wendymac
Well-Known Member
After a year, I think I'm finally on the right track. My eye is finally trustworthy enough to properly evaluate my stock, and I've gained confidence in my bunnies on the table. No more holding my breath, waiting for the judge to rip my buns apart with their comments. LOL I'm feeling very confident in my ability to pick out the cream of the crop when they're a few weeks old, as opposed to waiting and wondering for 5 months. And my stock is slowly but surely showing progress. I do have to get over the "I can't sell her, she was my first GC/Frenchie/you-name-it" mentality. I have a few that should probably head off to new homes but I can't seem to part with them for one reason or another. LOL
I would really like to give a shout out to Pam Nock, Paul Kyle, Eric Stewart, Ron Riddle, Joe Colucci, and probably a few I've unintentionally missed. These judges have gone way above their role as judge, answering all my newbie questions, letting me feel what they meant about "undercut hindquarters", "chopped", etc...things you can hear but have to actually feel to understand. From coat colors, to body type...you name it, and I've asked every one of them. Pam has given my daughter and I both help when evaluating a few we weren't sure about (before the show, during a lunch break, etc).
I've also received advise from other breeders. I've asked Lynn Eden quite a few questions pertaining to Frenchies and to general health, and she's been super!
All in all, we've had a terrific first year of showing, working on a great second year, and most of it is due to the wonderful judges and other members of the rabbit community. If you go to a show, do NOT be afraid to ask questions. If you hear a judge say, "chopped in the hindquarters" and you're not sure what, exactly, that means...ask! More likely than not they'll take a second to clarify or even feel what they're saying.
I would really like to give a shout out to Pam Nock, Paul Kyle, Eric Stewart, Ron Riddle, Joe Colucci, and probably a few I've unintentionally missed. These judges have gone way above their role as judge, answering all my newbie questions, letting me feel what they meant about "undercut hindquarters", "chopped", etc...things you can hear but have to actually feel to understand. From coat colors, to body type...you name it, and I've asked every one of them. Pam has given my daughter and I both help when evaluating a few we weren't sure about (before the show, during a lunch break, etc).
I've also received advise from other breeders. I've asked Lynn Eden quite a few questions pertaining to Frenchies and to general health, and she's been super!
All in all, we've had a terrific first year of showing, working on a great second year, and most of it is due to the wonderful judges and other members of the rabbit community. If you go to a show, do NOT be afraid to ask questions. If you hear a judge say, "chopped in the hindquarters" and you're not sure what, exactly, that means...ask! More likely than not they'll take a second to clarify or even feel what they're saying.
