Because of the thunderstorms across the U.S. there were problems with all three judges flights. Fortunately one local judge that was showing anyway was able to step in and pick up some breeds. Another local judge agreed to step in when one judge's flight was not only late, but canceled completely.
Being the judge-getter for two clubs can be a nail-biting experience to say the least. It is a lot of work arranging flights, corresponding with the judges and booking them, hotel reservations, tracking the flights and arranging transportation. Anyone who has booked their own single flight can attest to the internet time it takes to determine the best times and prices.
It was a huge sigh of relief to see them all arrive at the showroom safely AND still happy to judge and smiling! Thanks go out to Stacy E., John S., Lisa D. and Paul J.
There are a couple more folks that are interested in getting into Holland Lops which is great. We need more HL exhibitors in Maine. They aren't the easiest breed to start out with. Without a good understanding of the breed standard and a visualization of what to look for, it is daunting. A breed like a New Zealand, you can easily tell if it has a good head or not and there aren't that many points on a NZ's head either. With a Holland Lop there are so many components to the head. You have the width of the forehead, the cheeks, the width of the muzzle, the brow, the side profile, the boldness of eye and the structure of the crown. And that is just the head! Plus HL's are one of the most expensive breeds to get into if you plan on showing AND doing well. The investment of getting good stock can be off-putting to someone just starting out. It is the equivalent to buying a regular riding horse to a Thoroughbred racehorse. The intended purpose and pedigree determines the price set on an animal.
One thing I read a long time ago makes total sense. It said something like this. "Pay attention to the prices placed on several animals offered by the seller. The higher price almost always determines the best of the lot and how much the seller values that animal's traits OVER the others." As with those pricey thoroughbreds, there are no guarantees on who will win the race! But like all else, the old adage, "you usually get what you pay for" often holds true.
Meanwhile, about the show, I took my mostly molted out boys, some a bit-to-young to compete juniors and had a good time, many second placings and a Best Broken win with BBF's Chester.