Ups and downs

Last week,Timothy got a taste of the highs and lows of rabbit showing. It's an amazing hobby, isn't it?

I already reported about the Best in Show win but he went on to win a reserve Grand Champion at our county fair with a junior buck (and not the same buck as the BIS buck). He held back his four best animals from the county fair because we were going to an ARBA-sanctioned show the next day.

We didn't figure the show animals would like a long, full day at the county fair and then get toted home for another road trip and another long, full day at the next show.

But his ARBA show in Henderson turned out to be a bit of a dud. There were two youth exhibitors and, although he got several firsts, didn't get a leg. In fact, the Best of Breed bunny didn't earn a leg.

Showing rabbits means subjective judging and you-never-know disappointments like lack of youth exhibitors. That keeps us guessing when we go to shows - but probably keeps the zing in the hobby, too.

You just never know what's going to happen when you load the rabbits in the car and head out. It could be the rush of a BIS or the dull thud of last place. But it's always a surprise.