Monday, February 19, 2007
Longevity
A long-time breeder once told me that most folks don't make it five years in a breed. Before that time, they get discouraged and move on or move out. I still haven't made that mile marker myself. My first litter was born on February 22, 2003, which means I started my career as a breeder around January 22, 2003. I've just passed the four year mark.
And I'm currently experiencing a lull. I had only a trickle of babies after August 8 last year and before January of this year. So right now, I've got very few juniors in the barn (about a half-dozen). And just a couple of those really tickle my fancy.
Things are the exact opposite of where they were two years ago. At that time, Bear and Ox and Brook and Mercedes were doing well as juniors. I couldn't wait for the brokens to come up. It was the last two classes of the breed that were everything to me, back then.
Now, I'm relying on my seniors to get me past this no-junior zone. I may not have five years in, but I do have enough time in to have finally gotten several senior bucks to their prime showing age range. Boris turned 2 last month!
To help me get over my lull, I'm trying to focus on the future and be happy for the past. When I look in my barn, it's in much better condition than it was two years ago and infinitely better than when I started out four years ago.
And I do have some babies now that I am extremely excited about. From last month, I have Lord x Padme kits; Lord & Padme are half-siblings and both grand champions with grand champion parents. So, I get to try out inbreeding and possibly get another generation towards my all-grand-champion project. I also have some Hilary & Java babies. I would love to get some with her crown and his body. Leo & Lexus gave me a litter that is looking especially fine right now. And I got some more Leo and Markie babies - that's a repeat of a successful breeding.
This month's babies are keeping me excited, too. Today, I got my first Rio x Padme babies. This is the first time I've linebred Rio and I can't wait to see how it works. Padme had four - 2 viable, 1 peanut, and 1 sort of in between that I can't really tell.
I also got a couple of babies from Brook and Imagination. I would love to see Imagination's head and Brook's full body on a rabbit. That could really be something. One may be a non-showable color (blue point), but it could still be a breeder. I really need a good Brook daughter. MLK and April gave me a broken black. If you know anything about me, you know I love black and especially broken black.
I linebred Jo-Jo and Quinten, both grand champions and got three viable kits. I really don't care which side of the family the babies take after. Franz & Jo-Jo are both nice Hollands. And their father now has a couple dozen legs, so taking after grandpapa wouldn't be so bad either.
Panache and Lord gave me three fat babies. That's a full sibling breeding. I can't wait to see if that worked well. Panache and Lord both placed in the top ten at Nationals (and Panache placed 5th at Convention as well). I'm hoping for some more nationally competitive bunnies from them. Also, they are both grand champions with grand champion parents (LaForge & May), so there's another chance to further my all-grand-champion pedigree project.
Yesterday, I got 12 of 15 does bred. I notice that these babies are due on the first day of spring. So I especially have great hopes for them. Nature should be working with me this time! In these breedings, I'm especially looking forward to LaForge x May - that's the breeding that got me Panache and Lord. I'm also hopeful for an MLK x Sadie breeding. Neither are grand champions, so I'm going outside my all-grand-champion pedigree project in hopes of broken blacks. Both MLK and Sadie are Camelot's Merlin x Roxie offspring - another attempt at inbreeding.
Besides looking at the future to help keep me motivated, and relying on the past to keep me going, I'm also going to enjoy the present. Friday, I'll be traveling to a show with a great friend. And we'll have already had a good time by the time we even arrive at the show.
Since I only have four years in, I can't claim to have the secret to longevity in the bunny world. I hope in a few more years that I will be able to speak to that. But I do know that setbacks and temporary lulls in my breeding program will not deter me.
I plan to be here in the long run.
Laurie Stroupe
The Nature Trail Rabbitry “Home Of Grand Champions”
Precious Pet Rabbits
Affordable Web Site Design ¶ 9:04 AM
And I'm currently experiencing a lull. I had only a trickle of babies after August 8 last year and before January of this year. So right now, I've got very few juniors in the barn (about a half-dozen). And just a couple of those really tickle my fancy.
Things are the exact opposite of where they were two years ago. At that time, Bear and Ox and Brook and Mercedes were doing well as juniors. I couldn't wait for the brokens to come up. It was the last two classes of the breed that were everything to me, back then.
Now, I'm relying on my seniors to get me past this no-junior zone. I may not have five years in, but I do have enough time in to have finally gotten several senior bucks to their prime showing age range. Boris turned 2 last month!
To help me get over my lull, I'm trying to focus on the future and be happy for the past. When I look in my barn, it's in much better condition than it was two years ago and infinitely better than when I started out four years ago.
And I do have some babies now that I am extremely excited about. From last month, I have Lord x Padme kits; Lord & Padme are half-siblings and both grand champions with grand champion parents. So, I get to try out inbreeding and possibly get another generation towards my all-grand-champion project. I also have some Hilary & Java babies. I would love to get some with her crown and his body. Leo & Lexus gave me a litter that is looking especially fine right now. And I got some more Leo and Markie babies - that's a repeat of a successful breeding.
This month's babies are keeping me excited, too. Today, I got my first Rio x Padme babies. This is the first time I've linebred Rio and I can't wait to see how it works. Padme had four - 2 viable, 1 peanut, and 1 sort of in between that I can't really tell.
I also got a couple of babies from Brook and Imagination. I would love to see Imagination's head and Brook's full body on a rabbit. That could really be something. One may be a non-showable color (blue point), but it could still be a breeder. I really need a good Brook daughter. MLK and April gave me a broken black. If you know anything about me, you know I love black and especially broken black.
I linebred Jo-Jo and Quinten, both grand champions and got three viable kits. I really don't care which side of the family the babies take after. Franz & Jo-Jo are both nice Hollands. And their father now has a couple dozen legs, so taking after grandpapa wouldn't be so bad either.
Panache and Lord gave me three fat babies. That's a full sibling breeding. I can't wait to see if that worked well. Panache and Lord both placed in the top ten at Nationals (and Panache placed 5th at Convention as well). I'm hoping for some more nationally competitive bunnies from them. Also, they are both grand champions with grand champion parents (LaForge & May), so there's another chance to further my all-grand-champion pedigree project.
Yesterday, I got 12 of 15 does bred. I notice that these babies are due on the first day of spring. So I especially have great hopes for them. Nature should be working with me this time! In these breedings, I'm especially looking forward to LaForge x May - that's the breeding that got me Panache and Lord. I'm also hopeful for an MLK x Sadie breeding. Neither are grand champions, so I'm going outside my all-grand-champion pedigree project in hopes of broken blacks. Both MLK and Sadie are Camelot's Merlin x Roxie offspring - another attempt at inbreeding.
Besides looking at the future to help keep me motivated, and relying on the past to keep me going, I'm also going to enjoy the present. Friday, I'll be traveling to a show with a great friend. And we'll have already had a good time by the time we even arrive at the show.
Since I only have four years in, I can't claim to have the secret to longevity in the bunny world. I hope in a few more years that I will be able to speak to that. But I do know that setbacks and temporary lulls in my breeding program will not deter me.
I plan to be here in the long run.
Laurie Stroupe
The Nature Trail Rabbitry “Home Of Grand Champions”
Precious Pet Rabbits
Affordable Web Site Design ¶ 9:04 AM
