06/13/2026
Sitting here on my front porch enjoying my coffee and listening to the birds sing, I felt like I needed to make this post.
As the 2026 Spring Show Season has come to an end, I truly hope Missouri exhibitors—youth, open, and especially parents involved with youth—take some time to reflect on the past few months and even the past year as we enter the Fall Show Season with renewed purpose, better attitudes, and true sportsmanship.
The vindictiveness, trash talk at shows and online, tattooing to retaliate, cheating, twisting stories and forming cliques solely for personal gain are things that are hurting our hobby far more than helping it.
Let’s bring back KINDNESS.
Let’s bring back open arms to new exhibitors, teaching and mentoring, genuine friendships, honesty, and FUN competition.
At the end of the day, the best competition is the one within your own barn—striving to make your own herd better. If your only goal is to beat everyone else on the table, are you truly focusing on improving your rabbits, or are you too focused on someone else’s?
Yes, you can go out and buy all the rabbits you want to win, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with showing purchased rabbits. In fact, doing so gives the breeder the recognition they deserve and allows you to learn from judges’ comments and better understand how those rabbits complement your own program.
But I promise you, there is just something special about those homegrown wins. Those are the moments that make all the hard work worthwhile.🤎🤍
And let’s not forget—keeping a rabbit in top show condition is a skill in itself. You can take the best rabbit in the country and ruin it through poor care and conditioning. So while the breeder deserves credit for producing that rabbit, you deserve credit for presenting it and keeping it at its very best.
Most know that I am a very straightforward person, and if you find yourself feeling attacked by this post, perhaps you are the one who needs to take the most reflection. This is not directed at any one person, but rather a call for all of us—including myself—to take a hard look at how we represent ourselves, our barns, and this hobby we claim to love.
My hope for Fall 2026 and the years to come is simple:
More kindness. More mentorship. More honesty. More friendships. More laughter. More good sportsmanship.
Because at the end of the day, we’re all here for the same reason…
The love of the breed. 🩵
And most importantly, do better for the youth. I don’t even have a youth in this Hobby but I see what’s happening. So remember—They are watching, listening, and learning from the examples we set. Ribbons fade, points reset, and wins come and go, but our character and the legacy we leave behind will always matter far more. 🤍
If you are experiencing this within your state—feel free to share and add too it…
Photo credit of Homestead Holler’s Arlo 🤎
