The Giant Homer: NPA Standard 1993
PREFACE:This standard is a guide for evaluating the specific
features as well as the total, composite quality of the Giant Homer. A fancier
may well concentrate his attention on a single feature such as neck creases,
back cover or head when judging an individual bird's value for his breeding
program. A show judge, however, must concentrate his attention on the total
bird - the effective composite of all features of the individual bird. further,
the show judge must then rank a class of birds by a careful comparison of
their differing composites of quality. This standard assigns point values
to the specific features to aid the judge in estimating the importance of
the individual strengths and weaknesses in comparing and ranking a class
of birds.
A proper application of those point values eliminates the real need for listing
of outright disqualification.It is strongly recommended that every show judge
keep this written standard as well as a copy of the three-view standard sketch
before him as a reference and guide in judging. He should leave no doubt
in the minds of exhibitors that he is doing his best to understand and apply
the official standard in making his decisions.
TYPE: The term "type" commonly refers to the combination
of the bird's conformation, station, and profile. It is clearly illustrated
in the three view sketch of the ideal. In terms of show points. type is
recognized and rewarded within the specific structural features of the standard.
One should refer to the three-view sketch of the ideal as it relates to all
of the items in the written standard.
SIZE: Successful show birds will commonly show moderate variations
in size with a range form 10" to 11" in height, from 91/2" to 101/2" in length,
and from 5" to 6" across the wing burrs. Concern for excellence in type should
take preference over concern for size alone. However, excessively large or
excessively small birds are both quite undesirable.
WEIGHT: Although an ideal weight is not specified, a top quality bird
in good show condition will have a distinctly solid and heavy feel in the
hand. Such a bird will usually weigh in the neighborhood of 23 to 30 ounces.
Looseness and fatness are undesirable qualities and will be penalized under
the point allotments that follow.
HEAD (15 pts.): Head profile rising gradually and smoothly from
tip of beak to above the eye, then descending in an unbroken line to the
neck. Top skull showing no flatness. Top view showing good width between
the eyes, narrowing smoothly toward the wattle. No sign of gullet or of pinching
above the wattle. No show of angularity in outline. The whole head should
express strength with no sign of weakness or thinness.
EYES(5 pts.): Sharp and clear expressing alertness. Ruby red or orange
in color with ruby red preferred. Gravel, pale or cracked eyes a serious
fault. A bull or solid eye is admissible in whites and white splashes.
BEAK(5 pts.): Medium length, stout and straight. Both mandibles of
nearly equal strength and substance. Set smoothly into the face with no broken
outline. No sign of gaping or crossed mandibles. May vary in color from dark
in colored birds, to amber in red checks, to flesh color preferred in whites
and permissible in white splashes.
WATTLE(2 pts.): Medium size, smooth in texture and free of coarseness.
Should fit smoothly between the head and beak. Free of warty growths at the
base of the lower mandibles.
NECK (5 pts.): Stout, medium length. Tapering gradually
and smoothly from the head to shoulders. No signs of neck creases or gullet.
BODY STRUCTURES:A total of 36 points is allotted to the closely related
body components including body, breast, back, and keel. This retains a strong
emphasis on the utility nature of the breed. At the same time, substantial
point allotments to refinements in eyes, beak, legs, head, color and pattern
affirm the increasing status of Giant Homer as an exhibition breed with a
pleasing balance of power and beauty.
BODY (16 pts.): Short, broad, deep, and strongly built. The body as
a whole presents a smoothly tapered, wedge-shaped appearance that is clearly
felt in the hand. The rump is well filled and tapered, without the wideness
and flatness that causes wide tails.
BACK (5 pts.): Flat and straight with broad shoulders tapering to
a well filled rump. Forms a line with the tail carried at about a twelve
degree angle below the horizontal.
BREAST (10 pts.): Prominent, broad (5" to 6" cross the wing butts).
Deep and well rounded. Showing well beyond and below the wing butts.
KEEL (5 pts.): Deep, straight and extended well into the rump. Rocker
shaped in side view, curving slightly toward vent but maintaining good depth
at rear to assure a well filled rump. Well covered with solid, muscular flesh.
WINGS (10 pts.): In proper proportions to length of body. Prominent
and powerful through shoulders to butts, fitting closely to the body in front
view. Flights resting on the tail with the two wing tips touching or nearly
so. Wing coverts should cover the rump smoothly and well. Primaries strong
in web and quill. Entire: shield of wing fitted with smooth, tight, closely
overlapped feathering.
No tendency for wing tips to fall below the tail or to cross over the rump.
Primaries and secondaries firmly overlapped and clinging.
No tendency to sideboards.
TAIL (5pts.): Twelve firmly set feathers with strong
web and quill. Spreads to a full fan with feathers firmly overlapped to give
the appearance of little more than one feather in width. Short, not extended
over one inch beyond the tips of the flights. Carried at about a twelve degree
angle below horizontal and in a straight line with the back. Fits smoothly
into a firm rump cushion above and below.
LEGS AND FEET (5 pts.): Legs medium length and set well apart in a
slightly bent stance. Strong in appearance denoting thickness of bone. Thighs
full and muscular. shanks and feet free of feathers. Toes strong and straight
with no improper webbing. Toe nails uniform in color corresponding to that
of the beak.
SHOW CONDITION (10 pts.): Sound, healthy and alert with smooth and
finished feathering throughout. No dirty feathers, feet or toe nails. Calm
and poised in the show cage. Handles and holds station without wildness.
Not overly fat or thin. Birds with deformities should be cut in accord with
the foregoing standard. Diseased birds must be removed from competition and
from contact with other birds.
COLOR AND PATTERN: All colored birds are regarded as carrying ten
(10) floating points which shall be cut at the discretion of the judge for
faulty color or pattern within a given color class. These ten floating points
are in addition to the 100 basic points established in the standard. Quality
of color and pattern is disregarded in judging specials beyond best of each
color. See standard color classifications. Mismarked and miscolored birds
should be classified and judged as such under the specifications set forth
for CLASS XIV. AOC in this standard.
