I went to an two-day show with my friend Hannah in Virginia at the end of September, while it was still particularly hot and our Silver Foxes still had poor fur because of it. We picked up two rabbits to be shown from a Tennessee breeder on the way and there we met up with some of the best Silver Fox breeders in the country. I did not expect my rabbits to do as well with the competition that I believed would be there because some of the Mid Altantic breeders were also there, but I was pleased in general.
My two senior bucks were in the top five out of six and seven, but GC Carrot Garden's Astro Man was the one who caught the eye of three judges, who placed him in first place and one even awarded him with Best of Opposite Breed. This brings his leg count up to ten.
There were many senior does at this show and the breeders all commented on the higher numbers which ranged from nine to twelve depending on the show, but it was because no one was able to breed due to the heat. Leona was the doe with which I was the most hopeful, so I was bit disappointed when she was ranked eleven of twelve by one judge, but twice she was in the middle of the pack and twice she was in the top five with one show being three of nine.
One of my junior bucks was disqualified and then last in all shows but one were he was five of seven. It just could be an ugly stage, but I made the decision that he will be culled sometime after the following show as it looked as if we needed the numbers for it. Kieran was a favorite at a show a month before taking all first places in his class, so I had higher hopes for him, and he was in the top three for three shows this time. He also had one first of five and was awarded Best of Opposite Breed, for his first leg.
Inola had won a leg in the previous show being first of nine, but then her highest placement was third place in two of the shows in Dublin, VA against nine to thirteen in her class there. I began to have some doubts about her then. However, she really shined in the Carrollton, GA show this past weekend with two first of five, one BOB and one BOS, with a second of five in the remaining show. In fact, I was surprised when the last judge pulled her out as the second one in her class and said "Finally!" and placed her in her 1st place coop before looking at the rest. Now she has three legs as a junior and she will only need one as an intermediate or a senior to be granded. I am particular pleased with this because she may be the first rabbit to be granded from my own breeding so with my own rabbitry name!
I kind of jumped ahead about Inola's wins at the Carrollton show, before describing it: for the Carrollton show, my husband and I went together as the only Silver Fox breeders there, but we had Hannah's rabbits with us also, so we had 17 rabbits all together and we placed a buck and a doe in my husband's name, to have our three breeders for BOB and BOS legs.
At Carrollton in Show A:
Show B:
I am very pleased, but there was not enough interest in a Perry show for a third consecutive weekend in a row, in which I was hoping to enter Inola as an intermediate and pick up a leg so that when she reached senior weight she could be registered and granded.
The next show is a month later also in Perry with our specialty show. There will be a lot more competition, but with where Inola was in her weight, I believe I will have to show her as a senior by then and I was also planning to take GC Zinfandel, who is tough competition, but Zin will be coming back from weaning her five and presently is a bit out of condition.
And since I entered the two rabbits showing the worse under his name, I asked my husband which colors of the two available colors he wanted for his new apron and he picked brown.
One of my junior bucks was disqualified and then last in all shows but one were he was five of seven. It just could be an ugly stage, but I made the decision that he will be culled sometime after the following show as it looked as if we needed the numbers for it. Kieran was a favorite at a show a month before taking all first places in his class, so I had higher hopes for him, and he was in the top three for three shows this time. He also had one first of five and was awarded Best of Opposite Breed, for his first leg.
Inola had won a leg in the previous show being first of nine, but then her highest placement was third place in two of the shows in Dublin, VA against nine to thirteen in her class there. I began to have some doubts about her then. However, she really shined in the Carrollton, GA show this past weekend with two first of five, one BOB and one BOS, with a second of five in the remaining show. In fact, I was surprised when the last judge pulled her out as the second one in her class and said "Finally!" and placed her in her 1st place coop before looking at the rest. Now she has three legs as a junior and she will only need one as an intermediate or a senior to be granded. I am particular pleased with this because she may be the first rabbit to be granded from my own breeding so with my own rabbitry name!
I kind of jumped ahead about Inola's wins at the Carrollton show, before describing it: for the Carrollton show, my husband and I went together as the only Silver Fox breeders there, but we had Hannah's rabbits with us also, so we had 17 rabbits all together and we placed a buck and a doe in my husband's name, to have our three breeders for BOB and BOS legs.
At Carrollton in Show A:
- GC Starry Knight was 1st of 3 senior bucks
- GC Luna was 1st of 4 senior does
- Inola was 1st of 5 junior does for her second leg
Show B:
- GC Starry Knight was 1st of 3 senior bucks and picked for BOB for his 6th leg
- Leona was 1st of 4 senior does and picked for BOS for her first leg
Show C:
- GC Astro Man was 1st of 3 senior bucks
- GC Luna was 1st of 4 senior does
- Keiran was 1st of 3 junior bucks
- Inola was 1st of 5 junior does and picked for BOB for her third leg
I am very pleased, but there was not enough interest in a Perry show for a third consecutive weekend in a row, in which I was hoping to enter Inola as an intermediate and pick up a leg so that when she reached senior weight she could be registered and granded.
The next show is a month later also in Perry with our specialty show. There will be a lot more competition, but with where Inola was in her weight, I believe I will have to show her as a senior by then and I was also planning to take GC Zinfandel, who is tough competition, but Zin will be coming back from weaning her five and presently is a bit out of condition.
And since I entered the two rabbits showing the worse under his name, I asked my husband which colors of the two available colors he wanted for his new apron and he picked brown.
