Blog Archives

Back from Rockton

11/16/2013

Basic got really good comments from one of the judges. He really thought this young doe has lots of potential. :) She came in first in two of her three classes.

Peter/Tommy Tit either has a genetic deformity in one leg OR he was injured when he was a kit. not sure. If you look for it you can feel it. Cowhocked and damaged. I'm hoping a birth injury, but if genetic will not be staying here. Glad he's a loaner rabbit , not a have to keep or cull rabbit.

Miss Q constantly came in 6/8 in all three classes. She got great comments on her head, but her body needs some improving. Her coat was not in particularly great shape either.

Vena is just a baby and as such got baby comments. Good colour, good pattern, should have good potential. One judge liked her quite a bit but her competition was older and in better position to be judged well.

Shaya did what she was supposed to. Fill out a class a bit more, she came in 8/8, 5/8 and 8/8. And came home and was promptly in the mood to be bred. Just what I was hoping for. :)

Georgia did 7/8, 4/8 and 2/8. I was quite pleased with that. I find it amazing how different judges can see the same group of animals. :)

I spent most of the day clerking as a lady who had been clerking wanted to spend time with her child who was judging and showing in a class.

Sold to pet/breeder home

11/15/2013

Tava has gone to a new home pregnant. Gave the gal a deal since I wanted less piggies over the winter and I can bring in new blood in the spring. Tava is a Sept 2012 pup.

Kettle has joined her. Since Gemma and Kettle look so much a like and produce quite similar pups I decided to let one of them go as well. Kettle is guessed at being a Feb 2013 pup.

Understanding Showing as per ARBA

11/14/2013

First of all this applies only to an American Rabbit Breeders Assoc. shows not to Dominion Shows.

To have a class there must be 5 animals in the category shown by at least 3 different exhibitors. A simple way to approach it is – to win a class you must beat 4 other rabbits and 2 other exhibitors in the class. A little wrinkle in it is that gender also comes into it. In other words 3 senior bucks and two junior bucks of the same variety will make a class. 2 senior black does and 3 junior black does will make a class. So you can get a leg for winning a class as described above.

From there we go to the best of variety. Varieties in Polish, in order of judging, are Black, Blue, Broken, Chocolate, Blue Eyed White & Ruby or Red Eyed White. Notice they are judged in alphabetical order. (Blk, Blu, Brok, Choc, White.) And they are judged Senior Buck, Senior Doe, Junior Buck, Junior Doe within the variety. So if there are 3 exhibitors showing any combination of 5 males or 5 females, senior or junior in a variety one can win a leg for Best Of Variety (BOV) So if there is 1 senior blue buck, 2 senior blue does, 1 junior blue buck, 3 junior blue does and they are shown by at least three different exhibitors someone can win BOV. But now also in our above scenario if a buck is BOV one of the does can win Opposite Sex of Variety (BOSV) because there are 5 does in the variety. If a doe wins BOV a buck can not win (BOSV) because there is only 2 blue bucks being shown. If you have 5 bucks and 5 does in each class shown by at least 3 exhibitors someone is guaranteed a leg for a class of bucks, a leg for a class of does, a leg for BOV and a leg for BOSV. If there are any less than 5 animals in a class you have to do the math. If there are less than 3 exhibitors doesn’t matter how many animals you can not get a leg.

Then we go on to the next step which is Best Of Breed. This is the best animal chosen from all the varieties. It is called BOB. Again the 5 and 3 applies but from the judging of the BOV the judge has set aside a BOV and if there is more than two animals in each variety – a BOSV. So in Polish if you had all varieties represented you would have a blk blue, brok, choc, BEW & REW coming on to the table to be judged for BOB. If a doe is chosen as BOB then the judge brings up all the bucks and from them chooses Best Opposite Sex Breed. (BOSB)

There is one more step. The BOB of all the breeds then compete for the best in show. (BIS)

So the Polish, Angoras, Netherlands, New Zealands, etc. all come up against each other for BIS. And the second best animal is chosen as Reserve In Show regardless of sex.

So provided the 5 animals 3 exhibitors condition is met one can get a leg for winning a class, BOV, BOSV, BOB, BOSB, BIS, RIS. If your rabbit wins 3 legs in three different shows under at least 2 different judges one of which legs is a senior you can apply to ARBA for a grand champion certification for that rabbit. However, if your rabbit wins a class, then wins BOV, then wins BOB all in one show under the same judge you can only count 1 leg toward the grand champion certificate. I know it is unfair but that’s the rules.

Here's who I'm bringing to Rockton

Vena, out of Miss Q and Rustic. I really like this young doe, she may grow too big, but overall I think she's a nice young animal.

Miss Q herself. I love this doe. Probably shouldn't. She does have her faults, but she'll also help round out a senior class of does.

This is an older picture of Shaya. Shay is a bit on the narrow side, but she's got a decent head to her. I don't expect her to place high, but it's still fun showing.

Basic is just a young doe, her colour is a bit odd but we'll see how she does bodywise.

I have to admit that I have NO clue how Georgia will do. I have a hard time evaluating her. I think she has a decent head, just not sure on her body type.

Peter (aka Tommy TIt) is coming along just for fun. I have NO clue how he'll do as I don't know how to evaluate Flemmish Giants at all. :)

Sold to Pet Home

11/14/2013

Acorn x Corbin born Sept 20, 2013, pointed orange buck, dark eyes.

This lad is off to a pet home in Stratford to be the companion of two young girls. They lost their pet bunny unexpectedly and this young lad will take it's place.

PinPin x Sarge - November 14 - holland lop

11/14/2013

First time doe, two dead kits. Kinda bummed...

Sold to Pet Home

11/11/2013

Splash x Corbin - Sept 20 - mixed breed

This little girl went off to her pet home today. She'll make a young man a fine pet.

Noah - the white rescue Dove

11/11/2013

A post on Rabbittalk caused me to look up a video on this bird. :)

A neat animal interaction story I thought. :)

Sienna x Cheeko - Nov. 8 - holland lop

11/11/2013

Sienna kindled while I was on holidays. Seven kits. Four DOA, the remaining three died the next day.

Rather a bummer that, but what can you do?

Rabbit Fever Youtube Video

11/11/2013

The HouseRabbit society folks don't seem to likethis video. I found the reviewer a bit dramatic in her review. And thought I'd take some time to offer some counter opinion.

Her comment:One competitor summed his experience up this way: There is only one reason to have a rabbit. To win at a show or to breed a winner.

While I watched the video I saw people loving up on their rabbits, offering them kissy faces, having them out for a hop and teens talking about how they spend hours with their rabbits. Do some competitors have a win only mentality? Sure... but just as many if not more keep rabbits cause they love having them around.

Her Comment: As the film opens we are introduced to the concept of “Rabbit Royalty”: young people that compete in an annual contest to become “kings”, “queens”, “dukes”, duchesses”, lords” & ladies”, in an organization known as ARBA: The American Rabbit Breeding Association. The competition involves testing their knowledge of rabbit breeds, health, anatomy, as well as their goals in furthering their future careers in ARBA, as veterinarians, breeders, teachers, etc.
As we are introduced at length to each competitor in the ARBA competition, the rabbits themselves are treated as secondary items in the background.

So to win a title, you have to prove that you know something about what you are competing for. Hmm.. how is that different than doing a robotics competition, or any other type of competition. You have to know your facts. It's not a popularity contest...it's a know your facts reality. So would rabbits be treated as secondary for this aspect of the competition? OF COURSE THEY WOULD.. rabbits don't talk. This is a human competition so it's the humans and their knowledge that is being tested. :)

She said: It was a reoccurring sight to see these teens walking down rows of rabbit cages “caring for” the rabbits by giving them their once or twice daily food & water.

Having been to many rabbit shows (four per year for the past six years) What happens at rabbit shows is this. Rabbits are housed in cages big enough for them to move around in, while remaining safely confined. They are frequently taken out of their holding areas by their owners and not merely ignored. It is no different than showing any other animal.. cattle remaining in stalls, goats and sheep in holding pens, and so forth. At cooped shows cages are provided that give rabbits lots of running area for a day out.

Comment: except they are kept in wire cages with metal floors, which of course cause sore hocks on delicate soft rabbit feet.

I would ask what the proof is for this? What proof is there that wire caging CAUSES sore hocks? A properly bred rabbit with furred feet does NOT get sore hocks from wire cages. A poorly bred and maintained rabbit can and might get sore hocks from ANY type of housing. I've rescued pet rabbits that get free run on homes with sore hocks. So it's not the housing. :)

Comment: They are picked up, manhandled roughly, examined, (“hoe to toe” judging) and shoved back into their cages dozens of times by dozens of people over the course of the day. For those of us that know rabbits…any single of these elements is unthinkably traumatic, but all together in one or many days is beyond my mind.

Yes, at rabbit shows rabbits are handled. Are they roughly manhandled? No. Are they handled? Yes. They have their teeth, feet, privates, eyes and body, everything is checked. They are flipped over safely and that's the easiest way to safely and carefully check over a rabbit well. A veterinarian should do the same thing if giving a rabbit a thorough check up. :) Generally this happens to the rabbits 1-3 times in a day, the rest of the time the rabbit is either be loved up on, cared for or being allowed to rest as rabbits tend to do during the day anyways.

Comment: He picked up one rabbit by his ears and carried him upside down. I can imagine how terrifying this was for the poor rabbit and honestly it is amazing that he did not break his back doing this to him.

Are their breeders who don't handle their rabbits well? YES. But those breeders, in my experience, are truly few and far between. Most breeders handle their rabbits really well and the judges, should they see poor handling, correct it immediately. As do other breeders. It's better for the rabbit to be handled well, and it will do better on the table if it is as

Her final comment: For me this film was as traumatic as a horror film. It is so disturbing, so alarming and what is worse is this is a segment of the country seen as wholesome and positive for young people.

I found this comment a bit dramatic. THIS film is so horrifying and traumatic. Teens, busy with a hobby where no people or property is hurt or damaged, were animals are being well cared for... is a horror show? I do not now, nor do I ever think I will understand that sentimentality. Caring for rabbits, needing to know as much as you can about them, prepares teens for the larger world outside their homes. As one competitor said.... This has prepared me for employment. Isn't that what we want for our children? To grow up and become functioning members of society? Able to care well for others (including critters) and to be able to present themselves well?

This film focused on the human contest, not the rabbit contest. So the focus will be on the people, not on the rabbits. The teens have to work hard to win this, and they should be applauded without it being seen as a horror show.