(Columbus, Ohio) The 62nd annual Ohio National Poultry Show took its organizers and the Heritage Poultry Conservancy by surprise with the participation in and enthusiasm for the heritage turkey show. “We knew it would be big, but never expected such a level of participation and excitement from exhibitors and attendees alike,” said Clell Agler, show chairman. Visitors from across the US, Canada, Finland, and the United Kingdom were in attendance.
The total number of turkey entries exceeded 180 birds. Each entry was bench judged by APA judge Jeff Halbach, requiring exhibitors to bring each of their birds to the judging table when called up by show officials. The judge, as in the past, examined each bird individually for its size, conformation and important market qualities.
The 2019 Turkey Show champion went to a Black Spanish old tom, exhibited by Chris McCary. Reserve champion and the Best display went to youth exhibitor Jonathan Woodward for an outstanding collection of Narragansett turkeys.
P. Allen Smith with his Black Chocolate Turkey
One of the goals of the Ohio National Turkey Show was to raise awareness for the need for greater conservation. “A new generation of quality heritage turkey breeders is essential to keep these national treasures in good stead, our hope is that this show will be the beginning of many,” said P. Allen Smith, founder of the Heritage Poultry Conservancy. In fact, as a way to further heighten interest in heritage turkeys, the Ohio National was asked to host the qualifying meet for the Chocolate Turkey variety to be officially recognized by the American Poultry Association (APA).
Mr. Jeff Halbach announced at end of the judging to the crowd gathered at the show that “from what I’ve seen here today among the Chocolates exhibited, these birds definitely should qualify for APA recognition and should be entered into the APA’s Standard of Perfection. The consistency of size, type and color was a complete and welcomed surprise to me."
Jeff Halbach inspecting closely as he judges the turkeys.
Zane Graham from Fall Fire Farm is to be credited with the efforts of bringing the Chocolate variety back into recent awareness. “This show brings us one step closer to having chocolates admitted into the APA," said Graham. Only one more APA sanctioned show in 2020 is needed with the required number of birds and exhibitors of chocolates to meet the APA requirements for inclusion. Chocolates were popular in certain regions of the South well before the Civil War. The last heritage turkey variety recognized by the APA was the Royal Palm in the 1970s.
Royal Palm Breeder Patricia Hill with P. Allen Smith
Looking ahead, plans are underway to readmit the Buff turkey in the future. It was a variety first admitted into the original 1874 Standard. By 1914, the Buff was dropped due to the limited number of breeders and the lack of these varieties’ presence in shows. The HPC supported Zane Graham with the procurement and transport of a flock in New Mexico to his Fall Fire Farm in Arkansas. Like the Chocolates, genetics of the Buffs will be placed with qualified breeders in the future.
HPC board member Dr. Keith Bramwell and P. Allen Smith officiated the awards ceremony at the National Turkey show, presenting award ribbons and premiums from the Heritage Poultry Conservancy for champion, reserve champion and best display of birds.
"The Ohio National and the Heritage Poultry Conservancy are already in discussions for the 2020 show as it relates to heritage turkeys and other breeds with needs,” said Smith.
Work by the Heritage Poultry Conservancy can be followed on Facebook’s Chicken Chat or going to the website heritagepoultry.org