JEZUIT'S Rabbitry

Wow!  What a trip for us. 

Our rabbits left us on Tuesday before the convention.  They arrived on Friday to San Diego.  They were in good spirits when we saw them on Saturday.  Sierra and I flew out to Phoenix on Friday the 30th.  We drove to San Diego on Saturday from Phoenix.  What a gorgeous setting.  I absolutely loved the palm trees and moutains.  It was an awesome drive.  Interesting people and other things to see.  The first thing we did was went to check on the bunnies.  They were doing just fine and got our check in packets. 

It was so good to see so many Michigan breeders there including Margaret Potter and Sandy Doyle and Jeremy Watsmuff.  It was nice to talk to all of them for awhile and to talk to Doug King for awhile.  Such wonderful people. 

We love to see the Am. Sable breeders that we chat with all the time, but only get to see them maybe once a year.  Can't wait to see you all again next year!

We then went on to check into our hotel.  THe next day we went onto check on our rabbits and then proceeded onto Sea World.  That was absolutely fun!  There was also trick or treating and other events going on.  Besides getting soaked on the 1st ride we went on it was a good day.  We then went to dinner and then got up the next morning to check on our animals again.  They were still doing just fine and showing was going to start.  We were anxious. 

Found out my sables that took 10th out of 21 and 12 out of 18.  Not too shabby.  I wanted to be in the middle of our class and that is where I was.  Yeah!!!!  Sierra also did well on her Mini rex.  Nice!!  Nice to take a 1st in a chocolate class for the third year in a row!  Yeah....

Congrads to Margaret Potter for taking runner up to the Best of Breed.  What an amazing accompolishment for you!  It's a great feeling.  Love that a Michigan breeder was able to do so well.  

We missed the showing for Sierra, but was able to call our good friend and get an update on them.  Thanks Karen!  Sierra took 2nd and 3rd's in her classes.  She also ended up with Best Fur.  Sierra, Karen, Ali and Brooke and I went on an amazing tour of the San Diego bay.  What an amazing sight to see the Corononado bridge and lots of battle ships.  We then got to see Sea Lions in the bay.  They were beautiful just laying there in the wild.

On Tuesday we had a meeting in the am where Sierra was presented with her National Awards.  Wow!!!  IT was nice to receive recognization for what she has done this year.  The embroidery on the towel she received for Best Fur at COnvention was beautiful.  Nancy also did a fabulous job on her apron.  She can't wait to show it off at the next shows!  On Tuesday afternoon we went to the ocean and had dinner with Keith and Betty Jo again.  We had a great time. 

On Wednesday onto do chores again and went off to the San Diego zoo.  There was a bunch of walking and the panada's were out.  What a wonderful day! 

We loaded up the animals on Thursday am and were on our way back home.

It was a wonderful trip and can't wait for next year in Minneapolis....

The quad show weekend was an adventure for us.  It was nice to see friends again since we had a week off.

Things we're good for us.  Took 1st in a broken class out of 13.  That was a good thing.  Sierra also started showing Am. Boy now and he took 3 legs this weekend.  That will grand him out.  She also finished off Otis, CHico and in Am. Sables- Striker, Kyle. 

Sierra ended up with 4 BOB, 4 BOS with her Mini Rex and 1 BOS with her Mini Rex.  Also ended up with 2 BOSV with her Broken buck, 1 BOV with her chocolate buck, 2 BOSV with her choc doe and 2 BOSV with her Black buck.  Not too shabby!

Can't wait to see those show reports! 

Now on to San Diego!

We are in the middle of our fall season right now.  All I can say is wow.  We have had a wonderful time catching up with rabbit friends and making some new ones.  It has been an adventure. 

Congrads to Lacey on her BOB win in Gaylord.  That was an awesome day for us! 

We finally took our first Best of Breed this year.  Then went on to win Best 4 Class in the 2nd show in Gaylord.

Today we showed in Belleville and did well.  Our black doe received 2 first place wins and one was BOSV.  I believe that she should get 2 legs, but we'll know for sure when the show reports show up.  Did well in broken classes again.  Got promising remarks on all the brokens we took.  Good to hear! 

Just wish our chocolates would have been in better condition today, but that happens.  Last weekend was a good weekend for us. 

Sables did well.  Finally our junior doe is coming around.  She finally took her first BOB.  Nice to see.  She should get a leg for that also. 

Just waiting on show reports now to see how many we can actually finsih off for GC, but should be a few..... 

Now we have the Marshall show nest weekend and then Quad show in Mason Oct 17/18!  What fun....

Wow!  What a week for us. 

We have worked really hard in our rabbitry this last winter/spring and it's starting to show.  The kids took 6 rabbits in 4-H and Sierra and I showed 8 in open class.

Sierra took 2nd in showmanship, Best any other breed 4 class with Striker (our awesome Am. Sable buck), Best Science Exhibit, Best Guinea Pig. and Grand Champion Meat Pen Open Class

Ty took 5th in Showmanship, Best Opposite any other breed 4 class with his Florida White doe.

Penny Took BOB Mini Rex, Best Rex Fur open class (2nd year in a row).  Most classes we took top 1, 2 and 3rd.  Senior doe's we didn't exhibit any and that was the only class we didn't take!

For Sierra's chickens she took 3rd in Showmanship and Best Any Other Breed Bantam for her Ameracauna's lavendar color.  Beautiful bird, just too bad we couldn't keep them!  Oh well.  Next year....

It was an amazing ride this year.  The kids in the club did awesome.  They have worked really, really hard on showmanship and perfecting their breed.  It's been an amazing ride. 

Tomorrow we have auction and then it's just pick up the animals/projects on Sunday am.  Thank goodness.  One more year in the record book.  The club is doing great and can't wait for another year!  Just give me a month off to relax..... 

Till next time....  Waiting for September shows now. 

Boy the summer seems to be dragging.  We haven't been to a show in about a month and I'm so getting the itch.  We have been going thru the litters and deciding whom to keep and whom to part with.  More and more going up for sale each week.  Just watch the list grow.  Some of the convention hopefully's will be hung on to.  Wonderful ones will be kept even longer.  Inquire about something you see, it just might be available in the near future. 

We have also had some exciting news with our Sables.  We have really been working hard with our Sables this last year.  We finally have some nice stock.  Jezuit's Striker (whom I need to post a picture of) was accepted to be the display American Sable on the 2010 ARBA Convention in Minnesota.  We are so thrilled to have this honor.  Can't wait to see the banner.  Look for it at the convention in 2010!!!

See everyone at Coldwater or the Mini Rex Speciality show!  We are excited to have so many to show then. 

We have finished our May spring schedule.  It was tough to get thru it.  Lots of shows in just a short time. 

We were happy with how some of our babies did.  They were just amazing considering how young they were. 
We are very happy with how the Sables did this spring.  We Grand Champion out 2 sables and one Mini Rex just from the May shows.  Not too shabby.

Excited about what the fall will bring us.  We won't be attending any shows in June, but will have two in July including Coldwater night show and Michigan Mini Rex Speciality show.  Look forward to putting some new juniors on the table then also. 

September will also be a big month for us.  It will be when decisions will be made for ARBA convention.  Still trying to figure out how many we are going to take. 

Will be posting some possibilites probably late August. 

We'll that is it for now.  Lots of kits in the box including 6 chocolates!  Yipee!

Things are going good.  

We currently have 30 kits right now.  Mostly Mini Rex (23) and 7 American Sables. 

Most of the kits are black, but we do have some chocolates finally!  We will be doing some rebreeding early May.  Not sure who we will breed at this time.  We would like to keep the three chocolates and possible two of the broken chocolates.  I'm going to look at the blues and then decide how many blacks we want to keep also.  Only so many open cages! 

We are looking forward to the show this weekend.  We are also looking way ahead and are excited about Columbus.  Right now we are taking 3 Mini Rex and 6 American Sables (???) between Ty/Sierra/ and our friend's. 

Looking forward to a fun weekend.  it will probably just Sierra and I making the trip, but that makes it all that more special between the two of us. 

If you are interested in anything please let us know.  We will be moving a few of our brood does out.

It's been an exciting week around here.  Sasha had a litter of 5 on Monday.  Maria had 5 on Wednesday and our Blue Doe kindled 5 on Thursday.  SO that's 15 babies in one week!  We had a litter of 3 broken chocolates that are 2 1/2 weeks old too. 

This weekend Fig is due and Foxy lady.  SO that will increase our totals if everything goes well with them.  Fingers crossed!  No more room inside so they will have to stay out in the barn.  Hush Sound may move outside with her litter this weekend so I can bring Fig in though.  Heat lamps have been off the last few days because it's had been warm enough.

We are ready as we'll ever be for the show tomorrow.  Sierra is showing 3 Mini Rex and 4 American Sables.  Ty is showing 1 Sable and 1 FLorida White.  That will give us enough.  We are only taking 5 on Sunday though.  That is really all we have to show right now.  Sierra is showing 3 and I'm showing 2.  Oh Well!  We will have 5 new ones for Lapeer unless I can sell 2 of these junior bucks and one of the junior does tomorrow.  Fingers crossed.  Need a little feed $ now....

Sierra and Ty showed at the MI State 4-H show in East Lansing, MI on Jan. 31st.  Did quite well.

In Blacks

2nd out of 12 Sr bucks

4 out of 6 Sr Does

1 out of 4 Jr bucks

In Blues

4th out of 7

Chocolate

3 out of 5

Lilac

2nd out of 4

American Sables

BOB- Sr Buck

BOS- Sr Doe

Florida Whites

BOB- Sr Buck

BOS- Sr Doe

Now we can't wait for the Clare 4-H show in the 14th.  They will have showmanship so the kids will be brushing their skills up.  Sierra placed well at this one last year.  We'll see how she does this year with being a year older!

Not doing well with litters right now.  Lost two last week.  No more due until late next week.  I have bred 5 does this week though.  Fingers crossed they all took!

Starting to get really sick of the snow now. Too much! Glad that there is a show next weekend to take my mind off the snow. It will be good to get out of the house. 

We finally have a few litters that were move to the garage to they would survive!  Between being in the garage and heat lamps I think that is what helped them survive.  Hush Sound has 1 broken chocolate buck.  He is such a sweetie.  This will Sierra's new show rabbit for March. 

Maria has a litter of 4 that look great.  Father is American Boy.  They both have 1 leg each.  American Boy is just getting started for showing though.  He took 6th at the ARBA convention this year.  Expecting nice things out of this litter! 

Luna has one baby left.  She will be leaving us in February to a new home.  We will miss what she has produced for us, but Maria is her daughter and now in production.  She is able to move on now.  We wish Kristin luck with her. 

We also have Movie Star due in two weeks.  (Positive palpation).  She is bred to Cadberry.  Expecting nice things out of this litter.  Can't wait. 

We also bred our blue doe, Tootsie and an American Sable last weekend when it was nice.  Can't wait to palpate next week to see where we stand with them.  Fingers crossed they all took.  Needs some nice stock for the spring and also to be able to help fellow 4-H kids out. 

State 4-H show is in two weeks and we can't wait to go.  Not much to show, but Sierra is going to take a couple of Sables and Ty his Florida's.  We also are taking 3 blacks, 2 chocolates and 1 lilac Mini Rex to the show.  Don't expect much out of most of them.  Pretty big show! 

Well that is about all going on right now.  Keep those litters warm!