Monday, May 28, 2012

My First Show!

WOW.


Yesterday was one of the best days of my entire hotot adventure!  I was really nervous for my first show.  I got up at 5:30 and got everything packed up.  Then at 7AM I loaded up the Mickey & Regina and Dad and I headed to the We Be Rabbit Show in Hutchinson, MN. 




I was so nervous!  We got there around 7:30 and I couldn't believe all the bunnies. There was tons of them. 




I managed to get registered and then found Debbie McLaughlin and her and a friend tattooed Regina and Mickey (thanks!!!).  Then we sat.... and sat..... and sat.   I didn't realize how much sitting you do in a rabbit show!  Finally, something about Dwarf Hotot was muttered over the loud speaker and everyone in our little DH unit started buzzing. I panicked, grabbed my two carriers, and chased everyone else over to the hotot table.  LOL  I think I was a little worked up at first. =)  heehee

In the first show the judge was Tonna Thomas.  And I should mention - before the first show came, we discovered that one of Regina's toe nails was missing.  She must have been hopping around in her cage and jerked it out.  :(  So she was DQ'd because of that, but I still put her on the table so I could get comments from the judge.

Senior Bucks were up first. That was Mickey.  There was 10 other bucks in his class, and my heart was pounding, I'm telling you! 

Do I look nervous??? Well, either way, I AM.

Tonna judging Mickey




I watched as Mickey kept getting moved closer to the head of the table.  I was wondering "does that  have anything to do with where they are placed??"  Then they started getting placed.  I couldn't believe it when the judge said that first place went to HH001.  WOW.


If it wasn't for the fact that we were inside a building, I would have screamed! I was so excited, and so proud of my little Mickey. My first homebred, my first baby I fell totally in love with,..... my first winner.




Tonna Thomas also looked at Regina, even though she got DQ'd on her toe nail, she still gave comments which was nice.  When she saw the toe nail she said "bummer! ..... this doe would have taken first place."  So that was encouraging!  I will have Regina's babies on the table next time - I'm going to breed her to Mickey tomorrow.


So, after the Sr. Does, Jr. Bucks, and Jr. Does were judged, the best from each class (4 bunnies) were lined up and the Best Of Breed was chosen. 





You could have knocked me over with a feather.






So, to make a long story short...... I stayed for the last two shows of the day, and under judge


                                                     Alissa Kruger,

                                            and judge Don Havlicek,



Mickey got BOB in both of them!!!  I was just hopping around at the end, I couldn't believe it!!!!!  He now has three legs and is a Grand Champion.  I am SO PROUD of my baby!






Thank you so much to you all who supported me in this big venture. LOL  And a special thanks to my very patient Dad who spent 12 hours in "Bunny Hell", as he described it.
You're the best.

:)



...and yes, it was Bunny HEAVEN for me.  I had the best time of my life... I'm HOOKED.








Thanks also to Tonna Thomas for giving me some lessons on DH type!  She was able to spend a little time giving me some examples with Mickey, and I learned some helpful new tips.  Thanks!



Thanks also to Debbie McLaughlin and the rest of the DH crew for all your help and guidance to this newbie at the show.  I really appreciated it!  :)

And thanks to Lindsey of 4Kings Rabbitry who helped me out a BUNCH with lots of great advice before my first show. Thank you!!!! 

ALSO.... a HUGE CONGRATS to Julia of Hoppin' Fun Rabbitry on her win with Hoppin' Hotots Onyx!  (Also one of Regina's litter mates).  Onyx took FIRST PLACE in all three shows! Nice job Julia and Onyx!






A few other pics from the show....

(there were SO MANY different kinds of rabbits there!!!)




Some hotots...




Junior Bucks getting judged.....




So... thus ends my big mega-post.  My first show went so well, I had a blast.  I'm hoping there will be many more.....  ;-)  (Oh Dad, what did you get yourself into???)   =)

I have 9 babies and more litters coming up right now, so I'll have to post about them soon, too!


Thanks again everyone!!!  :-)

Friday, May 25, 2012

Anticipation

Well, I'm scared, excited, nervous, happy, apprehensive, and ..... worried, all in one big package.

Tomorrow morning is My. First.  Show.


YIKES!


I have never been to a rabbit show, (and have only been raising rabbits one year) or really any kind of show before, so this is all completely new and I really have NO idea what to expect.  Lindsey from 4Kings Rabbitry has given me some great advice (thanks a bunch!) so I'll be packing up and getting everything read tonight as I would like to leave at 7am in the morning. 

I'll be bringing just two buns along, Mickey....




.....and Regina.



I hope they do well.  But I'm more going to this just to get a feel for what shows are like.... I know there is a lot of people going to be there that have been raising hotots WAY longer than me, so I'm not expecting any big wins or anything...  I'm just going to enjoy the day and learn, learn, learn. 


So, I'm excited!  ....and nervous.

So all you folks who show out there, do you have any advice for me??? Anything and everything, I'm clueless!  =)


Thursday, May 24, 2012

Pics from Around the Rabbitry...

I won't be posting much the next couple days - my best friend is sleeping over for a couple days so we are busy having fun together. :)  Sleeping in our camper and watching Jane Auesten movies, talking until midnight, and today.... fishing in the pouring rain.  =)  It's our 16th (early) birthday gift. :)  So anyhow, here's just a few pics from around the rabbitry today.  Enjoy! :)
Vinson:


One of CC's babies:



Haylie's babies. They are doing absolutely AMAZING!!!! I'm so happy. :)  All five are fat and happy!!  Yaaaay!






Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Regina Is Nesting! .... only one problem: She's Not Pregnant.

So I got a good laugh out of my silly doe Regina the other day. 'Gina is just going on 5 months old and will be going to her first show next weekend.  Apparently she wants to be a momma and not a show doe, though.  She was going all over in her cage collecting hay and stuffing it in her mouth... just like the nesting does do!  Only, of course, she's not pregnant. 

Just a small problem, dear.  LOL  Silly doe.


Monday, May 21, 2012

Which Photo Do You Like The Most?

So as you can see I'm trying to give my website a little face lift so I've been taking some new photos.  Which of these do you like the most???






What do you think???


Also, I've really been needing a new profile picture....
(this is with Mickey. Isn't he adorable???)



And some of the other ones of Mickey and I.....






Silly Babies

CC's babies are so cute.  They are at the age now where they are jumping out of the nest box, so I'll be tipping it over shortly.  This morning they jumped out and were both sitting in the hay feeder.  LOL!


(Don't you love the banded baby's eyes??? So gorgeous!)




Saturday, May 19, 2012

NEW: Get on my waiting/for-sale Email List Page

You can now get on my mailing list to be notified when I have bunnies for sale.  Click on the "Get On My For-Sale Email List" page for details.  I also have a page for info on getting on my waiting list for bunnies. 

Under Construction =)

You've probably noticed I'm giving my website here a "face lift".  Sorry if things aren't all together yet, I'm still workin' on it. :)

2 week old Bunny and 2 week old Kitten

Aren't they just precious???