back to bunnyrabbit.com news volume 2 issue 3
Date: Wed, 9 May 2001 From: "Linda Franke" <LFranke@prodigy.net>
Subject: Just 4-H
I must have missed this one - but it was brought to my attention.
Date: Tue, 8 May 2001 From: "Joanna Abele" <jabele3@home.com>
Subject: Re: Medicating Colds/Snuffles
Holly if its just 4-H that he wants to do you can go to your
local pet store and pick one out there.
Our local 4-H club had enough interest in rabbits we formed a 4-H rabbit club. This was over 4 years ago - right now I'm the rabbit club manager.
Our kids don't want a rabbit from the pet store - it is one of the first things I will tell a kid is that if it's at a pet store it's not a show rabbit. Some kids do get started with a pet rabbit. Even at our county show a "pet" rabbit doesn't have a chance to place. Most of our rabbit club kids show at regular rabbit show during the year. Our county rabbit show is considered a "fun" show.
Our kids learn about rabbits and compete in our county show showmanship class and most of the ones placing are rabbit club kids. My son in the last 5 years has gone from showing in "just" the county show with his rabbits to making about 25 shows a year and he didn't do it with a "pet" rabbit. He now has his registrar's license and plans on having his judge's license before he finishes high school.
If a 4-H kid gets a showable rabbit up front - they have a chance to win at their county show. Who knows what can happen from there - if we don't get kids hooked on rabbits - who is going to going to be at rabbit shows 15-20 years from now?? Not the 4-H kid who bought a "pet" rabbit and had it DQ'd or placed last!!
And buying a show rabbit doesn't mean paying a lot of money for one - my son sells to 4-H kids for $25 and sometimes even gives rabbits away. The pet stores around here charge from $25-40 for "pet" rabbits. And we have other breeders around that only charge the kids $25-35 for show rabbits. That how my son got started. Enough said but never "just 4-H"!