After three shows I've come to the conclusion that it really sucks trying to move travel carriers individually! So like many other exhibitors I've finally jumped (LOL) on the platform cart... I think it will help alot with the moving carriers and supplies for us. (It came on Tuesday). So with the next show I too shall have mine on a cart. I've also ordered (it should be here on Wednesday) a digital scale so I can read it and not guess so much as to how much buns weight. I believe it will help when trying to decide who to show or not. Now after my last show I came home to see my precious T-bird's coat really butchered by my oldest son attempting to get out his matts... very sad! Total bald spots (clear down to the skin!) and then not bald spots with an 1 or less of wool left. So I felt the ONLY way to get him even at all is going to be clipper him carefully. So I've ordered my clippers and they should be here late this week OR early next. No amount of trying to even it out myself will help him, it's that bad! Emily had it so much better. She looks like a bunny again instead of a poodle with a very bad haircut.
I've learned that plucking (although it takes more time) gives the best appearance and most even coat and that scissors and I have an agreement~ ONLY use them when very necessary! Mostly I'd have to say that the plucking is very relaxing. But when there are soooooo many bunnies blowing at the same time I'm not quite sure this is very feasible for me to sit for 7+ days in a row at 3+ hours at a clip per bunny patiently "plucking" coats although I do admire the results more.
I've also learned (from the last show) , that blowing bunnies while someone holds them is electrifying...LOL. I thought I fried Scott's blue-tooth headset when he was holding a FA and I blew out the bunny...after I was finished, he walked out from under the metal livestock pen and got zapped...not good! It quit working right away...BUT when we got home he plugged it in and the next day it worked. What a relief... As a result, Scott is now (with limited equipment), building me a blowing & grooming table. He hopes to be able to have it finished in time for the Columbia City IN show, but with the temperatures projected to drop today he's concerned he won't be able to get it sprayed before the final assembly... So it may not be ready until the Portsmouth OH show.
I'd have to say more importantly than any of the above is the importance of having correct ear tag numbers matching on the Judges remark cards! It wasn't until the Columbia City show that I discovered (with the "help" of a judge") the error of my ways...! I was elated to have received a leg for my Sr. Black buck, but unknowingly had listed his ear tag number wrongly at the Lebanon Ohio show that he received it at. Unfortunately it was not caught until the Indiana show and now I don't know IF I can correct it somehow! I'm pretty sure that this is a "lost" leg and needless to say I will be much more careful when entering my pedigrees into my software program!! Anyone know how to make a 6H into a SH??? LOL, darn that it depressing.
Something else I've learned, is that 1 judge may not be as particular about toe nails as another Judge and it's up to me as a breeder to be hard on my Bunnies when it comes to this... I must somehow learn what is the perfect specimen and although I do have that right now my hands haven't "learned" how to tell yet! LOL Hopscotch is perfect in every way according to 2 Judges so far and somehow my hands half to figure out how to "know" the bones. Hopscotch is my chance to Learn...Perfect, so I'm told...but with all things it will take time, comparison and much training and memory.
I hope that I get better at this as I go, for right now it all seems like a "hit or miss" with me.
Blessings be to the Bunny gods!
