, with plenty of time for chatting and discussing fowl! It is at these shows that judges are usually prepared to discuss problems and give advice and information, after the judging has been done.

The exhibition of Standard Bred Poultry is the most rewarding part of the fancy. It is also relatively cheap compared to some other fancies, sports or hobbies. Showing poultry used to be dominated by men, but it now involves many women and juniors too. Many of the ladies are top exhibitors in their own right. Show poultry is without doubt a wonderful hobby: one in which the whole family can be involved, one that you can spend a lifetime doing and one in which you will make wonderful friendships, that last a lifetime.

The aim of a poultry show is to preserve the breeds of poultry in their original form. Originally, then, standards were set out to describe the breeds for the next generation.

So what is our hobby about? It is about the breeding of poultry so in line with the Breed Standards that it will win on any show. It is the perfecting of type, colour and condition. It is the wonderful fellowship realized when we all get together to “display” our efforts.

In the commercial area pure-bred poultry is used to create hybrids with special commercial characteristics, such as outstanding egg laying capabilities or a particularly good feed/weight ratio. These are not themselves suitable for use as breeding birds and therefore it is essential that pure-bred stock of known origins is available to commercial breeders.

Commercial producers’ skills are attuned to mass production. The exhibitor’s skills are tuned to creating perfect specimens of breeds and in pursuing this interest, the exhibitor performs an essential function in the maintenance of basic stock.

It is through the activities of showmen who are committed to upholding breed standards, that a national resource of pure-bred poultry is maintained.

The beautiful breeds keep our eyes gazing at our birds. We sit for hours looking at them. We love the way they stand – tall and upright. We love the noble look of their faces; the cut of their spurred shanks and the flow of their full tails. We love the perfection of colour. It is not an easy thing to get the colours right!

For more information please visit www.poultryclubsa.co.za