1. GC Camelot's Merlin
2. GC Rio
3. GC Java/GC Boris - tie

Best doe heads:

1. GC Panache
2. GC Brook
3. GC Padme

Best buck lower hindquarters:

1. GC Rio
2. GC Java
3. GC Leo/Mistoffelees - tie

Best doe lower hindquarters:

1. GC May
2. GC Padme
3. GC Brook

Best buck depth:

1. GC Java
2. GC Rio
3. GC Leo/Prince William - tie

Best doe depth:

1. GC May
2. GC Mercedes
3. GC Padme/GC Jo-Jo/GC Brook/GC Panache - tie

Best buck fur:

1. GC Lord
2. GC Java
3. MLK

Best doe fur:

1. GC Mercedes
2. GC Lexus
3. GC Gypsy/GC Francesca - tie

Best buck producers (produces the highest percentage of keepers):

1. GC Camelot's Merlin
2. GC Boris (Java is gaining on his father Boris)
3. GC LaForge

Best doe producers:

1. GC May
2. GC Jo-Jo
3. GC Hilary

Best buck shoulders:

1. GC Java
2. Prince William
3. GC Camelot's Merlin

Best doe shoulders:

1. GC Panache
2. GC Brook
3. GC Mercedes

Best buck bone:

1. GC Rio
2. GC Camelot's Merlin
3. GC Java

Best doe bone:

1. GC Padme
2. GC May
3. GC Brook/GC Panache - tie

Best buck crown:

1. GC Camelot's Merlin
2. Myrddin
3. Mistoffelees

Best doe crown:

1. GC May
2. GC Jo-Jo
3. GC Padme/Millicent - tie

Best buck ears:

1. GC Camelot's Merlin
2. GC Quincy
3. GC Imagination

Best doe ears:

1. GC May
2. GC Padme
3. GC Jo-Jo

Boy, was this list hard to make! Sure, some were easy - very easy. But I really thought I knew my herd better than this before I started. I thought I'd be able to fill out all of the categories just based on my knowledge of my bunnies. I filled in as much as I could, then I had to make a trip to the barn.

I went around, comparing crowns and checking shoulders. I caused quite a stir, walking around and reaching into cages.

I could easily add another superlative: Best Most Eager To Breed. Mistoffelees fell out of the cage once and almost twice trying to romance my arm! He is one hyper fellow. Lucky for him, he's a cute guy and made my superlative list more than once.

I learned a lot about my herd from doing this exercise. I'm willing to wager that you'll learn a lot if you do the same thing with your herd. You may want to use some different or additional categories.

I believe I'm going to print out my list and keep it handy next time I make breeding choices. And I'll need to do this again in about six months to keep up with a changing herd.

Laurie Stroupe
The Nature Trail Rabbitry “Home Of Grand Champions”
Precious Pet Rabbits
Affordable Web Site Design

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