Since I started this blog to journal my journey in rabbit keeping to benefit others, I have to include the downsides as well as the upsides. So, I wish to confess that for the past several weeks I have been very discouraged about the prospects of showing my rabbits at all for a number of reasons, but yesterday I came to that pivotal moment of making a decision.
A meat rabbit breeder explained to me recently that he does not even bother trying to fit in and avoided the "bullies," referring to rabbit breeders, who had no reservations about demeaning other breeders, particularly meat breeders who are not necessarily working towards the standard of perfection (SOP) for the breed. I knew there would be those types of people, who not only work to improve their breeding lines to meet the SOP, but practically demand that no one else sell a rabbit that is not show quality. My husband calls them the Silver Fox Rabbit Police.
The SF Rabbit Police will say that selling a cull rabbit to a meat breeder should not be done because the meat breeder might breed it and sell more substandard rabbits to other people starting out. I see their point, but having started as a meat breeder, I really could not have cared much less if my rabbits met the SOP or not. I just wanted meaty, large kindles, fast growing, good mothers, and nice fur. In fact, I was quite against the "beauty pageant" mindset with all the competitive "the mine's better than yours" attitudes. However, if top breeders are not selling the one they would have chosen to keep, are they not also selling a substandard rabbit or at least one where they still have an even better one for the show table? The truth is that no breeder sells their top pick from any kindle typically and I would not expect anyone to do that, so how "show quality" is a second or third pick rabbit, really? And, what breeders will promise a rabbit will be show quality anyway, unless it has already been shown and done well!
Opinions wildly vary among rabbit breeders about pedigrees and selling rabbits and tattooing ears. There are no set rules, but there are harsh opinions and judgments, especially if you also do not have those same harsh opinions and judgments. I even have heard of one breeder who will sell a cull as a pet, but withhold a pedigree until she receives proof of it being spayed or neutered and I immediately wondered, "What good would a pedigree be then?"
I was talked into showing by SF breeding friends, because there are so few SF breeders that show in the area and few rabbit shows as well. There needs to a minimum number of breeders and rabbits for the show to earn legs towards grand champion, which basically means for it to be worthwhile to show. I wanted to help my friends with getting shows sanctioned, because it was important to them. Yet, I really had no rabbits worth even trying to show, so I learned about what to look for in the different poses and I now have a pretty good eye for evaluating a rabbit, so I bought a few...some better than others.
Then it happened! I began to get that "beauty pageant" mentality in my rabbitry that I disliked previously. I started seeing NOTHING good with any of my rabbits. I would go out to the rabbitry and instead of seeing my rabbits with their unique personalities, as I had enjoyed them for seven years, I began to see them as who measured up in body type. Every kindle now was a disappointment instead of a delight. I also began to realize I enjoyed them so much more when I was just another meat breeder with substandard rabbits. It was like I was leaning over the fence on my toes in the meat breeding side and yearning for the show side, to the point I could just fall in, but did I really want to do that?
I watched a friend ask for an opinion on a few of her rabbits posed and posted through a Facebook group and...well, a few not so local, who have done well at shows, were truthful, but not particularly gentle or kind. I guess the other thing you have to have is thick skin, but this particular group has members that are mostly locals who are, like me, coming from meat breeding into showing or working towards SOP and trying to learn. They should be encouraged in how to improve their stock, instead of told all the rabbits were bad ones. That is when the discouragement really hit me. Why would I post a picture of any of my rabbits and asked to be spanked for it!
I also started seeing a pattern with seasoned show breeders that I call a "marketing strategy." Pointing out to new breeders what they have is crap and then offer to sell them one of their own rabbits, which would obviously be better. (Shh!...but not quite so good that it would beat out anything they show.) Now I get it and I am not saying what they are doing is an all bad thing. For the most part, I do believe they are not trying to make sales as much as they are just trying to be helpful—at least, I hope so—but it just feels a bit off to me...like getting a spanking and then being offered a melting ice cream cone.
So, I came to this pivotal point, prayed a lot, and I decided to give it up...to God. I decided the Silver Fox Rabbit Police have no authority over me. I am not in it to please them, so the Rabbit Mattrix cannot tell me who I am or how I must be...I will take that red pill, please! If that puts me on the outs, then it just does. I will be in it when it serves my purpose and then I am back out when I have had enough.
Having the best rabbit was not and still is not my main goal. My original goal in regards to showing was to have fun with my friends, delight in their wins, and to help them to succeed, so that is what I am going to do. Will I work toward breeding great rabbits? Absolutely! And if any of my rabbits show well, I pray I will NEVER be condescending to anyone as I have seen other breeders do. I am giving it up to God and just go back to enjoying my rabbits with a wiser perspective on the entire thing. This is my rabbitry.
Then it happened! I began to get that "beauty pageant" mentality in my rabbitry that I disliked previously. I started seeing NOTHING good with any of my rabbits. I would go out to the rabbitry and instead of seeing my rabbits with their unique personalities, as I had enjoyed them for seven years, I began to see them as who measured up in body type. Every kindle now was a disappointment instead of a delight. I also began to realize I enjoyed them so much more when I was just another meat breeder with substandard rabbits. It was like I was leaning over the fence on my toes in the meat breeding side and yearning for the show side, to the point I could just fall in, but did I really want to do that?
I also started seeing a pattern with seasoned show breeders that I call a "marketing strategy." Pointing out to new breeders what they have is crap and then offer to sell them one of their own rabbits, which would obviously be better. (Shh!...but not quite so good that it would beat out anything they show.) Now I get it and I am not saying what they are doing is an all bad thing. For the most part, I do believe they are not trying to make sales as much as they are just trying to be helpful—at least, I hope so—but it just feels a bit off to me...like getting a spanking and then being offered a melting ice cream cone.
So, I came to this pivotal point, prayed a lot, and I decided to give it up...to God. I decided the Silver Fox Rabbit Police have no authority over me. I am not in it to please them, so the Rabbit Mattrix cannot tell me who I am or how I must be...I will take that red pill, please! If that puts me on the outs, then it just does. I will be in it when it serves my purpose and then I am back out when I have had enough.
I now have peace again.
Having the best rabbit was not and still is not my main goal. My original goal in regards to showing was to have fun with my friends, delight in their wins, and to help them to succeed, so that is what I am going to do. Will I work toward breeding great rabbits? Absolutely! And if any of my rabbits show well, I pray I will NEVER be condescending to anyone as I have seen other breeders do. I am giving it up to God and just go back to enjoying my rabbits with a wiser perspective on the entire thing. This is my rabbitry.