By Dawn Guth
The weekend up in Ionia, MI 9/5 – 9/6 was a rollercoaster of emotions. Other than Fair, this was my first weekend out showing since Brian’s passing. The five hour ride up had my mind just racing. I got there and Molly English and Kay Pettengill were sights for sore eyes. I also met our new AFLRC District Five Director Kim Weems for the first time. I was supposed to meet Sarah Simakso on Friday night but didn’t bump into her until Sat. am in the ladies room. This weekend was her first time showing in Open. Welcome Sarah!
The Sat show went very well. Showing besides myself, there was Molly English, Kay Pettengill, Sherry Callen, Sarah Simakso and a nice German lady I haven’t seen in a few years named Gudron. I hope I didn’t leave anyone out! There were 40 some shown. Kim Weems judged Show A and she picked my BJD Bastet’s Fiona for BOB and my SJB Bastet’s Vinicio for BOS.
In the second show on Sat., Carla Wilson picked Jellico for BOB and my SSB for BOS. She went on to win Four Class and then Best in Show at 9:00 pm! Late … but go Jellico!
On Sunday, Gundron had gone home but we gained Margaret Wronski and Cathy Cordner. I went over to say hi and Cathy had gotten out this pretty Broken and was messing with it. I told her that sure looked like a nice rabbit, was it a Buck or a Doe? She replied saying it was Brian’s Diola, the 2008 ARBA Best of Breed Convention Winner. I am SO happy he’s with her. He’s VERY loved and VERY spoiled … as he should be.
So we head up to the first show under Brenda Dumas. There were over 50 shown. Cathy Cordner won BOV Solid with her home grown SSB and I won BOSV Solid with my SSD Bastet’s Farley. Diola and Jellico were up against the Jrs. for BOV/BOSV Broken. Talk about fighting back tears. Diola had won BOB and Jellico had won BOS at Convention last fall. Cathy and I both leaked at little even thought we were trying really hard not to. Seeing them sitting side by side like that eleven months later … whew … talk about a difficult moment. Jellico won BOV Broken and Diola won BOSV Broken. The Solids won it over the Brokens in the end.
The second show on Sunday was judged by Terry Fender. Jellico won BOB and Cathy Cordner won BOS with Brian’s Tonto. Jellico went on to win BIS in the Lop-A-Rama and then she won Top Lop. Go Jellico … again!
There weren’t many Youth exhibitors but Jamie Fry was out and showing and swept the weekend wins. Congrats Jamie!
It was good seeing everyone and the ride back seemed quicker than the ride there. The bunnies were all happy to be home and get settled back into their own cages, and me in my own bed. This coming weekend is a Triple in Painesville, OH and a Double Memorial Show for Brian in Washington, PA. I know both of these shows will be hard not having Brian there but us Fuzzy Folks have each other and I’m sure we’ll all shed some tears and then get down to business showing this fabulous breed, the American Fuzzy Lop.
