Our BIS experience

I'm going to tell you guys an embarrassing story. Why? Glutton for teasing, I guess hehe.

We had just recently gotten in to mini lops. As you may know, our trio was all ladies, the newly senior Bertha, the middle-junior Ophelia and the baby Abby, christened Abra Cadabera because of her ability to escape from her cage (this landed her a chunk missing from her ear, and we despaired, not knowing if she'd be showable!).

As we showed, we got a little discouraged. Ophelia we bought more as a brood doe anyway (and she's been a good one!), but Bertha and Abby we expected nice things from. Bertha got 1 leg and was retired to a life of baby raising. She recently returned to the tables and placed middle of her class. Abby, as a junior was never higher than 2nd place (usually in classes of 3-4). Tim got down after time and again we were told "eh, it's an ok bunny. She's just all right". However, I still thought she was adorable and ignored the judges (yeah, that's a big failing of mine lol!).

In our first show with her as a senior (she was all of 6 1/2- 7 months old at the time), imagine our surprise when our ugly duckling won her class! She went on to be named BOV of the solids, and shock of all shocks- won BOB! This was our first real Best of Breed with the minis (Bertha's didn't really count, considering half her competition went overweight).

We floated through the rest of the day, convinced it was our best show EVER!

So, Abby was up for BIS judging. I was off doing some business with a JW breeder, and I had to miss half of the BIS judging. I come running over and hold a whispered conversation with Tim to see what's going on- and he tells me they keep looking at Abby! Which is exciting. So they (the judge and some of the show admin) stand there and the WHOLE time I'm there, they don't look at her once. That bodes well, doesn't it?

Then, the judge starts checking papers, checked her ear number, checked the papers, had a conversation with someone, look back at the ear number, then ask who owned the mini lop. So I run up there and they say her ear number isn't on the judging sheet! WHAT??! She won BOB in Show B. Then, after a few minutes, someone realizes they are looking at the Show A list! Oops!

So we go back and stand, they check the REAL papers- and then announce the holland lop owned by Laurie Stroupe takes BRIS. That surprised me, because I believe that same buck won BIS in Show A. And the judge says "And going with a similar ear carriage, our Mini Lop is going to be BIS". Tim looks excited, I get irritated. WHY? Because I missed the "similar ear carriage" part and am convinced he said Mini Rex. I know people thought I was the biggest butthead, but I was thinking "they looked at her that whole time, we went through all the papers mess and she doesn't even get a mention?". Tim got confused because I wasn't excited and he was...so yeah, finally I turn to the person next to me, who is clapping and looking at me and go "What did he say?"

Hahaha, yep, Mini Lop. We were floored. Absolutely floored. That was her first leg too!

The point? Listen to the judges when they announce wins, otherwise you look weird.

Seriously though, have a little faith in your rabbits. No, not all are going to end up winners, we've got a few that I kept around that didn't turn out as nicely as they hinted they might be as juniors. But still, don't get down and trust your instincts! Sometimes you have to take a risk on a bunny, by holding it a few weeks or months longer than you want. Abby granded out quickly, 3 legs in 2 shows and she's been retired to brood. I've got a very promising pair of does (one for sale- wink wink) out of her, with her bred to Joe! Does BIS + BRIS= BIS? We can hope so! Though I'm not greedy- I'll settle for BRIS too ;).

-Kristen
Keep's Rabbitry