I see all these posts for and against new breeds and varieties and recommending folks work on the existing breeds and varieties, I am reminded of what my old friend George Shreffler used to say. “Raise what you like and show them deep so they have to get the Standard out and Judge them.”
He also said, “You have to feed and care for them, raise what you like.” George never was short on advice and he never judged a serious breeder who wanted to work on an odd variety or bring back a rare one. He may shake his head at some of the newer breeds but always said, “you are the one feeding them!”
When Mike and I were kids, we would concoct sone crazy breeding projects. We had a great go to guy to find those special birds to make the crosses and that was Harry Halbach. If Harry could not find it, it wasn’t out there. He never judged or told us how crazy the project was, he had advice and suggestions.
So my learnings from all of this is to be less judgmental about new breeds and varieties and try to encourage folks to put in the serious work. Sure some will be fly- by -nighters but I look back at the last two breeds admitted, KO Shamo and Seramas and the relentless perseverance those folks put into their birds to get them into our Standards. We have only failed when we fail to try! Encourage don’t discourage, takes all kinds of birds to make a great poultry show!
Matt Lhamon