CRCI ANNUAL REPORT: or What We've Been Up to in 2006
General Once again we had another successful year of showing with exhibitor numbers remaining steady and no longer declining as they were a few years ago. And once again we were generously sponsored by Peter’s Pet Foods who supported us not only with a cash donation but sample bags of rabbit food which we gave out as prizes in the novelty/pet classes.
The second edition of the Pet Directory in which the club had an ad and some members placed breeders’ listings appeared about mid-year.
Shows We held five shows this year. Two (the March and September shows) were in conjunction with the Southern Regional Branch of the NSW Cavy Club). All shows were held at the Canberra Pensioners Club which has proved to be a very convenient venue with good amenities. In the latter half of the year we experimented with the layout to make it easier for exhibitors to reach the judging table and for the public to move about without obstructing exhibitors or the judges.
NB: BiS = Best in Show; RUBiS = Runner Up Best in Show; REW = Red-Eyed White, A/C = Any Colour, AOC = Any Other Colour
6th March 2006 Judge: John Sowden (ACT) BiS , Best Fur, Best Junior, Beau Stud Silver Fox 05D00434; RUBiS, Best Fancy, Best Kitten Bonreiki Stud Mini Cashmere AOC 06C00324; Best Adult, Best Rex Coniglio Stud Rex Tan Pattern 05E00571; Runner Up Best Adult, Runner Up Best Fancy Cancelare Stud Netherland Dwarf Self 04X08190; Runner Up Best Junior, Runner up Best Rex Beau Stud Mini Rex Self 05B06620; Runner Up Best Kitten beau Stud Dutch A/C 06B07974
7th May 2006 Judge: Debbie Sletten (NSW) BiS, Best Adult, Best Fancy Petite Stud Netherland Dwarf REW 02X06331; RUBiS, Best Fur, Runner up Best Adult Brunker Bunnies Stud Swiss Fox REW 04E02962; Best Junior Brunker Bunnies Stud Swiss Fox REW 06E00829; Runner up Best Junior Brunker Bunnies Stud Netherland Dwarf Tan Pattern 06X01699; Best Kitten Bonreiki Mini Lop Tan Pattern 06K00360; Runner up Best Kitten Petite Stud Netherland Dwarf Tan pattern 06X00562; Runner up Best Fancy Brunker Bunnies Stud Dwarf Lop AOC 04C04716; Runner up Best Fur Reguli Stud British Giant Brown/Grey 02H00357; Best Rex beau Stud Rex Self 03E00551; Runner up Best Rex Coniglio Stud Rex Ermine 05E03565
2nd July 2006 Judge: Deb Archer (NSW) BiS Best Adult, Best Fancy Petite Stud Netherland Dwarf REW 02X06331; RUBiS, Runner up Best Adult, Runner up Best Fancy Bonreiki Stud Mini Lop Shaded 05K05756; Best Junior Bonreiki Mini Lop Tan pattern 06K003060; Runner up Best Junior Charmed Stud Dwarf Lop AOC 06C00339; Best Kitten Bonreiki Stud Mini Lop Self 06K03020; Runner up Best Kitten Brunker Bunnies Stud Dwarf Lop AOC 06C00779; Best Fur Beau Stud Silver Fox 05D00534; Runner up Best Fur Brunker Bunnies Swiss Fox REW 05E02354; Best rex Charmed Stud Mini Rex Self 05B07962; Runner up Best Rex Beau Stud Mini rex Shaded 05B05280
17th Sept. 2006 Judge: Vija Hone (Vic.) BiS Best Fancy, Best Adult Petite Stud Netherland Dwarf REW 02X06631; RUBiS, Runner up Best Fancy, Runner up Best Adult Bugsy’s Stud Mini Lop Tan Pattern 05K01812; Best Junior Bugsy’s Stud Mini Lop Shaded 06K01094; Runner up Best Junior Dainty Stud Netherland Dwarf Pattern 06X0569; Best Kitten Dainty Stud Dwarf Lop Shaded 06C00319; Runner up Best Kitten Petite Stud Netherland Dwarf REW 06X00690; Best Fur Reguli Stud British Giant Brown/Grey 02H00357; Runner up Best Fur Brunker Bunnies Stud Swiss Fox REW 05E00671; Best Rex Coniglio Stud Rex Tan pattern 05E05771; Runner up Best Rex Coniglio Stud Rex Tan Pattern 06E00327
5th Nov. 2006 Judge Christine Carter (ACT) Best in Show, Best Adult, Best Rex Hopping Mad
Stud 05E05746 Rex Tan Pattern
R/Up Best in Show, R/Up Best Adult, Best Fancy Petite Stud 06E 00874 N/Dwarf REW
Best Junior in Show R/Up Best Fur Gaithorn Stud 06E04456 Satin Castor
Runner Up Best Junior in Show Gaithorn Stud 06E02479 Rex Agouti Pattern
Best Kitten in Show Tinkerbell Stud 06X04169 Netherland Dwarf Shaded
Runner Up Best Kitten in Show Snow Bunny Stud 06K00350 Mini Lop Self
Runner Up Best Fancy in Show Gaithorn Stud 05C00341 Dwarf Lop REW
Best Fur in Show Reguli Stud 05H00185 British Giant Brown Grey
Runner Up Best Rex in Show Hopping Mad Stud 06E00874 Ermine
In addition both Christine Carter and John Sowden judged at interstate shows.
It was pleasing to see a good turnout in the novelty and pet classes and we hope to see you all again next year.
Displays We held five displays this year. These were at the Bungendore Show in January; the Animal Nursery at the Royal Canberra Show in February; the Yass Show in April; the Pet Expo at Exhibition Park in September and the Murrumbateman Field Days in October. Thanks to those who helped out at the displays: Christine Carter, Sue Greaves and Lex, Adie Hearn and Nikki White.
The club produced a number of rabbit care leaflets on different topics to be handed out at these displays in addition to the rabbit breed sheets.
Newsletters Six newsletters (including this one) 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), a copy to our sponsor Peter's Pet Foods and a copy to the Pet Directory as they have a club sponsorship scheme. There are 49 copies in the print run currently.
The exchange of newsletters with other clubs continues but seems to have declined with a number of clubs no longer producing newsletters or at any rate not sending us anything in return. The CRCI currently has exchange agreements with Rabbit Fanciers Society of NSW and the West Australian Rabbit Council Inc. More recently the South Australian Rabbit Fanciers Society has sent Christine copies of their newsletter which she has forwarded to me. These are in PDF format. If anyone would like copies I can forward them to you though be warned some them are quite big files and probably would work better if you have ADSL and not dial-up.
Again I would like to thank Christine Carter for her useful articles, Sue Sowden for preparing the show results and Susan Batho for her Ring Registrar’s reports.
The contents of this year's Rabbit Droppings are as follows. Unless otherwise stated all items were written by me.
No. 42 (Feb. 2006) Canberra Rabbit Library contents—View from the rabbit shed
No. 43 (April 2006) View from the rabbit shed—Online show photography tips by Christine Carter
No. 44 (June 2006) Cashmere Lop and Miniature Cashmere Lop by Christine Carter—Jersey Wooly by Christine Carter—View from the rabbit shed
No. 45 (Sept. 2006) Ring Registrar’s report by Susan Batho—View from the rabbit shed
No. 46 (Oct. 2006) Ring Registrar’s report by Susan Batho—View from the rabbit shed—Rabbitry on Parade: Aussie Blue Stud by Gary Gibbons
No. 47 (Dec. 2006) Ring Registrar’s report 2006 by Susan Batho—How Sniff got his groove back by Gayatri Pathare—View from the rabbit shed—CRCI annual report 2006
Website
The club still has two websites. The main one is at www.home.netspeed.com.au/reguli/rabbitclub.htm and there is a “cut down” version at www.canberrarabbitclub.websyte.com.au which is part of the Greater Canberra Community Guide. There is also a page on Communities Online which is run by the ACT Government and I still put our show dates in the diary on that site. The main website still seems to be the chief way we pick up members.
To be listed in the online breeders directory (which is on the main club website) is a privilege, not a right and if you live in Canberra and do not come to shows, you will not be listed on it. If you live interstate and can’t attend our shows, that is fine, you will still be listed on it.
Not much was added to the library this year. The British Rabbit Council again sent us a Yearbook this time for 2006. The library has grown too unwieldy to take to meetings. Therefore, if you want something from it, either make an appointment to come round and look through it (email reguli@netspeed.com.au or phone 6161 2811 after 7.00pm, there is an answering machine) or look up the contents on the club website or in the Feb. issue of the newsletter and contact me as above. You can either pick up what you want from my house or I can bring it to the next show. If you live outside Canberra, and want something, please send stamps to cover the cost of postage and packing.
Meetings
These have been rather erratic. It has proven too difficult to hold them after shows as some people just want to get away. So much club business has been conducted via email.