Betty Meets the Michaud's at the ARBA Convention in MA

The fun thing of going to the convention is to renew friendship with old friends and to meet new friends.   In the main showroom, I ran into the Michaud's of KS, we met in the mid 1980s in a show at Reno.     Yvonne in the middle had tried her hands in English Angora, and her son Caleb (not at the convention) also raised English Angora in the 1980s as a youth and in the 1990s in the open.   Sarah behind Yvonne is an ARBA judge and Gary is an ARBA judge and the president of ARBA during 1994-1996.  Gary and Sarah had both judged in California in the past, and Caleb went to Stanford and received his Ph D degree there.   It's so wonderful to be able to renew our friendship and update what's going on in our lives.   

Old Timers Louise and Betty at the ARBA Convention in MA

Old friends meet again and having a good time, Louise Walsh and Betty were both in the 1987 and 1988 conventions.

The 1988 ARBA convention at Madison, WI was a memorable one.  Louise successfully got Giant Angora accepted, Betty's English Angora won the first convention Best of Breed that lead to many more convention Best of Breed afterwards.

Bob Whitman's book is the definitive history book of rabbits, Louise and Betty share something in common in this book. 

On page 60, there is a photo of Betty with Chu's Sweet Sixteen, the first ever wool breed to win a convention Best In Show.

In addition there are information about the English Angora.

Louise's photo and Giant Angora information are featured on page 65.  

Betty and Louise are the only two US Angora breeders featured in the history book.

Dwarf Papillon Passes the First Showing at the ARBA Convention in MA

Lines 5, 6 and 7 show Dwarf Papillon has passed the first showing of all three varieties presented.   This has been the most talked about breed before the convention.

Maddie Pratt is the COD leader with team members Randy Shumaker and Louis Potter.

Randy and company imported this breed from Europe a few years ago, both Randy and Allen flew to Europe several times to acquire the best stock available then they breed and cull.  Last year, the exhibit at WCC was a huge hit, see:

https://ncag.blogspot.com/2017/05/dwarf-papillon-on-display-at-wcc.html

Maddie lead the COD drive and went through the process of presenting three varieties.    ARBA Standard of Perfection committee deliver the good new to Maddie that all three varieties passed the first showing.

Allen interview Maddie and Louis at the convention.

Kate is the videographer.

To watch the interview and learn about the Dwarf Papillon, go to:

https://www.facebook.com/TheRabbitShowLive/videos/294665134590915/UzpfSTMxMDA0OTU2OjEwMTAxNTM2MjExNDM3MDcx/

Queen Adele Visits the ARBA Convention in MA

When we think about UK, we think about the royalties.   Betty gets a visit from an Angora royalty from UK: Adele Fox.  Adele is the Angora queen in UK winning the biggest show in UK with her white Angora.   In UK, only one breed of Angora is accepted: Angora, and that's the English Angora.  No French, Giant or Satin Angoras.

Adele asks to look at my English Angora in the convention.  On Debbie's turntable is Ronaldo.

Adele fluffs up Ronaldo's wool.

In UK, the frontal of the Angora is important, Adele examines Ronaldo's front.

Next on the turntable is Big Boy.   In UK, texture carries more importance than density while in the US it's the other way around.   Adele examines Big Boy's texture closely.

The next is Big Boy's frontal look.

Adele declares that she likes Big Boy more than Ronaldo who is in the lower coop.  It's consistent with the slightly different standard in the US and UK, Ronaldo has a bit better density but more wooly while Big Boy has a lovely free flowing texture but not as dense as Ronaldo.     Ronaldo places higher than Big Boy in more shows here than not.

On the turntable now is Annisha.

Adele is examining Annisha's texture.

Adele poses Annisha while her friend Susan takes a photo.

Adele, Annisha and Betty have a picture taken together.   Adele's hubby Michael and daughter Laura are also at the convention but we missed the photo ops.    They were at the Indy convention last year:

https://ncag.blogspot.com/2017/11/friends-from-uk.html

Adele's friend Susan help taking pictures and enjoys the visit.   

To reference the biggest show in UK, we recall this report:

 https://ncag.blogspot.com/2018/01/bradford-premier-small-animal-show-in-uk.html 

Adele's daughter Laura Fox is in the first photo introducing our US judges and also in the 4th photo with Josh Humphries, Randy Shumaker and David Moll.

Broken Satin Angora Presentation at the ARBA Convention in MA

Judges Cheryl and Franke are examining the broken Satin Angora on the table.

Judge Paul is checking on a broken Satin Angora.

Seven of the presentation broken Satin Angora are visible from the other end.

Judges Bruce, Phil and Roger are working on the broken Satin Angora.

The judges who are examining the broken Satin Angora are Susie Dapper, Roger and Phil. 

While the other judges are done with their examination, judge Susie wants to take one more look.

The ARBA Standard Committee is headed by Cathy Szychulda (in white coat) who is talking with Kellyjo, next to Cathy is Phil Woollet, Bruce Omsby, Roger Hassenpflug, Susie Dapper, Paul Jurgelonis, Caleb Thomas, Michael Franke, Cheryl Blackman, Chris Zemny.      Between Chris and Cathy is Kellyjo, the broken Satin Angora COD leader.

  

Kellyjo has a big smile on her face, a success.   Not only it's a success, the broken Satin Angora presentation has been crowned as "the best presentation" of the day.

Kellyjo is the COD leader and Joyce Holliday and Sandra Wight are the team members.

Another shot of the three happy broken Satin Angora COD holders.

The Satin Angora has a star next to the word Pass, shows that this is the star of the presentation of this convention.

We thank Sandra for contributing photos #2, 4 and 5.    

Broken English Angora Presentation at the ARBA Convention in MA

On Tuesday, October 29, 8 broken English Angora are in the judging coops.

The lead COD holder is Nichole Wilson and the two team members are Nichole's mom Lynn on the left and Debbie McCormick.  There is a fourth member Bri Ramthun who is not present at the convention.   

Examining the broken English Angora are ARBA Standard Committee members from left to right Chris Zemny, Cheryl Blackman, Michael Franke.

Judge Cheryl weighs one of the broken English Angora.

Examining the Broken English Angora are judges Roger Hassenpflug, Bruce Omsby, and Phil Woollet.

The faces of Debbie, Nichole and Lynn tell the story: the Broken English Angora passed their first showing.

This is the final results of the pass/fail of the presentations.  The Broken English Angora is 6th from the end.

Preparing for Broken Angora Presentations at the ARBA Convention in MA

On Monday the three groups that hold Certificate of Development (COD) gathered at the Exhibition area to groom and have their presentation animals examined by the NARBC Standard Committee chair Eric.  In the far left, the broken Satin Angora is on the grooming table with Kellyjo and Sandra.   In the front right is Lynn grooming the broken English Angora, Nichole and Dru are sitting on the left front brushing.      In the middle behind Lynn the black Giant Angora group gather, left is Colleen, middle Adam S and right Emily.   Eric is examining the black Giants.

Another view of the same three groups.   It shows a clear view to see Eric checking the black Giant while Colleen and Emily stand close to the table.  Eventually the black Giant did not pass the club Standard Committee so it was not presented to the ARBA Standard Committee.  The reason is that the senior buck died a week before the convention and the substitute is not mature enough to meet the senior requirement.

Eric is checking all the English Angora presentation animals.

The broken English Angora passed the club Standard Committee so the next stop is the ARBA Standard Committee on Tuesday morning.  The broken Satin Angora also passed the club committee to be considered by the ARBA committee the next day. 

We thank Debbie for these photos.  Debbie is one of the COD members of the broken English Angora team.