l feel like I'm on an island... : Hopping Mad

and not the "relaxing on a beach with fresh coconuts to eat/drink" kind.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not really "hopping" mad. Maybe more like the occasional floor thump.

I've been trying to find ARBA shows in my area because I'm still in the dreaming/research phase of my rabbitry. l've finally found one this weekend that's about 2 hours away from me. Plus I've got a friend about halfway between there and home that I've now made plans to see a movie with after the rabbit show. So I can justify this trip. What I can't justify right now is driving 5+ hours for just about every other ARBA-sanctioned show until February or March (I think). I want to go to as many shows as possible, but driving more than 4 hours (there and back) is just not practical for us right now. Throw in the fact that DH's motorcycle is temporarily out of commission and we are sharing my car... it's just not happening.

l think part of it must be that there are just more rabbit breeders in Central and Northern California. Which is fine, but I wish there were more near the Los Angeles area, too, so I could maybe find someone near me to be my "mentor" if you will. It'd be nice to have someone close enough that they could give me pointers for my rabbits, set-up, etc. when I get started.

In no way do I mean this as an insult to all the wonderful, helpful members on this site! l am so excited to start sharing my whole rabbitry journey with everyone here, and I'm sure I'll get lots of good advice and help when I need it. But sometimes pictures only show so much, and situations can be tricky to explain correctly.

So, to any members in Southern California, are there any non-ARBA-sanctioned shows that I might be able to go to within an hour or so of Orange County? I know it's not ideal, but I want to meet more rabbit people in my area, and see how rabbits are evaluated more in person (I've seen just about every YouTube video there is).

If anyone else has other ideas I could try, as well, I'm game for almost anything as long as it's within reason.

Thank you all!

I feel your pain. I have one show (Shreveport, LA) that is about 2.5hrs from me and everything else is 4+. We do have a show in the fall at our county fair but it's one of those where you leave your rabbit all week. I'll just a bit leery about doing that. As far as I know there aren't even any non-sanctioned shows near me.

We do live in a very rural area though so I can't complain too much....It does have it's benefits....

i am in the same boat. the only show closer than three hours from me is the livestock show - if i remember right, the largest in the state. which, if i can get over the anxiety, i do want to show at just for the experience, but boy is it intimidating! all the rest are at LEAST three hours away, and i am not waking up before 5am to make that 9:30 check in time...i've gone to a show as a spectator but i still can't really justify a three hour drive to spend maybe an hour wandering around then leaving. the only other non-sanctioned shows i know of are 4H/FFA type shows that are only meat pen rabbits and only for kids.

there's plenty shows in austin and dallas/ft worth....but absolutely nothing in houston. it's the same with dog shows too, i'd love to get coursing titles on my little mutt dog, but there's pretty maybe one trial a year, and i've already missed the one for this year, sigh. i really enjoy showing my animals, but somehow the largest city in the state has no opportunities at all :(

I just went to the closest show to me, 2 hours one way.
Next one possible is 5 hours one way then nothing until mid February.. I totally feel your pain.

I was thinking of going to the show outside of San Diego in Santee at the end of February. That's 7 hours one way, but looks like a good show.

Whew! Thank you guys for easing my worries a bit. It's really a shame there aren't more shows for folks like us to go to. Guess we just need more people to start showing rabbits, eh?

Alforddm, how do you find out about upcoming county fairs that include rabbits? The last time or two that I've been to a county fair in my area, I haven't seen any rabbits (and trust me, I go through every row of animals). Do they usually list it on their website?

SixGun, I saw the show set for Santee, too! l think I'll be going to that one, myself (it's about 2 hours for me again). You're more determined than I am to be driving 7 hours one way. Although there was that one weekend in October when I drove to Phoenix and back twice. That's 5 hours each way, if your foot is a little heavy on the gas. But yeah, wish there was something sooner than February near me.

I don't know how I'd get my rabbit fix without this forum and its wonderful members...

Chino is this weekend (as you know), Santa Barbara is next weekend, and Bakersfield is the 28th of January. Arizona's state convention is in Kingman in mid February.

What you should really plan for is the California state convention in Turlock the first week of March- it is a huge show.

When you are at the Chino show, look for Grant (dark hair, quiet guy) and Richard (clean shaven head, outgoing personality) at the Rex tables. They are good friends of mine and have some really great Rex, as does Nicole (blond hair) who will no doubt be there with them. Tell them you are a friend of mine from RT and they will be more than happy to help you out.

Nymphadora wrote:Alforddm, how do you find out about upcoming county fairs that include rabbits? The last time or two that I've been to a county fair in my area, I haven't seen any rabbits (and trust me, I go through every row of animals). Do they usually list it on their website?

It's just our County fair. Most of the kids show larger livestock (goats, sheep, pigs, and cattle), but it has had rabbits for as long as I can remember. The rabbits and poultry are in the same building and they stay all week. Does your fair do poultry?

Nymphadora
Our local (across the boarder and 2-3hours away, one way) are pretty much done until March.
If I want to stay in Canada to show, the closest I have found is 2 hours one way and that club only does two shows a year....lol

However those Michigan clubs know how to do up a show!! WOW huge events.. double and triple shows... over whole weekends sometimes!
I like the Ohio shows too. I only plan for one in Cincinnati.. that is a 5 hours drive one way.... this year a hotel room is planned.... it was crazy long day for the last two years.

I consider shows a social event and try and plan out one every other month, so I don't go broke.
It doesn't usually work as I seem to end up at a show every other weekend, but this year I will be strong!

You are not alone on your island.

California has more rabbit shows than any other place - even southern California has more than most other states. There's a show in Yuma, AZ on January 7 - one of like 7 shows Arizona has all year (with three in Tucson, 1 around Prescott, and 2 in kingman)

MamaSheepdog wrote:When you are at the Chino show, look for Grant (dark hair, quiet guy) and Richard (clean shaven head, outgoing personality) at the Rex tables. They are good friends of mine and have some really great Rex, as does Nicole (blond hair) who will no doubt be there with them. Tell them you are a friend of mine from RT and they will be more than happy to help you out.

Thank you so much for this, MSD! I'll keep an eye out for them, for sure. I think I might've met Richard at the ARBA National Convention, if he was there... does he have those spiral gauge earrings, by chance?

As far as shows go, with how things are right now I don't think I'll make it to the Santa Barbara (2.5 hours one way), Bakersfield (3 hours one way), or Turlock (5.5 hours one way) shows. I had actually considered stretching myself a bit to make it to Santa Barbara, but DH has clinicals that day and we're still going to be sharing my car at that point. But I'll definitely be at the Santee show on February 25th! It's only a bit over an hour one way, and it's far enough out that I don't have any previous plans or commitments for that weekend yet.

SarniaTricia wrote:You are not alone on your island.

Thank you! It wouldn't so lonely if I had some of those cute balls of fur everyone keeps posting pictures of

Nymphadora wrote:I think I might've met Richard at the ARBA National Convention, if he was there... does he have those spiral gauge earrings, by chance?

Yes! After I posted that, the thought occurred to me that he popped by for a few minutes when you were at my booth!

alforddm wrote:Does your fair do poultry?

They do, and I love wandering up and down that area looking for the prettiest chickens (I'd had chicken coop plans for several years now... never been in a place where it was legal with the space we had).

I would've thought if there were chickens, turkeys, pigs, goats, and llamas, they'd have a couple of measly bunnies... but no luck.

__________Thu Dec 08, 2016 3:09 pm __________

MamaSheepdog wrote:

Nymphadora wrote:I think I might've met Richard at the ARBA National Convention, if he was there... does he have those spiral gauge earrings, by chance?

Yes! After I posted that, the thought occurred to me that he popped by for a few minutes when you were at my booth!

I'm glad I'll get to see at least one familiar face this weekend, then! I'm really looking forward to it

Nymphadora wrote:But I'll definitely be at the Santee show on February 25th! It's only a bit over an hour one way, and it's far enough out that I don't have any previous plans or commitments for that weekend yet.

I'll let you know once I've entered and made travel plans. My guys have lots of hair, versus those velvet beauty rexes though.

That's why I didn't show. Then I couldn't get my name out there so I couldn't sell rabbits well. If they weren't going to show or show breeders I might as well play with unrecognized colors and use them as meat. That became not worth it when I had to move them inside.

Good luck on length to show, its typical a 4 hour one way. I go to as many as health and other resources allow, breed for myself and sell through online when I do have some to sell (which has been forever it seems now ugh). You don't really have to be a "big" name here to sell, although that always helps, it seems the less I want to sell to others the more people are interested LOL. I guess a rule of supply and demand? But there are tons of others with the same breed and similar lines (except for my Rex and VLs) with cheaper prices...I think that has to do with quality over quantity since I've been stricter about what actually leaves the last 3 years or so.

I'd LOVE if there were any shows within 2 hours. Last one I went to was a 9 hour drive....ugh I paid for that the next morning. I went to get my Teddy GPS, not even to show. Technically the show is a little over 2.5 hours one way straight, but because of medical issues I have to stop frequently and move...so every thing doubles or triples in time.