Courtney Judges French Angora at Portola Valley

The last breed on judge Courtney's table are the French Angora.  Watching are Allison, Carol, Pattee and Mason.
   




This is the first time Allison is showing French Angora, Allison is an experienced Jersey Wooly breeder/exhibitor.   She decides to try the bigger version of the similar breed.   As we know that Jersey Wooly was developed by Bonnie Seely of New Jersey by using French Angora and Netherland in the 1980s.   I have had a chance to chat with Bonnie over the phone before the Jersey Wooly was accepted as a breed; Bonnie's intention then was to breed a smaller version of French Angora for the pet buyers, eventually she took out a COD and presented to ARBA and it was accepted as a breed in 1987.    The earlier Jersey Wooly were truly the smaller version of the French Angora while today the Jersey Wooly looks more like a Netherland Dwarf with wool.   

On the table is a chestnut senior buck.  Standing next to Allison is Sheila, a visitor from the next town Palo Alto. She saw the information of our show on the internet and wanting to see whether to be able to connect to a wool breeder to get a pet in the future.

Judge Courtney comments and places the colored senior buck.

Next on the table is a chestnut junior buck.  This is from Allison's first litter of French Angora.  Watching in the background are mother and daughter Yvonne and Tess.   They are starting their journey of having Angora, they received a Satin Angora junior doe from Casey at the end of the show.

The chestnut junior buck has a gorgeous agouti ring pattern.

This is the first place colored senior doe, a fawn doe that is owned by Carol.

Judge Courtney announces that the chestnut buck is the French Angora BOB and the fawn doe BOSB.

There is no Giant Angora present in the show, so at the end of the show there are 3 BOB winners on the table.  The very left is the French Angora, middle is the Satin Angora and the right is the English Angora.   Judge Courtney gives a final look before she makes a decision.

Judge Courtney announces that the English Angora gets the specialty Best In Show.
Mason records the moment, Casey and Carolyn watch.

 

Betty holds her specialty BIS English Angora doe Joanna, her French Angora BOB Lipton is on the table and Casey holds her Satin Angora BOB.    Courtney completes her first Angora judging, does a great job.   We are sure we will look forward to having her judging our Angoras in the future shows again.