Poultry aficionados from as far away as Santa Fe, N.M., and as near as the Gila Valley gathered at the Graham County Ag building with birds, ducks, geese, turkeys and game cocks on Saturday for the second annual Gila Valley Poultry Show.

"We like to get people together who have an interest in birds," Shane Hawkins, organizer for the show, said. "We talk and share ideas."

There were more than 250 birds of all variety of poultry at the show from the milder ducks to the brilliantly plumed game cocks. Two judges, Gene Helton from Tucson, and Gary Agajaian of Eureka, Calif., inspected the birds in their classes and read their results to a clerk standing nearby.

Winners of the show were announced at a banquet at the Graham County General Services building held that evening for participants of the show. Lacy Greer of Phoenix won the Supreme Grand Champion prize for his Rhode Island Red Bantam.

Other champion winners were: Hawkins Poultry of Pima, Champion Large Fowl and Champion Water Fowl; Myka Benally of New Mexico, Champion Turkey; and Lacy Greer, Champion Bantam.

Agajanian, who has been licensed with the American Poultry Association (APA) and the American Bantam Association (ABA) since 1993, said it was his first visit to Safford.

"This is a well-organized show," he said. "It was also a lovely drive into Safford." Agajanian flew into Phoenix from Eureka and drove through Globe and the San Carlos Indian Reservation on his way to the Gila Valley.

Helton skillfully handled a brightly feathered chicken as he talked. "I've been judging poultry for the past 35 years," he said. Helton said he raised poultry since he was a child and was licensed for ABA and APA in 1976.

Ed Vasquez of Santa Fe held a game cock tail forward and stroked the glossy tail feathers as he discussed his hobby of raising roosters. "I raise game birds, but I've never been to a pit," he said. "I'm a breeder, not a fighter."

Vasquez had 22 birds entered in the poultry show. "I traveled 450 miles to be in this show. That's what I do: travel and show birds." He has traveled from Utah to Colorado and now to Arizona with his birds. "It has been a kind of family hobby for the past 100 years," he said. Vasquez has raised and sold brood stock for 45 years.

Local poultry raisers Richie Bejarano and Sam Polley, both in their mid-teens, went in together to be a part of the poultry show.

"We are partners in everything," Bejarano said of his friend. "I paid the fees, and he brought the duck."

Included in the poultry show was a cakewalk, raffle and a quilt raffle. More than 15 local businesses contributed items for raffle to benefit the poultry show. "Proceeds from the raffle went to pay the judges," Hawkins said.