Roobie's Rabbit Tree

    In 2001, I joined the local FFA chapter mostly by "stumbling" upon the program my freshman year.  I had never lived on a farm when I was a kid, and unfortunately never even knew what 4-H was.  At the time, we had a few mixed breed rabbits we picked up from an Amish family for meat production.  After some time in the FFA program, I decided that I wanted to be able to show something at my county fair.  Seeing as we were living in the city at the time, I knew it had to be something small.  So, since I already had some experience with rabbits, I decided that's what it would be.

    My first ever show rabbit was a Californian buck (it was supposed to be a doe when I got him!!) named "Bob."  I did fairly well with him the following summer at the county fair in the breed classes, and had done very well in the showmanship classes.  Seeing as it was my first time, and I had NEVER done anything remotely similar to it, I was very pleased when I had made it to the "call-backs" for my class.  Unfortunately, that's all the farther I made it that year, but I was hooked.
   
    The next spring (2003), I was determined to get pedigreed, purebred rabbits to breed, raise, and show.  After browsing around on the ARBA website, I fell in love with the Harlequin breed.  They were so different, so unique - they fit my personality well!  That May, I went down to the OSRBA Mini-Convention in Columbus, OH in search of some Harlequins.  I went in very uninformed, but did end up getting a breeding pair of Magpies from Kitty Lynch.

    The years following that purchase have been filled with Harlequins of all shapes, sizes, and colors, and several other breeds.  Some of the other breeds I have tried out include:  Japanese Harlequins, Mini Rex, Rex, Californians, Cinnamons, Tans, Satins, Silvers, Palominos and American Chinchillas (Drew's), Himalayans (Caleb's), and Perlfees.  None of those other breeds "stuck" with me the way the Magpies have.  They were my first true love in the rabbit world, and I have a feeling they will be here to stay for many years to come.