It was 1972 when the first National Young Bird Show began. Everyone at this particular period of time that had pouters and croppers had to exhibit their birds with the Rare Breed Club and this occurred for a few
years. Ernie Neuner, Ralph Grider, Russell Duffy and Leslie Hall began to put together a few hundred gathering of pouters and croppers at the National Young Bird Show and the Kentucky State Fair.
It was then, that a man by the name of Oman Forcht happened to be doing some of the judging for the past few years at these shows, approached Ralph and Ernie with the idea of starting a club for pouters and croppers. He figured that since these gentlemen were already members of the Louisville Pigeon Club including himself, then what better time then now. Ralph and Ernie began to talk about it from time to time. In 1976, they decided to start a club. The next big decision was to decide on a name for this new club.
Ernie came up with the name of the Central Cropper and Pouter Club! A few people questioned him as to why the name Central? His response was always the same,"Well, since we are pretty much centrally located in the country, that's what central means."
So from two devoted pouter men, the club began to grow. From 35 to 150 members, at times. For years Ralph, Ernie and Dan LeGrand were the officers that ran the club. They had lawn shows at Ralph's and Dan's every year where new members and friends were found. News of the Central Cropper and Pouter Club spread through the country like wildfire. Soon shows started, places like Fremont, Ohio, Hartford City, Indiana, Muncie, Indiana, Dayton, Ohio and the list goes on and on. But, everyone would always remember the National Young Bird Show in Louisville, Kentucky. Ernie would always try to do things for the members. On Friday evenings, he and his wife Evelyn would always have drinks and snacks for the members coming in from the long haul out of town. Then on Saturday at noon, they would provide lunch for the members, it was a lot of work but they enjoyed it. The club was also well known for it's correspondence from it's members, there was alot and everyone pitched in with an article or two. This made it easy for Ernie as Secretary/Treasurer to have material for the bulletins. In September of 1993 after a hard fight with diabetes, Ernie Neuner had passed away. With Ralph as President and Dan LeGrand as Vice President, Ralph took on the secretary/Treasurer position during Ernie's illness and did both jobs for years until he and Dan found a new President. After 10 years with Ralph as Secretary/Treasurer and Dan as Vice President and various Presidents throughout the years the club remained and stayed together like glue. In 2001, Bryan Neuner, Ernie's son, gave Ralph a much needed rest from his position and took on the Secretary/Treasurer position and Ralph took back his position as he did when the club began as President and Mike Kraft as Vice President. So 25 years have come and gone and the Central Cropper and Pouter Club is still just as solid as the day it began! Let us not forget our past and how we arrived to this day with support, tradition and devotion to each other and our pouters and croppers.
Written by Ralph A. Grider and Bryan L. Neuner
News on the Club
2014 NYBS Results
Grand Champion Pouter/Cropper: Bob Bollinger, Brunner Pouter Red YC#510
Reserve Champion Pouter/Cropper: Trevor Nau, English Pouter Yellow YH#3001
Judge: Jerry Sindelar
Best Feather Legged Variety Overall: Trevor Nau, English Pouter Yellow YH#3001
Best Clean Legged Variety Overall: Charles Hanna Czech Ice YH#7590
Judge: Roger Tabbert
Pigmy Pouter(24 entries) Judge: Bryan Neuner
Champion: Al Graham, Blue Bar YC#170 (Best Blue Bar)
Reserve Champion: Al Graham, Brown Bar YH#180 (Best Brown Bar)
Best Yellow: Larry Gardner YH#725
Best Red: Kent Baumgardner YH#1140
Best White: Larry Gardner YC#253
Best AOC: Larry Gardner YC#251
Horseman Pouter(29 entries) Judge: Mike Hughes
Champion: Hugh Gillen, Bars YH#5193
Reserve Champion: Hugh Gillen, Bars YH#703
Best AOC: Hugh Gillen YC#725
Best Check: Hugh Gillen, 705
Best Spreads: Hugh Gillen YC#704
Brunner Pouter(37 entries) Judge: Bryan Neuner
Champion: Bob Bollinger, Red YC#510 (Best Red)
Reserve Champion: Bob Bollinger, Yellow YH#553 (Best Yellow)
Best White: Helmut Baer YC#1995
Best White Barred: Eli Neal YC#8858
Best Black: Mike Crook YC#800
Holle Cropper(21 entries) Judge: Roger Tabbert
Champion: Todd Millard, White YH#3126
Reserve Champion: Mike Pope, Black YC#29
Hana Pouter(7 entries) Judge: Roger Tabbert
Champion: Jijo Thomas YC#943
Marchenero Pouter(13 entries) Judge: Bryan Neuner
Champion: Gina Wilson YC#160
Saxon Pouter(2 entries) Judge: Roger Tabbert
Champion: Jijo Thomas YC#940
Silesian Pouter(1 entry) Judge: Jeff Coby
Champion: John Baldwin YC#3325
English Pouter(7 entries) Judge: Roger Tabbert
Champion: Trevor Nau, Yellow YH#3001
Gaditano Pouter(9 entries) Judge: Bryan Neuner
Champion: Theresa Schroeder YH#29668
Czech Ice(2 entries) Judge: Jeff Coby
Champion: Charles Hanna YH#7590
Voorburg Shield Cropper(11 entries) Judge: Helmut Baer
Champion: Trevor Nau, AOC YC#321
Reversewing Pouter(11 entries) Judge: Ron Schroeder
Champion: Dick Bultman, Red YC#5480
Pomeranian Pouter(19 entries) Judge: Jeff Coby
Champion: J. Miller Loft, Blue Check YH#2360
Reserve Champion: Roger Tabbert, Blue Bar YH#3899
Best White: Kathie Johnson YH#1870
Best Black: J. Miller Loft YH#2307
Norwich Cropper(57 entries) Judge: Bryan Neuner
Champion: Trevor Nau, Blue Bar YC#3344
Reserve Champion: Michael Craft, AOC YH#169
Best Black: Michael Craft YH#3207
Best Red: Joe Alarcon YC#956
Best Yellow: Michael Craft YC#3211
Best Mealy/Red Bar: Trevor Nau YC#3329
Best Strawberry/Ash Spread: Trevor Nau YC#3338
Best Brown Bar: Hugh Barnett YH#4438
Best Cream/Yellow Bar: Michael Craft YC#3237
2014 ISPA Show
Grand Champion Pouter/Cropper: Rick Wood English Pouter OC
Reserve Champion Pouter/Cropper: Becky Wood Horseman YC
2nd Reserve Champion: Todd Millard Holle Cropper YC
3rd Reserve Champion: Michael Craft Norwich Cropper OH
4th Reserve Champion: J. Miller Loft Pomeranian Pouter OC
Judge: Roger Tabbert
Brunners(18 entries) Judge: Roger Tabbert
Best: Bidroski@Clark White OH
Pigmy Pouter(10 entries) Judge: Roger Tabbert
Best: Casey Crocket OC
Bohemian Pouter(10 entries) Judge: Roger Tabbert
Best: Mary Morris Black YC
English Pouter(11 entries) Judge: Roger Tabbert
Best: Rick Wood Red OC
Holle Cropper(13 entries) Judge: Roger Tabbert
Best: Todd Millard YC
Pomeranian Pouter(20 entries) Judge: Roger Tabbert
Best: J. Miller Loft OC
Reversewing Pouter(2 entries) Judge: Roger Tabbert
Best: J. Miller Loft Black OH
Norwich Cropper(31 entries) Judge: Roger Tabbert
Best: Michael Craft OH
Horseman Pouter(85 entries) Judge: Jeff Bidroski
Champion: Becky Wood Blue Bar YC
Reserve Champion: Hugh Gillen Indigo Bar YH
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