Thursday, September 21, 2006
The Chase
I've heard a couple of people refer to the "fact" that I'm chasing points this year. Although I do console myself with my points if I don't win anything else, that's not really what I'm after.
As for the sweeps contest, I really think that the herdsman and quality points are better indicators of what's going on in a herd. And of the two, I like the herdsman points better.
I did have one goal this year concerning sweeps points: I wanted to raise my average points per show. You can collect sweeps points by having a lot of third, fourth, and fifth place rabbits, but I wanted to earn more points from first place, and BOB/BOS bonus points. Plus, the national shows can pack a wallop, points-wise, and raise the average. I want to do well there, too, though at the beginning of the sweeps year, I thought that was an impossibility!
Last year, I averaged 211 points per show. This year, my average is 443 points per show. And, depending on how things go in Texas, that average might get a bit of a boost near the end of the sweeps year. So, I'm thinking that I have that goal licked, this time around.
As for quality points (points earned for BOB or BOS), I'm so far in second place that there's no hope for catching up. My only goal there is to have a respectable number of quality points. I wanted to double the number that I had last year (which means triple, actually, because of the funky 18 month "year" we're in). I believe I'm just about at that point now, so any additional quality points will be gravy.
Now we come to my favorite index. I love herdsman points. That's because it reflects what I am working on most. Yes, it's lovely to have a really hot rabbit or even two or three. I'd be happy to have that, certainly. But my personal goal is to have a very, very deep herd. I want quality throughout my rabbitry. With herdsman points, each rabbit can only earn one per sweeps year. Just one. So you must have some depth to your herd to compete in this category.
A rabbitry with few or even one outstanding rabbit can really accumulate quality points, winning BOB week after week. You can spot those rabbitries because they will have fewer herdsman points than you would expect, given their sweeps and quality points.
Now it may be that they have many rabbits of the same gender as their rabbit that wins the most who are high quality and are having their herdsman points sacrificed in a chase for top lop. That's a perfectly good strategy for those who value top lop status the most. But that rabbitry should still be able to collect herdsman points for their rabbits of the opposite gender.
Now it has actually been done in the recent past that a breeder grabbed all three top spots: herdsman, quality, and sweeps. I'm pretty sure she had a top lop, too. That's a delicate balancing act, but apparently, it can be done.
But after all of this talk about sweepstakes, herdsman, and quality points, and a small nod at top lop, we still haven't hit on the measure of my herd that I'm working the hardest on. And that is grand champions. That's my personal contest with me and my herd. I granded 16 last year and I want to beat that this year. I have a good start with 7 grand champions for this year - and the new year just started July 1!
Since I want to produce rabbits with all-grand-champion pedigrees, I figure the best way to do that is work with all grand champion dams and sires. Seems logical to me. I still haven't weaned myself from a few of my non-grand champion does, but I will shortly. I've made the mistake of breeding a young buck with two legs - only to have him die before being granded. But, more and more, my breedings are grand champion to grand champion.
Yes, I am accumulating sweeps, quality, and herdsman points as a result of my project. And I certainly welcome them. But as for chasing points. No, that's not really it. What am I chasing? Legs. And mostly legs for ungranded rabbits.
So what's the difference? If I were after top lop, I'd have kept my best buck in show condition and on the table constantly instead of periodically. Rio, for example, has been on the table lately because I don't have a broken senior buck that I need to grand right now. I will, though, just as soon as Myrddin changes his coat.
If I were after quality points, I'd always show the rabbit that has the best chances of winning, but I don't. Mercedes had an outing because I don't have any broken senior does at the moment who need to be granded. But Padme left the table to make room for several solid senior does I have that are one leg from being grand champions. I think Padme could have pulled down some more quality points for me. But that's not what I'm after.
I'm not saying that my value system is the only one. There are many ways to be successful with your herd. You just need to set the goals that make you happiest. Want to go after Top Lop? Go for it. Want to get enough sweeps points to be in the top ten of your district? the country? of all time? Go for it. Want that gold seal on your pedigrees? Go for it. Want to grand your first home grown rabbit? Go for it.
We're all chasing some goal or dream if we're at all serious about breeding our rabbits. One of the most lovely things about our hobby is that a number of people can compete against each other all weekend and each can go home feeling like a winner. Perhaps one got their first leg on a homegrown junior. Another granded a rabbit. Two or three others got Best of Breeds or Best Opposite Sex. Another had an otter or other rarer color to show very competitively.
And they all go home with smiles on their faces.
Laurie Stroupe
The Nature Trail Rabbitry “Home Of Grand Champions”
Precious Pet Rabbits
Affordable Web Site Design
¶ 7:24 AM
As for the sweeps contest, I really think that the herdsman and quality points are better indicators of what's going on in a herd. And of the two, I like the herdsman points better.
I did have one goal this year concerning sweeps points: I wanted to raise my average points per show. You can collect sweeps points by having a lot of third, fourth, and fifth place rabbits, but I wanted to earn more points from first place, and BOB/BOS bonus points. Plus, the national shows can pack a wallop, points-wise, and raise the average. I want to do well there, too, though at the beginning of the sweeps year, I thought that was an impossibility!
Last year, I averaged 211 points per show. This year, my average is 443 points per show. And, depending on how things go in Texas, that average might get a bit of a boost near the end of the sweeps year. So, I'm thinking that I have that goal licked, this time around.
As for quality points (points earned for BOB or BOS), I'm so far in second place that there's no hope for catching up. My only goal there is to have a respectable number of quality points. I wanted to double the number that I had last year (which means triple, actually, because of the funky 18 month "year" we're in). I believe I'm just about at that point now, so any additional quality points will be gravy.
Now we come to my favorite index. I love herdsman points. That's because it reflects what I am working on most. Yes, it's lovely to have a really hot rabbit or even two or three. I'd be happy to have that, certainly. But my personal goal is to have a very, very deep herd. I want quality throughout my rabbitry. With herdsman points, each rabbit can only earn one per sweeps year. Just one. So you must have some depth to your herd to compete in this category.
A rabbitry with few or even one outstanding rabbit can really accumulate quality points, winning BOB week after week. You can spot those rabbitries because they will have fewer herdsman points than you would expect, given their sweeps and quality points.
Now it may be that they have many rabbits of the same gender as their rabbit that wins the most who are high quality and are having their herdsman points sacrificed in a chase for top lop. That's a perfectly good strategy for those who value top lop status the most. But that rabbitry should still be able to collect herdsman points for their rabbits of the opposite gender.
Now it has actually been done in the recent past that a breeder grabbed all three top spots: herdsman, quality, and sweeps. I'm pretty sure she had a top lop, too. That's a delicate balancing act, but apparently, it can be done.
But after all of this talk about sweepstakes, herdsman, and quality points, and a small nod at top lop, we still haven't hit on the measure of my herd that I'm working the hardest on. And that is grand champions. That's my personal contest with me and my herd. I granded 16 last year and I want to beat that this year. I have a good start with 7 grand champions for this year - and the new year just started July 1!
Since I want to produce rabbits with all-grand-champion pedigrees, I figure the best way to do that is work with all grand champion dams and sires. Seems logical to me. I still haven't weaned myself from a few of my non-grand champion does, but I will shortly. I've made the mistake of breeding a young buck with two legs - only to have him die before being granded. But, more and more, my breedings are grand champion to grand champion.
Yes, I am accumulating sweeps, quality, and herdsman points as a result of my project. And I certainly welcome them. But as for chasing points. No, that's not really it. What am I chasing? Legs. And mostly legs for ungranded rabbits.
So what's the difference? If I were after top lop, I'd have kept my best buck in show condition and on the table constantly instead of periodically. Rio, for example, has been on the table lately because I don't have a broken senior buck that I need to grand right now. I will, though, just as soon as Myrddin changes his coat.
If I were after quality points, I'd always show the rabbit that has the best chances of winning, but I don't. Mercedes had an outing because I don't have any broken senior does at the moment who need to be granded. But Padme left the table to make room for several solid senior does I have that are one leg from being grand champions. I think Padme could have pulled down some more quality points for me. But that's not what I'm after.
I'm not saying that my value system is the only one. There are many ways to be successful with your herd. You just need to set the goals that make you happiest. Want to go after Top Lop? Go for it. Want to get enough sweeps points to be in the top ten of your district? the country? of all time? Go for it. Want that gold seal on your pedigrees? Go for it. Want to grand your first home grown rabbit? Go for it.
We're all chasing some goal or dream if we're at all serious about breeding our rabbits. One of the most lovely things about our hobby is that a number of people can compete against each other all weekend and each can go home feeling like a winner. Perhaps one got their first leg on a homegrown junior. Another granded a rabbit. Two or three others got Best of Breeds or Best Opposite Sex. Another had an otter or other rarer color to show very competitively.
And they all go home with smiles on their faces.
Laurie Stroupe
The Nature Trail Rabbitry “Home Of Grand Champions”
Precious Pet Rabbits
Affordable Web Site Design
¶ 7:24 AM
