Laura Chalus: Friendlier Duck Conformation
by Laura Chalus, CEO, Tulsa Garden Center
Exhibiting roses in a flower show is not dissimilar to exhibiting steers, hogs, or even pigeons at a local county fair. As I continue learning and growing in my role as Tulsa Rose Society president, I often find myself reflecting on some of these parallels while studying how to exhibit great show roses.
Growing up in rural Oklahoma, I discovered the basics of being an exhibitor at a young age while entering various duck breeds in the Rogers County Fair. My mother bred and raised Pekin ducks, Buffs, Cayugas, Crested, and even some Runners at one point, which are really quite funny to watch in mass, their comically upright bodies running in synchronization like an Esther Williams aquamusical.
At age 11, I distinctly remember walking past rows of wood shaving filled cages after the poultry judges had completed their work and affixed ribbons, musing about the poor Muscovy ducks. Because that breed seemed so unsightly with their red, warty caruncle face protrusions, I couldn’t help but worry that they probably didn’t have the same odds of winning a grand champion blue ribbon as, say, the Black Cayuga drake, gleaming with its beautifully iridescent green plumage. Always a rooter for the underdog, I sure hoped someone was looking out for those poor ugly ducklings and giving them a fighting chance.
Now, once again, I find myself in the dual role of exhibitor and champion of the little guy. In Rose shows, the hybrid teas have long been held as the standard of beauty, but what about all the shrub roses which don’t always fit into the same show classes? On the trophy table there is a Queen, King, Princess, and Court of Honor for Hybrid Teas and Grandifloras, but typically only one award for the Modern Shrub Rose class, which includes all the gorgeous David Austin and Griffin Buck roses. How is that fair, I thought, upon discovering this fact at my first rose show. Were shrub roses destined for the same fate as the Muscovy?
Although I’m out of the loop on proper duck conformation these days, in the world of rose shows it does actually appear that rules are currently being updated at the national level to reflect newer trends and popularity in disease-resistant shrub roses. At the district rose show in San Antonio last month, the word on the show circuit is that changes are being made by the American Rose Society to allow for friendlier and more welcoming show environments. As membership in Rose Societies across the country wanes, it’s good to know that someone at the leadership level is paying attention and making adjustments which are more accommodating to novice exhibitors.
If roses or flower shows aren’t your jam, that certainly doesn’t mean there aren’t a multitude of other opportunities to get involved. Maybe the Tulsa Perennial Club is the right environment for you to learn more about plants which work well in our climate, or our newest plant society, the Oklahoma Mycological Society, might just be the ticket to expanding your growing interest in mushrooms. Perhaps the Tulsa Garden Club, celebrating their 90th Emerald Anniversary this year, would be a welcome respite from a fast-paced lifestyle, or maybe it’s the Cacti and Succulent Society of Tulsa which might spark your curiosity. No matter your passion or interests, I encourage all Woodward Park visitors to learn more about how to get plugged in to the horticultural campus in the heart of midtown Tulsa.
As I sit in my office on a Sunday afternoon, wondering if duck conformation rules are also keeping up with the changing times, I sure hope the American Poultry Association powers that be might finally be giving those unique Muscovy’s their day in the sun, warts and all...