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.

Courtney Judges English Angora at Portola Valley

Judge Courtney examines a white English Angora.

After checking on the 5 English Angora colored senior bucks, the first place is on the table.

Allison asks to take a photo of the colored senior buck.

There are two colored junior bucks.

Judge Courtney picks this one as the first place colored junior buck.

The colored senior does are on the table and this is the first place.

The colored senior buck and the colored junior buck compete with each other and ...

Judge Courtney picks the colored senior buck as the BOSB and the colored senior doe as the BOB.   Betty is the happy mama.

Courtney Judges Satin Angora at Portola Valley

The first breed to be judged at the Angora specialty show is the Satin Angora.   We have a new judge: Courtney Collins.    Other than the judges assist, this is the first time Courtney judges Angora.

The judging table is at Carol's beautiful backyard under the tree, in the background is Carol's guest house.

Casey clerks for judge Courtney.

Judge Courtney comments, Casey records.

Judge Courtney is detail oriented, checks the texture, the density, the skin, etc.  This is a relaxed show, judge Courtney indicates she enjoys such an atmosphere.    

Judge Courtney decides on the BOSB.   Watching on the right is Courtney's other half Mason.

 

The Satin Angora BOB winner is the white senior buck and the colored senior doe wins BOSB.

Angora Winners at Portola Valley

In the first show, judge Courtney Collins picks Betty's English Angora colored senior doe as the specialty Best In Show.    The Best of Breed French Angora is Betty's French Angora colored senior buck and the Best of Breed Satin Angora is Casey's white senior doe.


 

In the second show, judge Allen Mesick picks Betty's French Angora colored senior doe as the specialty Best In Show.   The Best of Breed English Angora is Betty's colored senior doe and the Best of Breed Satin Angora is Casey's colored senior doe.

 

Summer Show and Party at Portola Valley

Pretty flowers....

Pretty flowers next to the nice pool....

Where is everyone?

We see judging coops, we see people gathering afar, ... are rabbit shows going on?

Courtney is judging the Satin Angora with Casey working at the table on one side of the yard...

... and Allen working on American Fuzzy Lop with our great host Carol doing the clerking.
Carol's summer party is something the wool people look forward to every year.  Last year due to the pandemic shutdown, it was cancelled.  This year, Carol not only puts on the show and party, she also welcomes friends into her home without masks.   People are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and the rabbits are also vaccinated against RHVD2.   We are all thankful for the medical science advancement to allow us to go back to normalcy, and appreciate Carol's generosity of opening her home to us. 

 

Quinzanne Joins the Princess Group

Who is lucky bun in Carolyn's arms?  

It's lucky Quinzanne!

Quinzanne is retiring from showing and joins Carolyn's Princess group.  Instead of just Quinzanne, she is now Princess Quinzanne!

 

Rachel's French Angora Wins Best In Show and Reserve In Show

Rachel reports good news from Wisconsin.   Her French Angora 5 months old Tower View's Brave won double Reserve In Show at the Rabbits and Cavies Anonymous shows at Stillwater, MN on June 12, 2021.  She is a gold tipped chocolate steel.

The following week on June 19, at the Northwoods Rabbit Club show in Antigo, Wisconsin Brave won the all breed Best In Show.     Rachel has won many Best In Show with her Giant Angoras, this is the first time her French Angora achieved this honor.

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