French Angora Monique Wins Open Best In Show at San Jose

 

Monique had not gone to a show since April this year.   After a hair cut in early May:
Northern California Angora Guild: Monique a Peacock? (ncag.blogspot.com)
she has been staying home.     A bit before the San Jose show entry deadline, mama Betty took at look and said, "Moninque, you look pretty good, let's take some pictures."   This photo was taken on Septemeber 17, 2024.   "Would you like to go to the show next weekend?" 
Yes, yes, yes, Monique likes to go to a show.

Monique is being recognized for her high quality wool and type, judge Ray Stacy awards the show C Best In Show to her.  

Monique enjoys her Best In Show rosette.   Readers may have seen Monique's photos for quite a few years, she was born in January 2020, off and on winning French Angora BOB and Best In Show.  She is now 4 years and 9 months old, still going strong with her type and wool.   For sure an oldie and a goodie.



 

Wish to add a side remark.  It's not uncommon for French Angora to be able to return to shows after being cut down.   Wool texture tends to have more guard hairs after the first coat and that French Angora standard calls for abundance of guard hairs.   The issue for most French Angora is whether the top wool would come back as dense with similar length as the side wool.   Monique has the ability to grow a complete coat over and over.  This is her umteenth coat, I lost count. 

English Angora, on the other hand, is treasured for the first coat that has the softer and silkier texture.   All wool/hair, regardless whether it's rabbits or goats or any other animals, the first coat is always softer than the subsequent coats, it is harder for English Angora to be top competitive after the first coat is cut down.   However, it is not an impossibility if rabbit has the quality and the owner has the patience to maintain it.   Guard hairs usually come first, so the regrown English Angora coat will look hairy in the early stage.  If the owner keeps up with the grooming, cleaning and maintenance, the under wool will eventually catch up with the longer guard hairs and results in a complete show coat.   In the above photo, Monique is with English Angora Princess Ga Ga who was cut down in February then had a litter of 4 babies at the end of March.  She raised all 4 and three bucks are currently being shown. 

Both Monique and Princess Ga Ga were shown at the San Jose show last weekend, Monique is 4-3/4 years old and Princess Ga Ga 1-3/4 years old just out of raising a litter.  Out of 5 shows, Monique won 4 BOB and one advanced to open Best In Show.    Princess Ga Ga won 1 BOB and 4 BOV.   Her competitor for BOB is Vianna who is 8 months old with the first coat.   Tomorrow I will post photos of Princess Ga Ga and Vianna together to make a comparison.

The point being made here is that oldies could be goodies, it takes good quality animals and most importantly it takes patient owners.    We cannot unlimitedly breed and bring more and more rabbits into our barns or this world, there is a limited time and ability to care for them.   I'd like to advocate more caring more loving than more breeding.