Animal agriculture is not for the weak of heart; sometimes it will nearly break your heart and your will to continue. The rabbit hobby is generally a pleasant activity, but there may be times when it seems like there is a lot of people dramaz and BS to wade through. This post by ARBA rabbit judge and breeder of winning Dutch rabbits, Briony Barnes, hits all the key elements of being a competitive rabbit hobbyist, and I asked her permission to share it here.

I used to say that there was no secret to raising top quality rabbits, but the amount of nonsense that’s been leveled at a lot of my friends lately simply for doing this has changed my mind.

Not everyone has the strength to cull strictly and be confident in their decisions, knowing that some amount of breeding results will always be left to chance.

Not everyone has the strength to breed to their interpretation of the Standard no matter what a judge here and there may say, yet remain open-minded enough to consider differing opinions from those who are very knowledgeable about the breed.

Not everyone has the strength to move on a show winner if it won’t help their herd, won’t breed, or doesn’t produce well, realizing that it’s only stealing space from something that will.

Not everyone has the strength to approach a friend for a second opinion, or to approach another breeder to ask to purchase something that will help.

Not everyone has the strength to take responsibility when they don’t place as well as they’d like, or to realize that even their best have faults to be improved on.

Not everyone has the strength to say that they were beaten by a better rabbit, and to congratulate and not alienate the people who could help them reach their goals.

So to everyone who has taken heat just for being good at it…keep it up. You’re stronger than they are, and you always were.