The Pelung Chicken Contest: As the Forum of Friendship for the Indonesian Pelungers

The Pelung Chicken contest is one of a series of National Pelung Chicken Festival (FAPN), which had been organized by the Faculty of Animal Husbandry of Bogor Agricultural University (FAPET IPB). Ayam Pelung or Pelung Chicken (Pelung long crower) is a poultry breed from Cianjur, Indonesia. The males (roosters) are considered to be "singing chickens", with contests being frequent in the Pelung area for the most melodious crowing. The present contest took place on Sunday, 17 September 2017, and was carried out at the Rectorate Ground, IPB Campus, Dramaga, Bogor. One day prior for the contest, the Organizing Committee held Talkshow on the Beauty of Local Chicken of Indonesia and Javanese Chicken Halloween Contest for the students. "Judjing Ayam Pelung Contest is intended for students which aim to train how to assess poultry chickens," said Bimo Prayogo, Chairman of the Organizing Committee of FAPN IPB.

This criteria set for assessing the Pelung Chicken contest, are: appearance or performance, weight, and the melodious crowing. The present contest, the annual event, had been participated by 120 (one hundred twenty) contestants from all regions in Indonesia. "We, five contestants from Lampung, are joining this contest to enable us to meet with friends – fellow fans of pelung chickens – in this forum of friendship. We want to see the development of pelung chicken in Indonesia in this forum," said Abu Musa, Chairman Pelungers of Lampung when he was asked related motivation to follow the event.

The contest has been carried to compete three trophies including the one donated by the Minister of Agriculture for the overall winner; other trophy of IPB Rector, for the first winner, and the last trophy was from the  Dean of Faculty of Animal Husbandry of IPB for Second Winner. In addition to the contest, the event was also enlivened by photography contest and long tail chicken exhibition. (Wied)