We had seven shows this year, all held at the Waramanga Scout Hall, Badimara Street, Waramanga. Two of the shows (29 April and 28 October) were held in conjunction with the NSW Cavy Club Southern Regional Branch. For the first time since the club began we raised the entry fees to $2 per rabbit for members and $2.50 for non-members, novelty classes remaining the same at $1 per rabbit per class. We also introduced a new Best of Breed Certificate. On the whole numbers at the shows were higher this year than last year. We welcomed two new judges to our circuit - Jackie Wood who moved to Canberra from Victoria and John Sowden, who was awarded his judge's certificate earlier this year.

I've only put the top awards per show. Full details are in back issues of the newsletter.

4 March Judge John Mann (NSW), Best in Show Renegade Netherland Dwarf REW 99X00790; Reserve Best in Show Petite Satin Ivory 00E5431; Best Adult Renegade Netherland Dwarf REW 99X00790; Reserve Best Adult Petite Satin Ivory 00E5431; Best Junior Mally Stud Angora AOC 01E02192; Reserve Best Junior Windsong Dwarf Lop Shaded 00C04734; Best Kitten Mally Stud Mini Lop REW 00K0632; Reserve Best Kitten Blue Carrot Mini Lop Shaded 00K06347; Best Fancy Renegade Netherland Dwarf REW 99X00790; Best Fur Petite Satin Ivory 00E5431; Best Rex Petite Mini Rex 00B00806

Novelty Judge: Luke Sowden

29 April Judge Jackie Wood (Canberra). Best in Show Cancelare Netherland Dwarf Shaded 97X10121; Reserve Best in Show Petite Mini Rex Castor 00B00806; Best Adult Cancelare Netherland Dwarf Shaded 97X10121; Reserve Best Adult Petite Mini Rex Castor 00B00806; Best Junior Brialea Dwarf Lop AOC 00C00704; Reserve Best Junior Alpine Mini RexAOC 00B003834; Best Kitten Petite Mini Lop Shaded 01K01952; Reserve Best Kitten Bella Mini Rex AOC 01B03835 Best Fancy Netherland Dwarf Shaded 97X10121; Best Fur Reguli Satin Agouti Pattern 01E02428; Best Rex Petite Mini Rex Castor 00B00806

Novelty Judge: Christine Carter

3 June Judge Christine Carter (Canberra). Best in Show Petite British Giant 01H01149; Reserve Best in Show Petite Netherland Dwarf REW 97X11377; Best Adult Petite Netherland Dwarf REW 97X11377; Reserve Best Adult Brialea Dwarf Lop Self 00C03371; Best Junior Petite British Giant 01H01149; Reserve Best Junior Cancelare Netherland Dwarf 01X03485; Best Kitten Petite Netherland Dwarf Tan Pattern 01X03480; Reserve Best Kitten Lovable Lops Cashmere Lop 01D03139; Best Fancy Petite Netherland Dwarf REW 97X11377; Best Fur Petite British Giant 01H01149; Best Rex Brialea Mini Rex Castor 00B00806

Novelty Judge: Luke Sowden

29 July Judge Vija Hone (Vic.) Best in Show Bethany Netherland Dwarf Self 01X10108; Reserve Best in Show Petite Satin Ivory 01E00592; Best Adult Bethany Netherland Dwarf Self 01X10108; Reserve Best Adult Petite Satin Ivory 01E00592; Best Junior Toybox Mini Lop Shaded 01K00765; Reserve Best Junior Bonreiki Mini Lop Self 01K01068; Best Kitten Lovable Lops Cashmere Lop AOC 01D03154; Reserve Best Kitten Lovable Lop Self 01C03300; Best Fancy Bethany Netherland Dwarf Self 01X10108; Best Fur Petite Satin Ivory 01E00592; Best Rex Malvina Lake Rex Self 01E00732

Novelty Judge: Nikki White

9 September Judge John Sowden (Canberra). Best in Show Rojeana Satin Shaded 01E02430; Reserve Best in Show Millennium Netherland Dwarf Shaded 01X03493; Best Adult Millennium Netherland Dwarf Shaded 01X03493; Reserve Best Adult Brialea Mini Rex Agouti Pattern 00B00806; Best Junior Rojeana Satin Shaded 01E02430; Reserve Best Junior Rojeana Polish Self 01A00697; Best Kitten Renegade Dwarf Lop AOC 01C05387; Reserve Best Kitten Reguli Rex Tan Pattern 01E2427; Best Fancy Show Millennium Netherland Dwarf Shaded 01X03493; Best Fur Rojeana Satin Shaded 01E02430; Best Rex Mini Rex Agouti Pattern 00B00806

Novelty Judge: Luke Sowden

28 October Judge Greg Irwin (NSW). Best in Show Rojeana Polish Self 01A00697; Reserve Best in Show Petite Dwarf Lop Self 00C02222; Best Adult Rojeana Polish Self 01A00697; Reserve Best Adult Petite Dwarf Lop Self 00C02222; Best Junior Brialea Dwarf Lop REW 01C01964; Reserve Best Junior L. Taylor Dwarf Lop Self 01C04432; Best Kitten Bonreiki Mini Lop AOC 01K02037; Reserve Best Kitten Rojeana Netherland Dwarf REW 01X05098; Best Fancy Rojeana Polish Self 01A00697; Best Fur Rojeana Satin Shaded 01E02430; Best Rex Rojeana Rex Agouti Pattern 01E02448

Novelty Judge: Jean Hill

25 November Judge Jackie Wood (Canberra). Best in Show Bonreiki Mini Lop Black 01K01068; Reserve Best in Show Petite Satin Ivory 01E00990; Best Adult Bonreiki Mini Lop Black 01K01068; Reserve Best Adult Petite Satin Ivory 01E00990; Best Junior Petite British Giant 01H01766; Reserve Best Junior Rojeana Rex Cstor 01E02448; Best Kitten Petite Mini Lop Shaded 01K03321; Reserve Best Kitten Bonreiki Mini Lop Butterfly 01K02037; Best Fancy Bonreiki Mini Lop Black 01K01068; Best Fur Petite Satin Ivory 01E00990; Best Rex Lovable Lops Rex Ermine 01E00690

Novelty Judge: Jean Hill

Club members also attended a number of shows of the Rabbit Breeders Association of NSW, including the two seminars on judging and rabbit breeding they put on in March and in August. They also attended the rabbit show (run by the Rabbit Breeders Association) at the Royal Easter Show, either as exhibitors or stewards or both, and also the Fairfield Koi and Pet Show in May. Nikki, in addition to the above, also attended a number of NSW Cavy Club shows in Sydney, Wollongong and the National Cavy Show at Narrandera.

Eight newsletter were published during the year, usually two weeks before each show. A copy is sent to the National Library on Legal Deposit (a requirement of the Copyright Act 1968) and a copy to our sponsor Peter's Pet Foods. There are 58 copies in the print run currently as membership has increased considerably since last year and there is a higher retention rate. A new feature I've introduced is a listing of the current contents of the rabbit club newsletters I subscribe to and also of Fur & Feather so that anyone interested in these publications can see what sort of articles appear in them and subscribe if they want to. Also this year, I have been featuring a breed of rabbit an issue, with bibliography of sources and organisations/websites connected with that breed. I would like to thank Christine Carter for providing some informative and thoughtful articles on aspects of rabbit breeding and keeping and Sue Sowden for her hard work in compiling and providing already photocopied show results for each issue. Also new member Susan Batho has written an article and sent in other items. Otherwise, the rest of the articles and items is provided by me. As I said this time last year, I would like to see more items by other hands, even if it is about your pet rabbit and his cute habits. Everyone likes bunny stories.

The contents of this year's Rabbit Droppings is as follows:-

No. 8 (Feb. 2001) Playmate of the Month: The Rex/Mini Rex--Canberra Rabbit Club Library

No. 9 (April 2001) Furball, or the Unclogging of Lepidus--Caring for Kittens by Christine Carter--Playmate of the Month: the Polish--Report on the display at the Animal Nursery, Royal Canberra Show 23-25 February 2001--Report on the Rabbit Breeders Association of NSW show and seminar 11 March--Report on display at Gundaroo Bush Races & Festival 25 March

No. 10 (May 2001) Getting the bugs of bunny: flea/parasite removal--Watering bunny--Report on stewarding at the Royal Easter Show--How the other half lives: a rabbit's eye view of a cat show--Playmate of the Month: the Satin

No. 11 (July 2001) Ring transfers--Cold climate bunnies--Caring for Kittens part 2 by Christine Carter--Playmate of the Month: the Dutch

No. 12 (August 2001) Points system--Report on the rabbit breeding and judging seminar run by the RBA 12 August--Flop bunny syndrome--Why does my rabbit eat its droppings by Debbie of Dynasty Stud, New Zealand--Playmate of the Month: the Flemish Giant and the British Giant--Cashmere Lops by Christine Carter

No. 13 (October 2001) Worms and coccidiosis--Report on the display at the Hall Markets 7 Oct.--Report on the Murrumbateman Field Days 13-14 Oct.--Playmate of the Month: the Harlequin--Caring for Kittens part 3 by Christine Carter

No. 14 (November 2001) Carrot a day puts bunny away (from the Daily Telegraph)--My first rabbit and cavy show by Susan Batho--Report on the Pet Expo 2-4 Nov.--Playmate of the Month: the New Zealand--The Lionhead by Gerald Nebel (reprinted from Monica's Mouse, Moggy & Mutt Magazine)

No. 15 (December 2001) Summer bunnies--Passing the buck (selling rabbits)--The Alternative Kitten Buyers Guide (reprinted from Fur & Feather)--Annual report--Showing off by Christine Carter--Photos of Nov. 25 show by Christine Carter

 Library

There have been some additions to the Library during the year such as a donation of Jane Hall's Just Call Me Monty and Raising Netherland Dwarfs and several pet magazines from Christine Carter and I added A.E. Ted Williams' Rabbit Breeding for Perfection. While it has been pleasing to see an increased use of the library, it is disturbing that so many borrowers hang on to books for months on end and have to be reminded several times in the newsletters to return them so others can borrow them. The library is brought to each club meeting I attend and books can be borrowed then. However, they should be brought back at the following meeting or arrangements made to return them to me either by dropping them off in person at my home or by posting them to me.

Christine was instrumental in getting a link to the club website at OzPets (www.ozpets.com.au). and I put the website in the Community section of the ACT Government's website plus all the clubs shows have been listed in this year's community calendar there. The Club was mentioned in passing in Ian Warden's article on the guinea pig judging at the combined show on 28 October which appeared in the Canberra Times of 29 Oct.

As happened last year, the Club was asked to mount a number of displays during the year, chiefly by Jane Southwell of FARM. These were as follows: Australia Day in the Park (25 Jan. between Questacon and the High Court - Angela and Lyn Nicoli, Nikki White); Royal Canberra Show Animal Nursery (23-25 February, Mallee Pavilion, Exhibition Park - Jean and Ron Hill, Nola Faulkner, the Cano family, Leanne and Ben Roberts, Gail Lincoln, the Sowdens, Christine Carter, Angela and Lyn Nicoli, and Nikki White); Gundaroo Bush Races & Festival (25 March, Gundaroo Common - Nikki White); Hall Markets (7 October, Hall Showground - the Sowdens, Leanne and Ben Roberts and Nikki White); Murrumbateman Field Days (13-14 Oct., Murrumbateman Showground - Leanne and Ben Roberts, Nikki White and the Sowdens); Canberra Pet Expo (2-4 Nov., Fitzroy Pavilion, Exhibition Park - Jean and Ron Hill, Christine Carter, Leanne and Ben Roberts, Gail Lincoln, Nikki White and the Sowdens)