Tryon

Looking like a hot model at his first Convention.

Sometimes we get really special bunnies. Typey ones, sweet ones, special colors- it doesn't matter what really attracts us to these bunnies at first, just that once they get our attention, they steal our hearts. I have a few of these, but Keep's Tryon has to be the one that owns me the most.

The much abused and long suffering Tryon in a costume contest.

Tryon was one of my very first homebred woolies. He was a singleton and I ended up breeding his mom to his dad again in hopes of getting more like him. At first I wasn't even going to keep him, because I really was hoping for a black. Yep, I almost sold the most special bunny in the world because of color. Especially since Keep's Burlington (who lives with Joni at Lyle Creek Rabbitry) was beautiful and black!

However, I couldn't do it- I couldn't let either of them go at first. Even after showing them as a junior and as Tryon did decently, but wasn't exactly burning up the tables.

In the back coop at Convention judging.

I took him to Convention. It was my first and I only took 4 animals- a holland doe for sale, Forest, Tryon and a little doe who I don't even really remember. Forest took 4th and I lost it. Tryon took 2nd and I was in shock. My little decent-duckling had finally bloomed.

Best of Breed

From there, Tryon has had a wonderful show career. He even held the position of Top Wooly for a period of time, though ultimately the honor went elsewhere when the points season closed.

When I went to PA for the first time, Tim called to tell me Tryon had gone off food. He had to be snuggled and catered to by Tim to get him back on feed- he missed me and was pouting because he didn't get to go.

Playing hard to get in his cage.

I showed Tryon in PA this year. By the end of the second day, he was REALLY showing his butt. He alternated between refusing to stay in his coop and running around the table, and climbing up the judge to give her love. At one point, I started clicking to him and the guy next to me grinned and asked if I thought that really helped.

He wasn't hearing what I was. Tryon pulled his head back to look at me and clicked back. We talked to each other that way all the way from the table to the carriers. I'd click for a few seconds and he'd click back that same length of time. He's got an incredible personality and we really click. He was even sitting on my hip like a baby with his front legs holding on to me. It's his preferred carry-position, weirdo that he is.

I often think that without Tryon, I really don't know where I'd be. I don't know if I'd still be doing woolies, because he really gave me the confidence I needed in my wooly herd. His babies gave me a strong start and continue to improve my herd. I'm not sure what I'm going to do as he gets older and some day I lose him. I really don't.

He's a for-life-er. He's also the first in what will be a short series of profiles on incredibly special bunnies that have touched my life.

-Kristen
Keep's Rabbitry