Just wanted to post some photos and results from our show this weekend in Perry, GA at the GA State Fair. I would like to start out by saying how thankful I am to be working with a great group of breeders from Georgia. It makes me very happy to see such fantastic people working together to make things happen and improve the Silver Fox breed. I encourage anyone who has ANY interest in the breed at all to join our Facebook group, the GASFRB, and come to a show!
It was an EXHAUSTING show day on Saturday, and I am eternally grateful for my friends Linda & Alan from Tale of Tails for taking the time to pick me and my rabbits up and drive us all the way to the show & back. I was up at 03:30 on Saturday morning, with Linda & her husband up at 02:00 to make it to my place in time. We picked up our friend Stephanie’s rabbits (of Hare & Feather), and arrived at the show around 07:00.
The show started around 09:00, with Silver Fox being second to show in Show A, and third to show in Show B. Both shows were sanctioned, meaning that the breeders showing Silver Fox could receive points through the NSFRC. In order for rabbits to qualify for legs (towards a Grand Champion title), there had to be 10 rabbits entered (5 black bucks, 5 black does) between 3 different breeders. In order for the show to receive automatic sanction next year, at least 15 animals had to be shown from that breed. In total we had 15 rabbits with us, Linda brought 6, I had 5, and Stephanie had 4, so we made the numbers.
I took with me Dallan, Yoda, Maggie, Sookie, and DF02 (Dallan x Faith). I was very pleased with how my rabbits did on the table. I will update this post with official results once we have them.
From what I remember, in Show A, we had 4 senior black bucks, 3 senior black does, 2 intermediate does, 1 intermediate buck, and 1 junior buck (blacks); then 1 senior blue buck, 1 senior blue doe, and 2 junior blue does. Show A Best of Breed (BOB) went to Linda’s Astro Man, and Best Opposite Sex of Breed (BOSB/BOS) to Stephanie’s intermediate doe. Dallan was Best of Variety (BOV) and his daughter DF02 was Best Opposite Sex of Variety (BOSV). DF02 received comments about having a “killer type” and that she could have won the class had she been a black (blue is only a certificate of development [COD] and therefore can be shown but can’t win any legs towards GC). In the individual classes, placings (I believe) were as follows: [Blacks] Senior Bucks: 1st Astro Man, 2nd Leon, 3rd Yoda, 4th Monty; Senior Does: 1st Luna, 2nd Maggie, 3rd Sookie; Int Bucks: 1st Stephanie’s Buck; Int. Does: 1st Stephanie’s Doe, 2nd Linda’s Doe; Jr. Bucks: 1st Stephanie’s Buck. [Blues] Senior Bucks: 1st Dallan; Senior Does: 1st Misty Blue Too; Jr. Does: 1st DF02, 2nd Linda’s Doe.
As a quick overview, in order to be in the running for BOB, the rabbit has to win 1st place in it’s age class. Then all the 1st place rabbits are judged against one another, the best rabbit out of all of those is chosen as BOB, then a rabbit of the opposite sex is chosen as BOS.
Again, from my memory in Show B, we had the same numbers, however Yoda was DQ’d because he came in under weight (they didn’t weigh the rabbits in the first show). Show B BOB went again to Astro Man, with BOSB to my Maggie (from Platinum Moose in MN), with BOV going to DF02 and BOSV to Dallan. DF02 again received some great comments, she’s the best thing to come out of my rabbitry thus far and I am very proud of her. She is entered to show in ARBA convention in Massachusetts on 10/27, and from there heads to her new owner in Ohio. I have already requested a kit out of her when she is bred. Individual class results (from memory): [Blacks] Sr Bucks: 1st Astro Man; 2nd Monty, 3rd Leon, DQ Yoda; Sr Does: 1st Maggie, 2nd Luna, 3rd Sookie; Int Bucks: 1st Stephanie’s Buck; Int Does: 1st Stephanie’s Doe, 2nd Linda’s Doe; Jr. Bucks: 1st Stephanie’s Buck. [Blues] Senior Bucks: 1st Dallan; Senior Does: 1st Misty Blue Too; Jr. Does: 1st DF02, 2nd Linda’s Doe.
All in all, it was a great day. Came home with a ribbon (and we should have gotten some cash but we forgot to pick up our winnings), and I am so pleased with the comments DF02 received. It makes me feel like I am moving forward on the right track with my breeding program. I will be repeating the breeding of Dallan x Faith this fall to try and get a full sibling who is as comparable in quality.
Again, I am so proud of these other breeders I am afforded the opportunity to work along side. It gives me real hope for the breed. Hopefully we can improve our southern SF lines enough to become truly competitive on the national stage against breeders like Sherielu Singer and Margaret Funck. 🙂
That was a fun day!