Saturday we got up early and headed to Taylorsville for the double. We weren't able to get our usual location, so we were crammed into a smaller side building- the wooly table was outside on a porch and it was cold for a good portion of the morning.
Despite that inconveniences- the show must go on! I did very well under judge Jamie Green, which surprised me- I usually don't have excellent placings under him. This isn't a knock on him, we just have a different vision of what our perfect wooly is, I guess. This time however, I did very well! Panda took a BOSG, my little junior self buck Ninja won his class (1/6), while Poplar, my self senior buck took...oh shoot, I don't remember if he took BOG or BOSG and I'm entirely too tired to go find my show sheet! This is why I write down my placements though- less than 6 hours after we left the show and I'm already forgetting placements. Keep's Tribute took a BOG in shadeds and Keep's Romeo surprised me by winning the shaded junior buck class, despite his awful molt and his "uglies" (he's 3 1/2 months old). Ultimately, Keep's Poplar took BOSB in Show A! I was so tickled, though Poplar seems to be my perpetual BOSB bunny.
In Show B, we nearly weren't assigned a table! This meant that at 4pm, we still hadn't been judged- we were crammed far down on the list of show breeds, though we had nearly 60 woolies. We were all tired, luckily the ladies I show with are a bunch of goobers, so as tired as we were, there were plenty of laughs!
In Show B, under Carla Wilson, I also did fairly well! Panda took BOG while Keep's Taurus, a tiny little 10 week old buck beat out Ninja and the other self junior bucks to take his class. I was thrilled, this guy was only along to give him show "practice". Keep's Cairo took the Shaded Sr. Buck class, Keep's Muse took the Shaded Sr. Doe class and they placed BOG and BOSG in that order. In the end, Keep's Cairo took BOB in Show B! You could have knocked me over with a feather- I just happened to grab Cairo out of retirement and enter him because he felt pretty good... I'm glad I did!
Keep's Nim won BOB in Youth Show B for her owner. I love seeing that girl, she loves her bunnies so much.
Overall, it was an excellent day, even if it was very long and very tiring. We didn't get home until after 7:00pm, which is an unusually late time on a show day.
-Kristen
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Ooo- Updated!
I am enjoying having the website here on the blog! In less than a month, my official website will be gone.
I had to edit the For Sale page today- I will have two pet bunnies available once they turn 8 weeks old. I decided that the For Sale page title will simply be changed to include the date whenever I post something new!
I'm just tickled in general at how low maintenance this solution is going to be! Yay!
In other news, I have three does due on Thursday! My fingers are crossed for some babies!
-Kristen
Keep's Rabbitry
I had to edit the For Sale page today- I will have two pet bunnies available once they turn 8 weeks old. I decided that the For Sale page title will simply be changed to include the date whenever I post something new!
I'm just tickled in general at how low maintenance this solution is going to be! Yay!
In other news, I have three does due on Thursday! My fingers are crossed for some babies!
-Kristen
Keep's Rabbitry
Saturday, April 7, 2012
Taking Notes
One fun thing about showing is we do it differently in different parts of the country. Here in NC, we don't use comment cards at the table. In fact, I had never used the cards until I went to PA to show.
I often hang around the table with my scrap piece of paper and my pen, taking down my own placements. I often can't remember from one group to the next how many animals were in each class or where my rabbits placed, so I have to do something! I got in this habit back when I was part of an active rabbit forum- folks always wanted to know how everyone who had shown that day did. I often had to say "Uhm...I don't remember. I won a BOB! I have no idea how many rabbits there were...sorry!" I was teased a bit for being so inattentive.
Several people I show with on a regular basis also take down their placements. One lady actually keeps a very detailed notepad, complete with judge's comments, instead of just placements. I tried doing this a few years ago but couldn't read my own chicken scratch as I frantically tried to write everything down as it was said. I definitely admire her note-taking abilities!
From what I have noticed, comment cards definitely don't replace taking your own notes/placements or just good old fashioned listening to the judge. By the time the poor writer finds the card and gets started, some of the judges are finishing up their remarks. Most of my cards (from the few shows I have attended that have them) just have a few hasty check marks and maybe a "nice" or "lacking" across a particular area of note.
So what about you? Do you write your own comments? Do you just take placings? Do you get comment cards in your area?
-Kristen
Keep's Rabbitry
I often hang around the table with my scrap piece of paper and my pen, taking down my own placements. I often can't remember from one group to the next how many animals were in each class or where my rabbits placed, so I have to do something! I got in this habit back when I was part of an active rabbit forum- folks always wanted to know how everyone who had shown that day did. I often had to say "Uhm...I don't remember. I won a BOB! I have no idea how many rabbits there were...sorry!" I was teased a bit for being so inattentive.
Several people I show with on a regular basis also take down their placements. One lady actually keeps a very detailed notepad, complete with judge's comments, instead of just placements. I tried doing this a few years ago but couldn't read my own chicken scratch as I frantically tried to write everything down as it was said. I definitely admire her note-taking abilities!
From what I have noticed, comment cards definitely don't replace taking your own notes/placements or just good old fashioned listening to the judge. By the time the poor writer finds the card and gets started, some of the judges are finishing up their remarks. Most of my cards (from the few shows I have attended that have them) just have a few hasty check marks and maybe a "nice" or "lacking" across a particular area of note.
So what about you? Do you write your own comments? Do you just take placings? Do you get comment cards in your area?
-Kristen
Keep's Rabbitry
Monday, April 2, 2012
Big Congratulations!
The folks in Indonesia put on their first ARBA rabbit show this past weekend!
Caudill's Country Boy took a double BOB and a single RIS for his new owner! I know Brian is thrilled- how great for a wooly to strut it's fluff and take a RIS so quickly!
Keep's Kat took a BOSB in Show A for her new owner, while Lyle Creek's Kendra took a BOSB in Show B for her new owner!
How exciting! I am doubly shocked and thrilled, Miss Kat is a very molty girl right now, but her beautiful width and depth must have made up for the definite lack of wool.
-Kristen
Keep's Rabbitry
Caudill's Country Boy took a double BOB and a single RIS for his new owner! I know Brian is thrilled- how great for a wooly to strut it's fluff and take a RIS so quickly!
Keep's Kat took a BOSB in Show A for her new owner, while Lyle Creek's Kendra took a BOSB in Show B for her new owner!
How exciting! I am doubly shocked and thrilled, Miss Kat is a very molty girl right now, but her beautiful width and depth must have made up for the definite lack of wool.
-Kristen
Keep's Rabbitry
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Babies!
Keep's Bee surprised me yesterday when she pulled a ton of wool. After a bit of a fuss in which she learned we nest in the nestbox and after I compromised and moved her box to the other side of her cage, I crossed my fingers and hoped that this first timer would get it right.
I ran out to the barn to check on her as I was leaving for work this morning- two beautiful babies, in the nestbox! They were on top of the wool instead of under it, but hey, close enough. I pushed the babies in to the back of the box and gave them a blanket of Mama's wool. A quick look makes me suspect they are both black. It figures. Bee carries shaded and tort, while the father to the litter, Keep's Tribute is a seal. Yet I get black.
Ahhh well, it looks like the selfs are slowly taking over the barn- the only other "babies" I have are a black and a broken black- both bucks. These two little guys are definitely old enough to show, so I guess I shouldn't call them babies anymore. They are young men at this point!
I'm going to rebreed all the girls who missed and I will try to palpate the ones due in April. I always forget to palpate them- it will save me a lot of frustration if I can go on and figure out they aren't pregnant now.
Edit: When I got home from work, Keep's Epiphany had given me four Panda babies! Eeek!
-Kristen
Keep's Rabbitry
I ran out to the barn to check on her as I was leaving for work this morning- two beautiful babies, in the nestbox! They were on top of the wool instead of under it, but hey, close enough. I pushed the babies in to the back of the box and gave them a blanket of Mama's wool. A quick look makes me suspect they are both black. It figures. Bee carries shaded and tort, while the father to the litter, Keep's Tribute is a seal. Yet I get black.
Ahhh well, it looks like the selfs are slowly taking over the barn- the only other "babies" I have are a black and a broken black- both bucks. These two little guys are definitely old enough to show, so I guess I shouldn't call them babies anymore. They are young men at this point!
I'm going to rebreed all the girls who missed and I will try to palpate the ones due in April. I always forget to palpate them- it will save me a lot of frustration if I can go on and figure out they aren't pregnant now.
Edit: When I got home from work, Keep's Epiphany had given me four Panda babies! Eeek!
-Kristen
Keep's Rabbitry
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Changes
I have decided to officially get rid of my website. I will be adding pages to this blog and you will still be able to come here via the www.keepsrabbitry.com link. I will no longer be maintaining a separate website, since maintaining has become exactly the problem!
I am excited to get the blog updated to include the new pages. I will definitely be keeping the "Bucks", "Does", "Sales", "Links" and "Pet FAQ" page. I may add an "About Us" page and perhaps a show results page- I am just not sure about that yet.
These changes will be occurring in the next few weeks, so if you try to come to the blog one day and it tries to redirect you to keepsrabbitry.com, don't be surprised!
-Kristen
Keep's Rabbitry
I am excited to get the blog updated to include the new pages. I will definitely be keeping the "Bucks", "Does", "Sales", "Links" and "Pet FAQ" page. I may add an "About Us" page and perhaps a show results page- I am just not sure about that yet.
These changes will be occurring in the next few weeks, so if you try to come to the blog one day and it tries to redirect you to keepsrabbitry.com, don't be surprised!
-Kristen
Keep's Rabbitry
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Hay time!
I bought the most beautiful bale of hay from TSC yesterday. It's green and absolutely gorgeous...and the smell! Oh the smell...
It was a warm day and we left the hay in the car while we ran in to another store. We came back and jumped in the car and it was filled with this glorious fresh-hay smell...it reminded me very strongly of green tea.
The rabbits are going to go nuts for this stuff! I always celebrate a new bale of hay by giving out a handful to everyone. It doesn't hurt that I usually have a little more than I can conveniently store.
Indiana hasn't had babies for me. I'm not completely counting her out yet, but I am definitely not expecting a litter anymore. The new bale of hay comes just in time to fill up nestboxes for the other girls. Hopefully I have better luck with them!
-Kristen
Keep's Rabbitry
It was a warm day and we left the hay in the car while we ran in to another store. We came back and jumped in the car and it was filled with this glorious fresh-hay smell...it reminded me very strongly of green tea.
The rabbits are going to go nuts for this stuff! I always celebrate a new bale of hay by giving out a handful to everyone. It doesn't hurt that I usually have a little more than I can conveniently store.
Indiana hasn't had babies for me. I'm not completely counting her out yet, but I am definitely not expecting a litter anymore. The new bale of hay comes just in time to fill up nestboxes for the other girls. Hopefully I have better luck with them!
-Kristen
Keep's Rabbitry
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