Hilbert's Hoppy Homestead Rabbitry - HHH

12/31/2023

Wow!! Where to begin? Taylynn got her first rabbit in August of 2022. We went to a show or two that year. 2023 was our first full year showing and breeding. Never in a million years could we have imagined where it was going to take us!! We have met some of the most amazing people. Taylynn has made some amazing friends. Things moved at a fast paced this year. Not only starting to show and learning the ropes of that and starting to breed and still learning what works and what doesn't. Taylynn was able to make The Kentucky State Breed ID second team and was able to compete at her first convention!! She learned how to write for judges, and has fallen in love with that!! She has won, she has lost, but in all of it, she has competed!! Never backing down even when having to compete against adults!!

We wouldn't be where we are without great help from some great people!! It won't let me tag them here, but they know who they are, and know how much we appreciate them!!!

As 2023 draws to an end and 2024 rolls in, we are excited to see where this crazy fast paced lifestyle takes us next!!🤣🤣

Thank you to everyone who has helped us, to the people who have given encouragement, those who have gotten rabbits from us, and all the judges who have picked our animals, or told us where we need to improve!!!

We hope 2024 is the best year for all of you!!

12/31/2023

We made the trip down to Hickory, NC for our final show of the year. The Queen City show was awesome. It was ran very well. The Netherland Dwarf competition was very deep and was phenomenal. Both Open and Youth came to win at this show.

There were several youth that showed up and showed out!! This was by far the most competition we have faced, and probably the strongest competition we have faced. Every single youth exhibitor there brought their A game!! Of the ~75 youth rabbits, not a single one was bad. One judge stated, it was top to bottom the best youth show she had judged in the last 15 years.

Taylynn held her own against great competition, and got to spend time with friends and make some new friends as well.

Hilbert's Hoppy Homestead's Storm (Black Jr Doe) 2 BOG 1 BOV (3 more legs). We are so proud of this little doe. I will do a post about her later!!

Smitty's General (Chestnut Sr Buck) 2 BOG ( 2 legs)

I didn't get any pictures, but here is a picture of "most" of the youth that showed this weekend!!

This was a great group of kids, all of them jumped in and helped other kids put their animals on the table or take them off while they were showing other breeds. We couldn't be more proud and happy for this group of youth!! If this is the future of Netherland Dwarfs, I think the breed is going to be just fine!!

12/25/2023

We have a Christmas baby!!

12/23/2023

From the 3 of us here at Hilbert's Hoppy Homestead, Patrick, Cathy, and Taylynn, we want to wish all of our friends, family, and followers a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

12/16/2023

We went up to Falmouth this morning for the NKYRBA Winter Wonderland Show. We only got to stay long enough to do The Bluegrass Netherland Dwarf Club Specialty, due to needing g to get back to make arrangements for Dad's funeral.

Taylynn won BOB with Smith' Jester in the youth show. She was so happy this little 5 year old buck pulled out a big win.

12/16/2023

12/11/2023

Our last specialty show of 2023 will be this weekend! Hope you can join us.

12/10/2023

Today we were fortunate enough to make it to the Grinchmas 2.0 show in Brandenburg. We had a decent show. It was great to spend the day with great friends.

Specialty
Taylynn
Hilbert's Storm Black Jr Doe 1st in class
Smitty's Reese Otter Sr. Doe BOSV BOSG
Heavenly Hopper's Iceman Himalayan Sr Buck BOSV

Youth Show A
Hilbert's Storm Black Jr. Doe BOSV, BOSG, BOSB
Hilbert's Jimmy Blue Sr Buck BOV
Smitty's Reese Otter Sr Doe BOSV, BOSG
Heavenly Hopper's Iceman Sr. Buck BOV

Youth Show B
Storm BOSV, BOSG
Jimmy BOV
Reese BOSV, BOSG
Iceman BOV

Youth Show C
Storm BOV, BOG
Reese BOSV, BOSG
Iceman BOV, BOSG

Open Show A, B, C
Carroll's Chocolate Chip BOSV, BOSG

12/06/2023

12/06/2023

2 litters, both 1 week old today. The chin, broken, squirrel, and Charlie are from the same litter. The black otter was the only survivor of the other litter. I fostered the Charlie to the mom of the black otter to help the original mom out since it was her first litter.

11/26/2023

Got up early this morning and made the trip up to Boonville, IN for the Pike Gibson show. Had a pretty good day!!

Show A Youth Taylynn

Hilbert's Storm Black Jr Doe BOSV BOSG
Splithare's Hillbilly Lilac Sr Buck BOV
Smitty's General Chestnut Sr Buck BOV BOG

Show B Youth Taylynn

Hilbert's Storm Black Jr Doe BOSV BOSG BOSB
Splithare's Hollywood Lilac Sr Buck BOV
Smitty's General Chestnut Sr Buck BOV BOG

Show A Open Cathy
Carroll's Chocolate Chip BOV BOG

Show B Open Cathy
Carroll's Chocolate Chip BOSV BOSG

11/15/2023

These babies were born Friday to Smitty's Twitch and Smitty's Rosalie. There were originally 4 in the litter. We lost 2 of them. One Blue, one Blue Otter (I think). Counting the 3 from Lil' Jimmy and Big Momma, we have a total of 5 blues. Either selfs or otters.

11/13/2023

We made the trip to Lebanon, IN this weekend for the US Day of the Dwarf show and the Veteran's appreciation show.

There were some great rabbits there this weekend. Great competition. We had an OK day Saturday for Day of the Dwarf. Sunday at the Veteran's appreciation show we got totally surprised and Taylynn won BOSB with our little Black self Jr Doe. Totally unexpected, but so happy that what we thought she could be was recognized today!!

Taylynn took BOV Youth Show A with her Blue Sr Buck Lil'Jimmy

Today athe the Veteran's appreciation show and Netherland Dwarf specialty.

Taylynn Specialty

Lil' Jimmy Blue Sr. B BOSV

Cathy Specialty

Chip Broken Sr. B BOV BOG

Taylynn Youth Show A

Lil' Jimmy Blue Sr. B BOV

Cathy Open Show A

Chip Broken Sr. B BOSV BOSG

Taylynn Youth Show B

Lil' Jimmy Blue Sr. B BOV
Storm Black Jr D BOSV BOSG BOSB

Cathy Open Show B

Chip Broken Sr B BOV BOG

11/10/2023

The Grand Champion Reese! It's official.

11/07/2023

Broken babies at 4 weeks old from Pongo x Daphne.

2 blue otter and a blue self from Lil'Jimmy x Big Momma. Not quite 2 weeks.

10/30/2023

Rough weekend with babies. We had our chocolate otter doe kindle 2 babies. One was a Hippo, the other was a peanut. We lost both unfortunately.

10/24/2023

Pics added.

A litter of 3 (2 viable) blue otters born today from Smitty's Big Momma and Hilbert's Lil' Jimmy!!

Update she had a 4th. So now 3 viable kits. This one a blue self.

10/21/2023

Just realized I never posted pictures of the rabbits from convention.

Smitty's General 4/22 Chestnut Sr. Buck Youth
Heavenly Hopper's Iceman 1/2 Himi Jr. Buck Youth
Bonde's Bandit 9/14 Broken Jr. Buck Open

10/20/2023

A natural poser at 11 days!!

10/20/2023

Eyes fully open. A chestnut and a black otter.

10/14/2023

Well, after a llloooonnnggg week at convention, and then taking Taylynn to Pigeon Forge for a few days for her birthday, we got home and checked the convention babies!! They are now 6 days old. I believe the front one is a black otter, the back one is a chestnut.

10/09/2023

Oh, and I forgot to mention we had convention babies Sunday morning when we got up!!

2 little brokens from our broken black otter buck Pongo and RFB's chestnut Daphne!!

10/09/2023

Long post warning!!!

First let me say, sorry there aren't any pictures. We will get pictures of the rabbits Tuesday!!

As most of you know, we started our journey of showing rabbits about a year ago. Never in my wildest imagination would I have thought it would become what it has! We had made some incredible friends and met some incredible people in this last year. Without them, we certainly wouldn't be at the point we are so quickly.

To see Taylynn at rabbit show is almost amazing. She almost becomes a different person. She is truly in her element at a rabbit show.

When they asked for runners at the ARBA convention on Sunday, she asked if she could help, we said yes, and off she went. She ran rabbits for judges for almost 8 hours and never once complained (except when she was hungry lol).

To the Team KY kids, I want to thank each of you for raking Taylynn under you wings in such a short period of time and helping her along her way. I know she didn't get to hang out at home base much this week, but she looks up to many of you. She can't wait to be bigger part of the team going forward. We hope you all crush whatever competitions you were in!!

Also thank you to Luke and Melinda for believing in her and inviting her to be a part of Team KY.

On to the ARBA Convention!! Judging was held Sunday. And while not expecting to do anything on the tables, we always had hope. Taylynn took 2 rabbits to compete with. Cathy bought a rabbit that was entered. Results are below.

Taylynn

Smitty's General Chestnut Sr Buck 4th out of 25
Heavenly Hopper's Iceman Himi Jr Buck 1st out of 2.

Cathy

Bonde's (no name right now) Broken Chetnut Jr Buck 9th out of 14

We can not be more pleased and thankful for these results. It was truly unexpected.

Thank you to all of you who have helped us this past year. Whether big or small, we wouldn't be here without each of you!!

09/23/2023

We went to Frankfort today for the Scott Co. 4-H Show. Had a pretty good day.

Specialty

Taylynn

BOSB, BOSG, BOV Smitty's General Chestnut Sr. Buck

BOV, BOG Hilbert's Lil'Jimmy Blue Self Sr. Buck

BOSV Hilbert's Leia Chestnut Jr Doe

BOSV, BOSG Hilbert's Basil Broken Black Otter Sr. Doe

Cathy

BOV, BOG Carroll's Chocolate Chip Jr. Broken Chocolate Buck

Show A Youth

Taylynn

BOV, BOG Hilbert's Lil' Jimmy

BOSV, BOSG, BOSB Hilbert's Leia

BOV Golden Star's Maverick Chinchilla Sr Buck

BOV, BOG Smitty's Twitch Blue Otter Sr. Buck

BOV, BOG Hilbert's Basil

BOSV, BOSG Heavenly Hopper's Iceman Lilac Himalayan Jr Buck

Show B Youth

Taylynn

BOV, BOG Hilbert's Lil' Jimmy

BOSV, BOSG, BOSB Hilbert's Leia

BOV Golden Star's Maverick

BOV, BOG Smitty's Twitch

BOV, BOG Heavenly Hopper's Iceman

BOSV, BOSG Hilbert's Basil

09/19/2023

General with his BOB award from Saturday.

09/17/2023

We made the trip to Bloomington, IN last night for the Gootee Benefit Show today. We had a good show!! Glad to be able to help out some great people while doing so.

Taylynn

Show A

BOB with Smitty's General Chestnut Sr. Buck
BOV BOG Hilbert's Lil Jimmy Blue Sr. Buck
BOSV Heavenly Hopper's Iceman Lilac Himalayan Jr Buck

Cathy

BOV BOG Carroll's Chocolate Chip Broken Jr. Buck

Shows B and C

Taylynn

BOV Hilbert's Lil Jimmy