Ok, so everyone is aware of the great drama that is breeding and showing champion dogs, right? Well let me tell you about the opposite unhingedness that is breeding show rabbits.
I am in a chat with several other Satin Angora breeders in my state. Two of them are genetic experts who can look at a rabbitβs pedigree and predict what colors the kits would be between any pairing. So any new rabbit acquired has several matchmaking humans setting up dates for them.
One of them is very good at predicting which rabbits will win in each show, bc she was a judge. Crucially, the Satin Angora is a relatively rare breed, itβs very unusual that there are four of us within driving distance. (This is the US, so thatβs like, 100 miles.) So weβre pretty likely to be the only breeders with Satins at nearby shows. The championship requirements are dizzying, so the former judge will tell us who needs to be at which shows with which of our rabbits in order for certain rabbits to get to βchampionβ status.
Itβll go like this: βOkay, if we all four show up with this list of rabbits, these are the rabbits that will win these classes. But if [person] will keep [rabbit] out of this other class, that means [other rabbit] will win.β And we LEAVE THE ESTABLISHED CHAMPIONS AT HOME so new rabbits have a chance at championship!
Itβs the most wonderful collaboration effort to carefully tread the rules of the ARBA and set each other up for success. And if another breeder shows up with Satins and sweeps, thatβs great! Congratulations! No huffy mess. We all lost to a truly magnificent doe and the show became the Lizzy Fan Club event. (Sheβs below.)
Itβs the best.



















