Sunday, April 22, 2007
Columbia, SC, Show
Anna and I got up at 4:00 a.m. and drove to Columbia, SC, from our home in Virginia. We arrived just after 8:00 a.m. After schlepping all of our stuff inside, I just had time to take care of my entries and tattoo three new juniors before the show started.
We were assigned Carla Wilson for the first show. I've had her once before. I remembered that she will give a young rabbit a chance, if they show the proper characteristics and balance. She will also give a small Holland its due. She raises a mixture of rabbits and has raised some Hollands in that mix as well. I think she does a credible job with them.
You may remember that I thought I had granded MLK last weekend. Well, I KNOW I granded him this time. He was BOS in show A under Carla. Myrddin also granded with a BOSG. Rizzo, my lilac tortoiseshell, got her second leg. I'm very hopeful that I'll be able to grand her before it's time to get on with breeding her.
I showed a new junior doe, one of several that I'm excited about. She was a little younger than I usually show, but she's so cute that I couldn't resist. She got BOSG for solids. I took Panache straight out of a cage full of kits (quite old enough to wean). She, like her mother May, is very resillient. She earned her 8th leg in show A with a BOB. Lex, my broken junior buck out of Java and Lexus, earned his 5th leg with a class win. I'm so glad that Myrddin beat him for the BOSG because he wouldn't have earned a leg otherwise! (To me, it's a toss up; Myrddin has a much better head, ear, and crown while Lex has a much better coat and type.)
After that show, I registered a few rabbits and then worked with Carla Wilson on English Lops. For the first time, I actually got the ears measured accurately. Before now, I was always a couple of inches shorter than the judge and just couldn't figure it out. After working on them for a few rabbits, Carla gave me a mighty push and said, "Call out the ear number and give your comments." Since Rusty had already awakened me to that reality, I was more prepared this time. She and I discussed the comments beforehand, but it is still intimidating to say them out loud. However, by the time we got to the end of the breed, I was much more comfortable with giving the comments. They came a bit more easily and actually started to flow. It gave me some encouragement that I'll be able to do it well some day.
Of course, the breeders had really already heard the comments as Carla and I discussed them. I really appreciate their support, too, for tolerating the double dose of comments and extra time it took for me to learn. And some breeders even added some advice of their own when we were done. Thanks!
I tackled Jersey Woolies with Greg West after lunch. I had hoped to work with him on mini lops, but it was not to be. Still, it was a great experience with a nice-sized breed. At first, it just didn't make a lot of sense, at least no more than what I'd read. But then I found a white junior doe that I knew I loved. She just made things click! I picked her for breed, which was a good thing, since she was also what Greg picked! That's the only opinion that counts anyway.
There's just no substitute for getting my hands on hundreds of examples of each breed. I'm just getting started. Each time I work a breed, I understand more and learn something different. Thank you Carla and Greg for sharing your time and expertise.
I was so into the Jersey Woolies that I didn't hear them call open Hollands, reportedly multiple times. Thank goodness that Keith Burge came over and asked me if I knew they were on the table. I missed the first class, which really upset me. How many times - even that morning - have I looked up breeder names and gone looking for folks. It wasn't a rushed show and they knew I was there. It's easy when two rabbits are missing - just look for exhibitors showing two rabbits!
I'm just grateful that MLK granded that morning. If he hadn't, I probably would have been even more upset.
Our second judge was Roger Bustle. He didn't like Rizzo and put my Lark second, though it was a close call - one of those last second switches. He picked Myrddin, but there were not enough broken senior bucks for a leg. He picked Panache and Lex. I didn't show a broken junior doe that day.
Lex, who was in perfect condition and coat, was BOB this time. Panache was BOS. Panache now ties her half-sister Padme with nine legs. Both have outdone mother May, with seven legs (no, Janice, I'm not ready to sell May now).
I started packing up to go home. I had a date with my sister for a movie (nothing like burning the candle at both ends). By the time I got everything but Anna's silver fox in the car, judging for show B was almost over. I wanted Anna to get to show her rabbit a second time. And, the show was so close to being over . . . What to do. So I called and found out that the movie didn't start until 7:40. It would be close. So, I went back and took Lex out of the car and put him on the table to wait for the BIS to start. In the mean time, Anna's rabbit was judged and the youth BIS selection was made.
By then, the open BIS started. Christy Posey's mini satin was BRIS. Then Roger called out the Holland Lop for Best In Show. You know, I wonder if Roger would be amused to know that he picked that rabbit's father Best In Show at the last Columbia, SC, show!
I'm very pleased to know that Java is also going to produce nice rabbits, not just be one. He already has a grand champion daughter. It looks like his son Lex, with six junior legs, is already on his way. Java himself only has one junior leg and didn't get a BIS until he was a young senior (actually, just a few weeks older than Lex is himself).
Of course, the test will be to see how he does as a senior, which starts tomorrow. I'll show him for a while to see if he'll be one of those that can grand young. If he's not competitive right away, then I'll put him away until he's about a year old. That's when his dad's career took off. If Lex doesn't do well then, I'll put him away until he's 1 1/2. By then, he'll be in his prime.
Okay, back to the show. After the BIS, we hopped in the car and drove him. I was cutting things so close that I asked my sister to pick up Andrew and meet me at the movies. He took Anna and the rabbits home while my sister and her daughter-in-law saw the thriller Disturbia - a Rear Window-type movie on the level of Silence of the Lambs. That'll get your blood stirring!
I finally got home late and into bed - a mere 20 1/2 hours after awaking.
Laurie
¶ 9:15 AM
We were assigned Carla Wilson for the first show. I've had her once before. I remembered that she will give a young rabbit a chance, if they show the proper characteristics and balance. She will also give a small Holland its due. She raises a mixture of rabbits and has raised some Hollands in that mix as well. I think she does a credible job with them.
You may remember that I thought I had granded MLK last weekend. Well, I KNOW I granded him this time. He was BOS in show A under Carla. Myrddin also granded with a BOSG. Rizzo, my lilac tortoiseshell, got her second leg. I'm very hopeful that I'll be able to grand her before it's time to get on with breeding her.
I showed a new junior doe, one of several that I'm excited about. She was a little younger than I usually show, but she's so cute that I couldn't resist. She got BOSG for solids. I took Panache straight out of a cage full of kits (quite old enough to wean). She, like her mother May, is very resillient. She earned her 8th leg in show A with a BOB. Lex, my broken junior buck out of Java and Lexus, earned his 5th leg with a class win. I'm so glad that Myrddin beat him for the BOSG because he wouldn't have earned a leg otherwise! (To me, it's a toss up; Myrddin has a much better head, ear, and crown while Lex has a much better coat and type.)
After that show, I registered a few rabbits and then worked with Carla Wilson on English Lops. For the first time, I actually got the ears measured accurately. Before now, I was always a couple of inches shorter than the judge and just couldn't figure it out. After working on them for a few rabbits, Carla gave me a mighty push and said, "Call out the ear number and give your comments." Since Rusty had already awakened me to that reality, I was more prepared this time. She and I discussed the comments beforehand, but it is still intimidating to say them out loud. However, by the time we got to the end of the breed, I was much more comfortable with giving the comments. They came a bit more easily and actually started to flow. It gave me some encouragement that I'll be able to do it well some day.
Of course, the breeders had really already heard the comments as Carla and I discussed them. I really appreciate their support, too, for tolerating the double dose of comments and extra time it took for me to learn. And some breeders even added some advice of their own when we were done. Thanks!
I tackled Jersey Woolies with Greg West after lunch. I had hoped to work with him on mini lops, but it was not to be. Still, it was a great experience with a nice-sized breed. At first, it just didn't make a lot of sense, at least no more than what I'd read. But then I found a white junior doe that I knew I loved. She just made things click! I picked her for breed, which was a good thing, since she was also what Greg picked! That's the only opinion that counts anyway.
There's just no substitute for getting my hands on hundreds of examples of each breed. I'm just getting started. Each time I work a breed, I understand more and learn something different. Thank you Carla and Greg for sharing your time and expertise.
I was so into the Jersey Woolies that I didn't hear them call open Hollands, reportedly multiple times. Thank goodness that Keith Burge came over and asked me if I knew they were on the table. I missed the first class, which really upset me. How many times - even that morning - have I looked up breeder names and gone looking for folks. It wasn't a rushed show and they knew I was there. It's easy when two rabbits are missing - just look for exhibitors showing two rabbits!
I'm just grateful that MLK granded that morning. If he hadn't, I probably would have been even more upset.
Our second judge was Roger Bustle. He didn't like Rizzo and put my Lark second, though it was a close call - one of those last second switches. He picked Myrddin, but there were not enough broken senior bucks for a leg. He picked Panache and Lex. I didn't show a broken junior doe that day.
Lex, who was in perfect condition and coat, was BOB this time. Panache was BOS. Panache now ties her half-sister Padme with nine legs. Both have outdone mother May, with seven legs (no, Janice, I'm not ready to sell May now).
I started packing up to go home. I had a date with my sister for a movie (nothing like burning the candle at both ends). By the time I got everything but Anna's silver fox in the car, judging for show B was almost over. I wanted Anna to get to show her rabbit a second time. And, the show was so close to being over . . . What to do. So I called and found out that the movie didn't start until 7:40. It would be close. So, I went back and took Lex out of the car and put him on the table to wait for the BIS to start. In the mean time, Anna's rabbit was judged and the youth BIS selection was made.
By then, the open BIS started. Christy Posey's mini satin was BRIS. Then Roger called out the Holland Lop for Best In Show. You know, I wonder if Roger would be amused to know that he picked that rabbit's father Best In Show at the last Columbia, SC, show!
I'm very pleased to know that Java is also going to produce nice rabbits, not just be one. He already has a grand champion daughter. It looks like his son Lex, with six junior legs, is already on his way. Java himself only has one junior leg and didn't get a BIS until he was a young senior (actually, just a few weeks older than Lex is himself).
Of course, the test will be to see how he does as a senior, which starts tomorrow. I'll show him for a while to see if he'll be one of those that can grand young. If he's not competitive right away, then I'll put him away until he's about a year old. That's when his dad's career took off. If Lex doesn't do well then, I'll put him away until he's 1 1/2. By then, he'll be in his prime.
Okay, back to the show. After the BIS, we hopped in the car and drove him. I was cutting things so close that I asked my sister to pick up Andrew and meet me at the movies. He took Anna and the rabbits home while my sister and her daughter-in-law saw the thriller Disturbia - a Rear Window-type movie on the level of Silence of the Lambs. That'll get your blood stirring!
I finally got home late and into bed - a mere 20 1/2 hours after awaking.
Laurie
¶ 9:15 AM
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CONGRATS LAURIE!!
Yet another BIS for the list! Lex is 3rd generation if Im not mistaken too!
Yet another BIS for the list! Lex is 3rd generation if Im not mistaken too!
# posted by 
: 11:39 AM
: 11:39 AM
Peter,
Lex's mother is GC The Nature Trail's Lexus who is out of GC The Nature Trail's Mercedes who is out of The Nature Trail's Alexis.
Lex's father is GC The Nature Trail's Java who is out of GC The Nature Trail's Boris.
There are several non-The Nature Trail's rabbits on his pedigree, but I'm pleased that so much of his ancestry is The Nature Trail.
Laurie
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Lex's mother is GC The Nature Trail's Lexus who is out of GC The Nature Trail's Mercedes who is out of The Nature Trail's Alexis.
Lex's father is GC The Nature Trail's Java who is out of GC The Nature Trail's Boris.
There are several non-The Nature Trail's rabbits on his pedigree, but I'm pleased that so much of his ancestry is The Nature Trail.
Laurie
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