NEWS ARCHIVES Stories from issues past...

From 2011  Braggers’ Corner Wow!  Do we have some stuff to share?   Michael Barclay (the younger) took home the Grand Championship at Wilson County with his Californian Senior Buck.  Some rabbit!  Michael also placed 2nd in showmanship at the senior level and his 6-8 Californian doe was Best Opposite.   John Barclay received third place 6-8 doe at Wilson County.    Christopher Barclay placed 2nd in Intermediate Showmanship while both his 6-8 doe and buck Californian place second in their respective classes. Way to go Barclay boys!!!   Carolyn Barclay (of the other Barclay clan) claimed her first Best in Show trophy at Duncan in November 2010 (see pic).  Her little super star 'Cinderfella' Odie the black otter Netherland Dwarf was named best bun in the B show.  That little guy has gained 8 legs this season, too.  Her quote of the day?  "Did he just say, Netherland Dwarf?"  She says it's a surreal moment that every rabbit raiser should experience at least once...your breed called when you have a rabbit up for BIS.  Hooray!   Beth and Mark Manglberger took first runner up for BIS at the 2010 TRBA Benefit Show B with their New Zealand.  Way to go!   In review of the Texas RBA Sweeps Standings published March 2011...Jennie Flynn is first in Dwarf Hotots; Carolyn Barclay first in American Fuzzy Lops, fourth for Holland Lops, and fifth for Netherland Dwarfs; Betty and Cheryl Valadez second in Mini Lops; Ricardo Gonzalez second in Satin Angoras; Maurice Etter fifth in Florida Whites.   In recent show news... SARBA Fall 2010:  American Fuzzy Lop BOB Show A & B, Carolyn Barclay, BOS Show A & B, Gina Burgess.  French Angora BOB Show A & B, Ricardo Gonzalez.  Holland Lop BOB Show A, Michelle Curry.  New Zealand BOS Show A & B, BOB Show A, Beth and Mark Manglberger.  Mini Lop BOS Show B, Betty and Cheryl Valadez. TRBA Friday Benefit 2010:  American Fuzzy Lop BOB, Gina Burgess.  American Fuzzy Lop BOS, Carolyn Barclay.  Netherland Dwarf BOS, Carolyn Barclay.  TRBA Saturday Benefit 2010: American Fuzzy Lop BOB Show A & B, Carolyn Barclay.  American Fuzzy Lop Show A & B, Gina Burgess.  New Zealand BOB Show A & B and first runner up BIS, Beth and Mark Manglberger.  Got brags?  We want to know how your buns are doing on the show circuit!

2011     Funny Bones...A Lesson in the Heart of a Rabbit Breeder by Carolyn Barclay      Sometimes rabbits we breed for show don’t quite turn out like they should genetically.  I'm not talking about pet bunnies, but handicapped ones.  Most breeders humanely eliminate such rabbits, but the rabbit I’m about to tell you about just wasn’t a candidate for such culling.  He had a will to live that was unmistakable—I couldn’t take that away from him.      Funny Bones was a Max Factor Netherland Dwarf black otter.  His little leg was seemingly on backward and his eyes bugged a bit due to hydrocephaly.  Truly, he looked like one of the Muppet Babies--cute as a little monster!  Not the worst case Max Factor I’ve seen by far; he was viable and didn’t seem to notice that he was different from his brothers and sisters.  He got around on that silly foot just fine by hopping on its side and while he needed his mama a little longer than his siblings, he weaned at ten weeks successfully.  Mom even knew he was special and let him nurse that long and snuggle her for warmth without getting annoyed.      I had been contacted by a little girl’s mother about a pet placement.  I invited the family over to check out what I had and pick out a bunny.  The little girl had been saving her money and had bought a home for her bunny and all the accessories for it.  She was excited and ready to find someone to love.  She learned about the different breeds I have and picked a Holland Lop after meeting all the babies in the rabbitry.       Her older brother was along for the trip, but was not engaged in the activity at all.  He played his Game Boy in the rabbitry almost without looking up.  He occasionally looked at a rabbit, but went back to the machine.  Later, as I was gathering up the starter feed for the new baby and trimming his nails the little boy quietly approached me.  “How much do you want for the little messed up bunny?  I want to save my money and buy him and a cage, too.”  I replied somewhat in shock and fighting back tears, “The little black one?  Well, I’m not quite sure he’s even going to make it yet, but if you want him and can prepare a home for him he would be free.”  We talked a while about the bunny’s problems and how unsure I was about his future.  At that point the little monster baby wasn’t even weaned yet and was a little small.  This little boy was so in love with him and was old enough to understand that he might not be a long-term pet.  Still, he wanted him...really wanted him.      I kept in touch as I promised and soon the bunny was weaned and able to fend for himself in the nursery of kits.  I found my maternal instincts tugging and I was afraid to let him go.  Then I thought, “There may not be much time.  I need to let this boy love this rabbit as long as he can.”  I called his mom and told her he was ready.  I warned again about the questions I had about his viability over time.  She understood and so did her son.       What a reunion.  The two absolutely adored each other from the start and picked right up where they left off.  He was so proud of his new friend and, like the rabbit himself, didn’t seem to care that the bunny was a little different.  A few days later I connected with Mom to see how things were going.  She was pleased to tell me, “Great!  He named him Funny Bones.”  The perfect name for a silly little misfit with one of his legs screwed on backwards.       As I predicted, Funny Bones didn’t hang around as long as we hoped.  I guess the hydrocephaly finally took him a few months later.  They told me he went silently in his sleep—a blessing to both Funny Bones and his boy.       That encounter taught me something as a rabbit raiser, though.  While I try to chill my heart and “cull hard” for the good of my lines and to the betterment of all rabbits, sometimes you have to go with mother’s instinct.  Funny Bones told me, “Let me live and I’ll show you what I can do.”  He did show me a thing or two.  So did a thoughtful, adorable pre-teen boy.  I found that I not only get joy out of breeding for perfection, there is also joy in the not so perfect that invariably happens.  I meet the neatest humans in this rabbit adventure, too.  People who adore furry little creatures can’t be bad, right?

From 2011  SARBA Represented at Local Events President, Raenelle Harris, spearheaded the effort to host a booth at the Asian Festival on February 5 at the Institute of Texas Culture in San Antonio.  She even made an appearance on San Antonio Living with Shelly Miles to promote the event.  Rabbits were displayed by several members for the public to learn about and pet.  The event was said to be swamped all day with interested people. The O'Briens hosted a rabbit display at the San Antonio Rodeo this year, too.  Pamphlets on rabbit raising were distributed and education on rabbit projects given.  Way to go SARBA members.  You are great ambassadors!