MOOSE JAW — Youths and adults who enjoy grooming poultry will put their feathered friends on display in November during a contest that seeks to raise the standards of breeding such avians.
The Saskatchewan Poultry Association’s (SPA) annual Prairie Poultry Fall Classic and Pigeon Show is set for Saturday, Nov. 8, at Gait Equestrian stables, about 15 minutes west of Moose Jaw. There will be showmanship competitions, along with junior and adult events.
The SPA — whose mission is “to support all ages of poultry breeders in raising standard-bred poultry in all its phases” — is in the Canadian division (district 11) under the American Poultry Association. This district stretches from Manitoba to British Columbia and north into the territories.
Rob McCulloch, SPA president, said the organization encourages people to raise heritage breeds and standard breeds of birds instead of cross-breeding avians and producing “cross-mutts.”
“The problem with cross-breeds is you’re not going to end up with the same birds after hatching them again … . They’ll just disappear,” he remarked, noting cross-breeding is a worldwide problem and people who purchase birds from hatcheries don’t realize they may not be receiving the type of poultry they want.
Continuing, McCulloch said efforts to promote growing pure breeds are going “exceptionally well.” He noted that when he started the poultry and pigeon show nearly a decade ago, he would have been lucky if 100 people participated. But, last year, 300 people attended, while he expected 400 people to show their birds during this fall’s event.
McCulloch explained that he started the Prairie Poultry Fall Classic and Pigeon Show eight years ago when it was held with the Redvers Small Animal and Bird Auction.
However, he started a new group — the Saskatchewan Poultry Association — four years ago because he didn’t want the bird-focused show mixed with non-avian animals. Moreover, he started a second board to focus solely on poultry because the previous show was growing too big.
Meanwhile, the SPA is under the American Poultry Association because that organization sets the standards for what breeds should be, said McCulloch. The APA has a manual that provides in-depth information about topics such as how the feathers should look and what the body structure should be.
“It’s a pretty amazing book when you have to look at it,” he stated.
With this November’s show, McCulloch said Greg Oakes — an Ontario judge licensed under the APA — will be adjudicating his first-ever event in Saskatchewan. Oakes and others will judge birds during the showmanship competition and junior and adult competitions.
In the showmanship event, breeders will showcase their birds on tables and answer questions from judges. In the junior and adult events, judges will take the birds out of their cages and feel their bodies to ensure they meet health criteria and breeding standards.
The winners will receive a ribbon and potentially a lawn chair with the SPA logo.
Besides the poultry competition, there will also be a pigeon competition, with those birds on the opposite side of the room.
McCulloch added that he was excited for this year’s event, especially since the competition continued to grow every year, while he was also excited that Moose Jaw would host the APA’s National Canadian Meet on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026.
Visit Facebook for more information about the Saskatchewan Poultry Association or www.amerpoultryassn.com to learn about the American Poultry Association.
