Caithness exhibitors pick up top prizes at 'Crufts of the rabbit world'
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CAITHNESS exhibitors have taken top prizes at a show in Doncaster which is the equivalent of Crufts in the rabbit world.
Among the major winners at the Bradford Small Livestock Show were Maureen Thomson of Wick and Thurso's Jane Wallace, whose animals impressed judges from the UK, Europe and America.
The local rabbits were among over 1400 entries from all over the UK and beyond.
Maureen, with her white lionhead Cirrus, won her challenge certificate and went on to win the overall best of breed lionhead. She was also sixth in the challenge section out of 89 and went on to take second in the ladies' fancy class out of 64 with the same rabbit.
All her other lionheads gained first places and their challenge certificates at the show.
Jane dominated the white Beveren section, taking first and second in the buck class and then first, third, fourth and fifth in the doe class.
With Bequia Big Bertha winning her challenge certificate for best white, she then went on to take the overall best of breed Beveren, second in the challenge section against other breeds and second in the ladies' fur, then secured fifth in the overall fur challenge out of 217 rabbits.
Bequia Rita won the Rhinelander and then went onto win best rare variety fancy and also secured best ladies fancy.
Several of the other rabbits gained various places in the breed classes and challenges.
Speaking after the event, Jane said: "I am so proud and happy to get so well placed with both rabbits. It's so exciting to get a rare variety breed up on the stage as they tend to be overlooked, but to also get second place in the ladies' fur with the Beveren made for a very special weekend and an excellent start to 2020."
Maureen added: "After several years of being in the top six, I was delighted to actually win best of breed lionhead. It makes all my hard work worthwhile. And to get second place in the ladies' fancy was brilliant as, like the rare varieties, lionheads tend to be passed over in the bigger challenges."
