Funck's Zinfandel is the best the rabbit I have had the pleasure to own so far. She has so much of what a Silver Fox should have and she proves it at every show. This past weekend at the Music City RBA double show in Murfreesboro, TN. She won BOB in both shows earning her 8th and 9th legs! She was registered at that show also as she was over the minimum weight limit, so I will be looking forward to receiving her Grand Champion certificate soon.
I still cannot believe Margaret Funck was so kind in offering her to me. Margaret is also the model of what I want to be as Silver Fox breeder. Not only does she have great rabbits, but she is just a special, kind, and humble woman. May God continue to bless her!
As excited as I am about Zin, I was also happily surprised by Renaissance Rabbitry's Leona who was given to me by my friend, Hannah Yost. Leona is the offspring of my Leon and her Maggie. Unfortunately, Maggie succumbed to the heat of this very hot and humid summer recently, but her daughter is quite fine and handling the heat well. Leona was 2nd place of the senior does only to Zin in both shows.
Having the two top senior does of seven was very exciting, however Carrot Garden's Astro Man also won his 7th leg with a BOS in the second show. He was 7.5 ounces over the maximum weight limit over a week before, but I restricted his diet to get him in range. He tends to look a bit narrow for his length and those extra ounces do fill him out a bit more, but even without them he still pleases judges.
Keiran also was a sweet surprise. He won 1st of 4 junior bucks in both shows and the judges' comments were highly promising. He is a homebred junior and perhaps my first with real potential, although he is small for his age presently and silvering is on the heavy side. He is the offspring of Leon and Avery. I am hoping he will grow to senior weight and become one of my breeders. Leon, although he was still fertile in the spring, is not a very young guy these days and his son with Avery's lines would be a nice replacement.
Of the nine junior does, Inola took 1st place in the second show earning her first leg. Inola, meaning "black fox" in Cherokee, is out of Leon and Misty Blue Too. Although she is known to nip clothing when being carried, she is quite sweet and the second generation from my very first Silver Fox doe, Misty Blue.
With the exciting wins come also the disappointments. Ravyn, daughter of Leon and Twilight, did not do as well as I had hoped. One judge even said that her peak was back too far, which surprised me. Of all the rabbits I have, she is the only one with whom I believed the peak is exactly where it should be. She may have other features not all that good, but I did not think that would be one of them.
Tamesis, brother to Inola, did not impress the judges but was at least in the middle, and Nyx, sister to Keiran, was the first off the table in both shows, but both her ears were very droopy from the heat and I am giving that a bit of time to see if it improves with cooler weather.
However, I am very happy to have two homebreds with potential as last year I did not have any. It is a more hopeful beginning.
As excited as I am about Zin, I was also happily surprised by Renaissance Rabbitry's Leona who was given to me by my friend, Hannah Yost. Leona is the offspring of my Leon and her Maggie. Unfortunately, Maggie succumbed to the heat of this very hot and humid summer recently, but her daughter is quite fine and handling the heat well. Leona was 2nd place of the senior does only to Zin in both shows.
Having the two top senior does of seven was very exciting, however Carrot Garden's Astro Man also won his 7th leg with a BOS in the second show. He was 7.5 ounces over the maximum weight limit over a week before, but I restricted his diet to get him in range. He tends to look a bit narrow for his length and those extra ounces do fill him out a bit more, but even without them he still pleases judges.
Keiran also was a sweet surprise. He won 1st of 4 junior bucks in both shows and the judges' comments were highly promising. He is a homebred junior and perhaps my first with real potential, although he is small for his age presently and silvering is on the heavy side. He is the offspring of Leon and Avery. I am hoping he will grow to senior weight and become one of my breeders. Leon, although he was still fertile in the spring, is not a very young guy these days and his son with Avery's lines would be a nice replacement.
Of the nine junior does, Inola took 1st place in the second show earning her first leg. Inola, meaning "black fox" in Cherokee, is out of Leon and Misty Blue Too. Although she is known to nip clothing when being carried, she is quite sweet and the second generation from my very first Silver Fox doe, Misty Blue.
With the exciting wins come also the disappointments. Ravyn, daughter of Leon and Twilight, did not do as well as I had hoped. One judge even said that her peak was back too far, which surprised me. Of all the rabbits I have, she is the only one with whom I believed the peak is exactly where it should be. She may have other features not all that good, but I did not think that would be one of them.
Tamesis, brother to Inola, did not impress the judges but was at least in the middle, and Nyx, sister to Keiran, was the first off the table in both shows, but both her ears were very droopy from the heat and I am giving that a bit of time to see if it improves with cooler weather.
However, I am very happy to have two homebreds with potential as last year I did not have any. It is a more hopeful beginning.