European club of english- and pigmypouter breeders
The members of the European clubs are, as the name suggests, spread all over Europe. I am happy that I was able to see many beautiful English Pouters at breeders and at exhibitions in Austria, France, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, and of course in Germany in the last 3 years.
Unfortunately, there is no European standard. Therefore the breeding focus is not the same in all countries. But if more people do the same thing, as on the road, we need rules! In breeding and in exhibitions.
Rules for breeding
These are voluntary, cannot be controlled, but should be observed in a breeder community.
o Keep and hand over only healthy and capable English Pouters. English Pouters, which are not worked in your own breeding, you can always give away for testing purposes, but not for sale! Also, the use of medication should not be done prophylactically. (I sent this year a blood sample of an in Europe purchased pouter to an approved laboratory, it was fully resistant to all antibiotics. If this animal gets sick, there would be no rescue! This happens when medicine is administered like feed.)
o If English Pouters have anatomy anomalies, they have to be declared by handing over (e. g. if swing wings have been "embed" or similar problems with the stand toes (hind toes) !!!) (It would be to sell a car with a hidden engine damage!)
o If purchased English pouters do not work in the breed of the buyer, an exchange or replacement should be self-evident, especially with adult animals!
A deal is only a deal if it is a business for both! Especially under breed friends!
Rules for the exhibitions of the Europe Club
It's a beauty contest (as a model show) and our English Pouters must be prepared. They have to know the "cage" and have to present themselves! The plumage must be in a clean and parasite-free condition. The leg-ring must be closed and clean. Of course, our English Pouters are rarely perfect from birth and it is allowed to modify, but some breed friends have overdone it!
From Nitra the jury will be made aware in preliminary meetings on the following points to ensure a consistent evaluation:
The following item is allowed:
o Cutting of individual feathers on the body, but without gaps!
The following items are not allowed!
o It is an open secret that adult animals get rings from the current year. We cannot prove it, but nature helps us. The pouters molt the secondaries once in a lifetime and each year only one secondary. Therefore, the trained eye can certainly determine the age, of course not 100 %.
o Coloration and bleaching of plumes! Especially the dominant Red and Yellow English Pouters are modified, but also at least with the first 7 white sling feathers of all colorings.
o Reasons: I could definitely see during my breeder visits a lot of English Pouters with these colorings which had deep, dark colors and also very bright tails and also very bright beaks! But - most of the pouters are as described in the standard and as their genetics dictates. By our English Pouters the gene for "white tails" does not exists, as then the other colorings would have a white tail as well. Our dominant Red and Yellow English Pouters have dark hammered drawings, horn-colored beaks and light to greyish tails. Of course, in figurative equivalence lighter tails and beak colors are preferred. These features are generated by hard breeding selection! They are never totally white, as the quill is always pigmented , unless it has been treated with chemicals. We cannot prove it, but in case of suspicion, that the naturalness is missing, the animals are not graded with very high points! Those who could not let the matter rest should not sell these animals, this is fraud! Please see attached picture, this animal was bought in Europe with a white tail and after the molt it looks like that way!
In addition, we require from English Pouters the following:
o The first 7 primaries white on the outside.
o Maximum of 11 primaries.
o Slightly "broken" eyes are tolerated by young animals, otherwise max. 90 points!
Summary:
Let us remember more on the breeder friendship!! Never let it get so far as in case of sport doping! We do a hobby.
In the event of a founded suspicion, that the naturalness is missing or by use of unfair means, there is a maximum of 94 points!
Of course, our main focus is on young animals and we are also aware that they are not quite mature in the first year. The special judges will take this into account and therefore make highest demands to adult animals and, of course, always prefer the young animal at equivalence.
Club European Champion and this year at the same time European Champion
(at least 20 animals of one coloring, otherwise colorings will be combined)
The European club will award for that high-quality, gold-plated English Pouter figures.
4 animals, (1,3 or 2,2 or 3,1), adult or young animals,
The best in all classes will get a certificate.
Reinhard Nawrotzky, Secretary General