Northern California Angora Guild

Saturday, April 26, 2008

A Happy Charlie With His Bunnies






















Charlie's bunnies are old enough to be weaned. They are cute, happy and healthy.


Charlie showed up in one of the recent shows to pick up his bunnies. We see a very happy Charlie holding two of his bunnies.


Friday, April 25, 2008

Lop National





Vicki O. from So. CA won the Best of Breed French Lop and the overall Lop.








Trina C. won the best English Lop.









The Nor Cal Lop club sponsored their breed national in Monterey on April 19, the day before the all breed shows. There were a lot of breeders driving or flying from distance places to compete.


The winner of the French Lop is Vicki O. of So. CA and the winner of the English Lop is Trina C. French Lop is the overall winner of the Lop National Show. Congratulations to Vicki and Trina.


Thursday, April 24, 2008

Kevin, A New Rising Star


























Cow Palace seems to be a perfect venue to launch the career of new judges. Last year, Keelyn judged her first show at Cow Palace. She has become one of the best and popular judges in our show circuit.

This year, another new judge started his rabbit judge career at Cow Palace. Kevin of AZ is young, energetic and excellent in his first outing as an all breed judge.

There are four all breed shows and two Angora specialty shows during the weekend; Kevin judged almost all the breeds in the show room. He did a great job. He has a natural ability in picking the good rabbits and has the rapport with exhibitors.

Good Job, Kevin. We would love to see you regularly in the CA show circuit. It is hoped that you would be willing to do some regular traveling to CA on weekends.



Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Squirrels March On






Where am I?









I am on this lawn again?






What kind of paparazzi are you? I am not Britney Spears! Go Away!




My baby! My home! How do I get back in?









My baby! Give me back my baby!










I got caught again? I am going to bite. Let me down!










Betty says,


"The squirrel saga continues. After the baby squirrel was returned to its mama in early April, we thought that's the end of the mama and baby squirrels. See http://ncag.blogspot.com/2008/04/i-want-my-mama.html

On April 12 when I was in Cow Palace, Albert called to say the he caught the baby again in our fireplace and placed it on the lawn. I said, fast, go out and take some pictures.

Albert got closer and closer to the baby squirrel, it got really mad and jumped on the camera!

The top three pictures were taken on April 12.

During the following week, we heard the familiar squeak in our fireplace again. Once I even saw it hanging on the wire mesh behind the glass door. It's almost like watching a squirrel aquarium in our family room.

On April 19, Albert went on top of the roof and tied a rope to a flashlight to put it down into the chimney. The mama squirrel rushed out of the chimney. Albert got the flashlight up and down, down and up, trying to see whether there were any other squirrels in the chimney. Nothing else came out. He went back down and started a fire in the fireplace to smoke out any more squirrels, if there's any. After 40 minutes, we both decided there could not be any more squirrels, so Albert made a wire cover to put on top of the chimney to prevent any more squirrels making a home there.

The next day I went to Monterey for the CRCS shows. Albert saw mama squirrel working very hard trying to get back into the chimney. Just before I arrived home, the baby squirrel was in the fireplace again!

How did the baby squirrel survive the fire and smoke, I don't know. It's in perfect shape and very feisty. He bit Albert really hard on his finger; luckily it did not go through the heavy glove. It left a red mark on Albert's finger, however.

The bottom three pictures were taken on April 20.

Now the chimney is covered with a wire cap, baby has been reunited with mama. I am hoping that this is the end of the squirrel story."

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Youth Best In Show in Monterey






























Keelyn did it again! Her Florida White took youth Best In Show and her Mini Rex won Reserve In Show in show A in Monterey. Top photo is Keelyn with her two winner rabbits and judge Brad. Brad is the ARBA executive director; it's an honor for us to have him judging our rabbits.


In Show B, a different Mini Rex owned by Courtney W. won Best In Show, shown in the second picture. Keelyn's Florida White took Reserve.


The third photo shows Brad examining the rabbits when deciding the Best In Show.



Monday, April 21, 2008

Avonah Wins All Breed Reserve In Show

























In the California Rabbit and Cavy Show B, Avonah took the all breed Reserve In Show.

Best In Show is Chris Z.'s beautiful Holland Lop.

Judge is Paul W. from New York. Paul was the ARBA district director and the president of the New York State organization. He was invited to judge the Lop National the day prior to the all breed shows.

Sunday, April 20, 2008

Erin's German Angora

























Northern California Angora Guild has many members who do not show. Erin is one of them. She raises German Angora, a breed of Angora that is not a part of ARBA. Instead the German Angora breeders have their own organization IAGARB.

Erin reports,

"On March 31, 2008, Bungalow Farms Furrari was tested and registered by an IAGARB judge. To be registered, a rabbit must meet the IAGARB standard of perfection and have a minimum wool weight of 325 grams on a 90 day coat (or 1300 grams annually). The exciting news is that Furrari tested with a wool weight of 513 grams or 2052 grams annually. This makes her the first German Angora in North America to break the 2000 gram mark. She was 11 months old when tested. I have attached a photo of her, 17 days after her shearing on March 31st. Sorry, didn't get a photo of her before she was shorn."

The top photo is Furrari without her coat. The second photo is Secret Weapon in her full coat. The third photo is the mill spun yarns that were done by the IAGARB coop and dyed by Erin.