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 disqualifications.

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 from 10" to 11" in height, from 9 ½" to 10 ½" 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" across 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 (5 pts.): 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 Patterns: 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.