COLUMBUS — Thousands of birds were registered for the largest and most competitive junior poultry show in the country, the Ohio National Poultry Show, from Nov. 8-10 in Columbus, Ohio.
“This is the Super Bowl of chickens,” said Jacob Bates, an American Poultry Association and American Bantam Association licensed judge from Charleston, Arkansas, as he motioned to the enormous display of large fowl, bantams and waterfowl in rows of specialized exhibition cages spanning the width and length of the Voinovich Livestock and Trade Center at the Ohio Expo Center.
The Ohio National Poultry Show has been hosted in Columbus, Ohio, since 1962 by the Ohio Poultry Breeders Association to recognize and award poultry farmers and their flocks. The show also helps to foster awareness and education to grow the poultry industry in Ohio. Members pay an annual fee of $5 to join the association.
Bates said it’s the best competition “of all the birds here in the U.S.” — well, almost.
According to Ohio National Poultry Show rules, all recognized and non-standard varieties of large fowl, bantams, waterfowl, guineas and turkeys are eligible to register for the show except pigeons, which the rules stipulate are not permitted.
Judging both the junior and open show competitions on Nov. 9, Bates said he noticed the hobby is growing among youth.
“I would say the hobby is growing because they had over 2,000 junior birds here today — that’s one of the largest on record, and it’s the largest poultry show in the country right now for juniors,” Bates said.
Growth since COVID
It was the fourth year that Laney Hawk and her younger sister Lilly competed at the Ohio National Poultry Show. They live in Magnolia, Ohio, a village in Stark and Carroll counties, where they raise over 300 birds and sell hatching eggs and chickens to 4-H exhibitors.
Laney began showing in 2020.
“Ever since COVID, I feel like poultry’s been a thing that people have been doing. Last year was an anniversary year for poultry nationals, there were over 9,000 birds. The numbers are a little bit down, just because it’s not an anniversary year, but it’s been growing every single year,” Laney said.
Laney’s penciled runner duck, Lord Quack, won an award for best variety in the junior show. It was her first year showing a penciled runner.
“These ducks are special because they stand straight up,” Laney said.
It was the last junior competition for Laney, now 18, who plans to return to compete in the open show next year. She’s been raising birds her whole life and sees it in her future as well.
“I’m just naturally drawn to birds,” Laney said. “I find it really cool. I learn a lot.”
Lilly’s black and white Japanese chicken, Pickle, won a second-place award for best variety.
Lilly, 13, said her interest in poultry has been growing, and also among her friends, and she thinks the annual poultry show is a “magnificent” experience.
“There are some birds I haven’t seen before,” she said, pointing to pheasants, peacocks, quail and geese.
Discovering what’s new
The Wolfe family, of Cambridge, Ohio, in Guernsey County, earned several awards at the show.
Ben Wolfe, 16, was among those showing Welsh Harlequin ducks on Nov. 9 at the Ohio National Poultry Show. He won a first-place old male award with his Welsh Harlequin duck, Scotty, that he raised at home.
“It’s a daily hobby,” Wolfe said about his day-to-day work of caring for over 120 chickens, ducks and geese.
Seeing new breeds and non-standard varieties still in the process of earning the APA’s recognition, Wolfe noted, makes participating in the Ohio National Poultry Show all the more interesting.
“There are gold-faced Welsh Harlequins which aren’t as common and they’re not in standard yet,” Wolfe said. “It’s a good show to come out and see all the birds and meet new people and see breeds you don’t see every day.”
Support for less-common poultry breeds and non-standard varieties like the Welsh Harlequin, which has recently earned APA recognition, is helping to increase the population numbers and varieties of breeds.
Wolfe has been raising Welsh Harlequins for seven years. The breed’s silver variety earned APA recognition in 2001.
“Their numbers are growing,” he said.
Family fun
Bates judged some of the junior birds, which got underway at 9:30 a.m. on Nov. 9, and noticed “a lot of excitement” as he evaluated the birds the youth brought to compete in the show.
Several junior competitors this year noted they have introduced poultry to their siblings who are beginning their 4-H pathways.
The Cusick family, of Naples, Florida, brought 49 birds to the Ohio National Poultry Show this year.
Michael Cusick, 13, said one of his chickens was awarded best variety.
“It all started with my sister because when she was younger, she started showing birds, and I got looped in,” Michael Cusick said. He said chickens are one of his favorite animals. “It’s a lot of fun.”
He thinks excitement for birds is growing where he lives in Florida, and his family raises meat chickens at home.
Bates, who regularly receives invitations to judge poultry shows in the United States, said he’s noticed more involvement, and “overall, all the shows have been up this year.”
One reason some said they raise poultry is because it’s an easier hobby than raising other animals because the animals are smaller, transport well and have fewer costs associated with their upkeep.
“Poultry is easier than a larger animal like a cow that could be a little bit more scary for your newer kids that are getting into 4-H,” Wolfe said. “They’re less expensive than, say, a cow.”
Bates said the Ohio National Poultry Show is one of the best shows to attend in the country, even for people who aren’t showing birds, but just want to buy or see them.
“The kids are really involved with their birds and they showed some fabulous birds,” Bates said.
