There is something exciting, and maybe a little intimidating, about putting your birds in a show for the first time.
If you’ve never shown before, a large poultry event can feel like a lot to take on. But your first experience doesn’t have to be complicated. Sometimes, the best place to begin is right in your own backyard.
A local county fair, small poultry show, state fair, or community exhibition can be an incredible opportunity to take that first step, learn how showing works, get your birds accustomed to being handled, and simply experience what it’s all about.
Recently, two ACBA members did exactly that, and their experiences are great examples of how starting locally can build confidence, knowledge, and excitement for what comes next.
Maria Rau: Starting at the County Fair
For Maria Rau of Rau Farm Micro Hatchery & Cattle in Hemingford, Nebraska, the Box Butte County Fair was her first-ever open class poultry show.
Maria had never shown a chicken and didn’t grow up participating in 4-H, but after joining the ACBA and APA and seeing other members sharing their show experiences, she decided it looked like too much fun not to try.
Her first show was a success.
Maria brought three birds and came home with:
-
Ayam Cemani Cockerel: Purple Ribbon
-
Blue Ameraucana Pullet: Best in Class, Purple Ribbon
-
Blue Birchen Marans Cockerel: Blue Ribbon
But for Maria, the ribbons weren’t even the most valuable part of the experience.
“We learned a lot from the judge and will definitely benefit from the critiques and advice.”
The judge was familiar with the Ayam Cemani SOP, pointed out Dante’s strengths and weaknesses, and felt he was overall a nice representation of the breed.
Maria also made a very intentional choice for her first show: she brought a bird with a calm, manageable temperament.
A local friend who shows birds, as do her children through 4-H, encouraged Maria to choose a more docile bird for her first experience, even if that bird wasn’t the one that fit the SOP most closely.
That advice made a tremendous difference.
Dante was easy for the judge to handle and comfortable being presented to the public, allowing Maria to focus on learning rather than worrying about a flighty bird.
Introducing the Ayam Cemani to a New Audience
Maria’s favorite part of the experience was introducing people in her area to the Ayam Cemani.
Dante became a hit with the public and fellow exhibitors, giving Maria an opportunity to advocate for the breed in an area where the Ayam Cemani isn’t well known.
And now she’s looking forward to taking what she learned and working with birds that more closely represent the SOP, while continuing to handle and prepare them for future shows.
Colin Grabish: Representing the Breed Locally
Colin Grabish took a similar approach in Lynden, Washington, entering his first show at the Northwest Washington Fair.
His first experience was a success, with Draco placing Reserve of Breed and Gwenevere taking Best of Breed, with the judge particularly impressed and awarding her Reserve Champion overall.
But Colin’s goal went far beyond ribbons.
After attending a poultry show in Monroe, Washington, Colin realized there was very little Ayam Cemani representation in his area.
That motivated him to put his own birds in front of the public and start representing the breed.
He says his favorite part of the experience was:
“Showing and sharing information about the breed with everyone who was interested.”
Now Colin is looking ahead and working toward having birds ready for larger shows and eventually a national-level event.
Every Show Is a Learning Opportunity
That’s exactly what this journey can look like.
Start somewhere. Learn, improve, and build confidence. Then take the next step.
It’s easy to look at major poultry shows and feel like you need everything figured out before entering a bird, but the truth is, you don’t.
A smaller event can teach you things that reading about showing simply can’t, including:
-
How to prepare and transport your birds
-
How your birds react to a new environment
-
How comfortable they are being handled
-
What a judge looks for
-
How to receive a critique
-
What you can improve before your next show
If you’ve been thinking about showing, look around your area.
Is there a county fair? A local poultry show? A state fair? An open-class exhibition?
Start there.
Go watch a show if you’re not ready to enter. Talk to exhibitors. Ask questions. Find someone local who can help you through the process.
And when you’re ready, put a bird in the cage.
You may come home with a ribbon. You may come home with a list of things to improve. Either way, you come home with experience.
Start Where You Are
Maria started with a county fair and discovered a new passion for showing and educating her community about the Ayam Cemani.
Colin started with a local fair and is now looking toward larger shows and eventually a national stage.
Neither needed to have everything figured out before taking that first step.
They simply started.
And that’s our encouragement to our members:
Start where you are. Learn from the experience. Build your confidence. And let each show prepare you for the next one.
Your first show isn’t about proving what you already know.
It’s about discovering how much more there is to learn.