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A.R.B.A. Bulletin
Meet The Two New Board Members
P. M. "PETE" LEEUWENBERG Salt Lake City, Utah
D. F. "DICK" PARKER Birmingham, Alabama
Plans Are Fast Taking Form for the Annual Convention and Show
Plans for the 31st Annual ARBA Convention and show to be held at York, Pennsylvania, are fast rounding into shape. The show officials have been selected and the breed chairmen appointed. These various committees are day by day meeting, planning, and organizing the work so as to give to the rabbit breeders of America one of the most outstanding conventions and shows ever to be held by the Association. The general chairman is Allen F. Bahn, R. D. 3, York, Pennsylvania; vice-chairman, Donald H. Gohn, 1418 West Market Street, York, Pennsylvania, and Thomas Poet, R. D. 1, Dover, Pennsylvania.
The general superintendent of the show will be J. Earl Mickley, Box 14, Thomasville, Pennsylvania; show secretary, Mrs. Allen F. Bahn, R. D. 3, York, Pennsylvania; show treasurer, Paul Gunnet, R. D. 1, Spring Grove, Pennsylvania; Hotel Reservations, Mrs. Clarence Frey, R. D. 1, York, Pennsylvania.
At the suggestion of Charles Pine, the president of ARBA, the Convention will open officially on Saturday, October 23 and wind up on Wednesday, October 27. It has been felt that by opening on a weekend it will boost the attendance considerably, for many people will be able to attend on a Saturday or Sunday that would not be able to get away from their jobs during the week. The larger the crowd on judging days, the more carriers and writers will be available. The hotel managers have explained that on a weekend they can offer approximately 150 more rooms than at the beginning of the week when they are loaded by traveling people, such as salesmen, etc.
The Show will be held in the spacious buildings of the York Interstate Fairgrounds, which is the most beautiful and best equipped fairgrounds in the East. The Pet Stock building, in which the rabbits and cages will be cooped and judged, has more than 3,000 modern coops and space for additional ones if needed. Therefore, there will be no need to limit the number of entries.
This building also has five offices in which the clerical duties that go with a well-conducted show can be carried out. There are a number of large buildings all located just a few steps from the Pet Stock building providing an abundance of facilities for meetings, displays, and especialty booths and storage. All walks, driveways, and parking areas are paved, thus eliminating the possibility of muddy conditions in the case of inclement weather.
York, Pennsylvania, is located on the Lincoln highway, U. S. 30, “The Main Street of America." It is 50 miles north of Baltimore, Maryland, 25 miles south of Harrisburg (Pennsylvania’s State Capitol) 90 miles west of Philadelphia, (The City of Brotherly Love) and 200 miles east of Pittsburgh (the home of the ARBA). This places York in southeastern Pennsylvania within a few miles of the very heart of the Pennsylvania Dutch country. The city of York has ample hotel
and motel facilities with headquarters at the Hotel Yorktowne. The manager of this hotel is the chairman for the Chamber of Commerce Convention Committee of York.
The transportation facilities in reaching York are excellent. The city is served by two railways, which are the Pennsylvania Railroad and the Western Maryland Railroad. In addition to this, York is served by the Grayhound Bus Lines, and airway facilities can be had easily as the city is served by the TWA, Capital and Allegheny Air Lines.
Now is the time for every person who plans to attend the 31st Annual Convention and Show to make arrangements for hotel accommodations and work out his transportation problems.
Resolution Committee Is Now Ready for Action
CARL KROBOTH, Chairman
This committee has not had anything to do so far, simply because the majority of the members and affiliated clubs of the ARBA usually wait until the last minute to send in the resolutions they wish to submit to the membership at the annual meeting. This did not work to much of a hardship on the committee in past years, as the resolutions were published as submitted at the required time and then acted on at the annual meeing. However President Pine made it quite clear to the committee that he expected just a little more this year.
In accordance with the By-Laws all resolutions must be in the hands of the Resolutions Committee 60 days prior to the annual meeting. This means that the deadline on receiving resolutions will be August 25th. The By-Laws also provide that resolutions must be
published in magazines designated by the board of the ARBA at least 30 days prior to the annual meeting which will make it necessary to publish the resolutions in the September issue of the magazine and in order to have them published in the September issue, copy must be mailed to them about August 10th. It is therefore very important that all resolutions are received not later than August 1st, to allow the committee to fulfill its obligations. In compliance with the By-Laws the committee must review the resolutions and coordinate those dealing with the same subject. It must prepare an opinion on each resolution, covering its constitutionality and anticipated effect, together with a recommendation for adoption or rejection. Since the members of this committee, consisting of Carl Kro-both, Lexington, Ky.; Chas. A. Wade, Little Rock, Ark.; and J. E. Holtzinger, Altoona, Pa., live a considerable distance apart, all this will have to be done by mail and will consume a certain amount of time. We therefore urge all members and affiliated clubs of the ARBA to mail in any resolutions they wish to submit as early as possible.
One very important rule, dealing with alterations and amendments of our Constitution and By-Laws should be kept in mind. Article IX, Section 3 of the Constitution and Article VI, Section 3 of the By-Laws provide that our Constitution or By-Laws can be altered or amended only every five years starting after the 1953 Convention unless the resolution be signed by twenty-five (25) or more members in good standing of the ARBA. No resolution dealing with a change in the Constitution or By-Laws can therefore be given any consideration unless it is signed by at least 25 members in good standing.
All resolutions must be mailed to the Chairman of the committee, Carl Kroboth, 107 Westwood Drive, Lexington, Ky.
Volume One JUNE, 1954 Number Five
A. R. B. A. BULLETIN
Official Publication of the AMERICAN RABBIT BREEDERS ASSOCIATION, INC.
OBJECTS
“—To maintain a registration and recording system—afford memberships to persons interested in breeding and marketing rabbits and allied products—promote and conduct public and private exhibitions—provide judging systems—license its official judges and registrars —make and revise official standards—organize and assist local, county and state associations, and specialty clubs—maintain information bureaus—furnish at cost, bulletins, guide books and other printed matter—investigate markets —assist in marketing, wihout profit—assist in securing legislation and publicity—hold annual conventions of its members and directors.”
MEMBERSHIP FEE $3.00 PER YEAR
Address all comments, suggestions and articles pertaining to the Bulletin to:
A. FRANK MARTIN, Editor Oklahoma A. & M. College Stillwater, Oklahoma Assistant Editors:
L. L. Walker C. M. H. 144, Box 92 Charlotte 3, North Carolina
John Mette Box 1642, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, California
OFFICERS
Charles A. Pine...............President
John C. Fehr .... Vice-President Dr. Max R. Andrews . Treasurer
James Blyth..................Secretary
Fred Applegate Vern N. Ashton Vincent Hunter Cyril Lowit
DIRECTORS
P. M. “Pete” Leeuwenberg
L. A. Schultze L. A. Schutze Edward H. Stahl D. F. “Dick” Parker
Address all communications concerning business matters, renewals, new membership applications, non-receipt of Bulletins, changes of address, etc., to:
JAMES BLYTH, Secretary 4323Z Murray Avenue Pittsburgh 17, Pa.
Death Claims Veteran Judge and Registrar
Word has just been received that Marion Stoner of Wichita, Kansas, veteran judge and registrar, passed away on Saturday, May 22. Death came as the result of a cerebral hemorrhage.
It was reported that Marion judged a show at Kansas City on May 15 and 16, returned home in what seemed perfect health. On Wednesday evening while visiting a friend and viewing a television program, he slumped over in a chair and was rushed to the hospital where he died on Saturday, May 22.
Marion was well known to the rabbit breeders of the middle west states as well as the southwestern section where he was a very outstanding judge. He was an active breeder and boosted the American every time he had a chance. His friendly smile at meetings and at the show table will long be remembered.
REMEMBER THE DATE
National Convention and Show York, Pa., Oct. 23-27, 1954
THE PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
Nearly one-half of 1954 is behind us so it is worthwhile to take stock and try to evaluate just what has been done, what has gone well and what hasn’t gone so well. Perhaps the last phrase is somewhat of an admission but it seems to me if we are ever to really attain power the mistakes should be mentioned also in order that they can be avoided in the future.
On the prideful side the energetic work of some of our Committees has been a bright spot. Nearly all new Committee Chairmen were chosen this year and some new Committees started this year. The Membership Service Committee has done an outstanding job—they have lined up the ARBA movie and are handling it in good shape; have nearly completed plans to modernize our show supplies which should be ready by fall; have recommended the adoption of an advertising circular and several other things. But most important is that we now have an impartial group of five men, none of them officers or directors, who will receive and consider any suggestion from any members and either recommend adoption to the Board or tell the suggestor that the idea just won’t work right now.
The Adverising and Planning Committee completed an excellent Guide Book—many say it is the best we have yet issued.
The Publicity Department is developing plans for a better ARBA Bulletin—by the time you read this you can evaluate at first hand how they are doing—but my guess is you’ll say it is a good job!
The Youth Committee is working to develop some new literature—we had been out for some time so they had to, just about make a new start but I’m pleased with what they have have done.
One of our unsung groups, the Constitution Committee, has had plenty of business and has handled it in good shape.
The Chairman of the Commercial Department has appeared at several schools this year and as usual done a fine job for those who attended. I am told that some of his Department have also appeared at schools and I see where one is scheduled in Pennsylvania this month (June) with a member of the Commercial Department on the program.
Our Election, Resolutions and Credentials Committees all have their work before them as they are “single purpose” outfits. By the way I wish to announce that the Chairman of he Election Committee is Ward Hatcher, Louisville, Ky. The Election Commitee was shifted in location this year as I feel it is good policy to locate this function in different sections of the country periodically and as the Election Committee had been in California for two years it seemed logical to move to the Southeastern section. However, Ellis Murray and his Committee in California did an excellent job for us and have set a precedent for accuracy and promptness that is indeed a very high standard.
I have been particularly pleased at the way some of the State Representatives are approaching their job. This shows real promise of being the means of bringing the American closer to the “grass roots” and at the same time bringing the members just a little closer to he Board. However, his system is still under study for improvement but up to now it looks like a good one.
What hasn’t gone too well—I’d say the first thing is that we (the Board) made a mistake on issuing of the Guide Books and as a result “fouled up” by issuing them piecemeal and some members were rightfully pretty mad when they didn’t get their books on time. Hope we can get this all straightened out by late summer. This was the result of several little misjudgments and I mention it to bring out that it wasn’t the Secretary’s fault alone but was the result of a decision by the Board (I’m included in that) that looked good at the time but turned out to be a sour one. Hope you’ll understand and excuse the delay—we won’t make that mistake again!
Next, I don’t feel sure yet that we are getting enough constructive suggestions on just what is expected, desired or needed from our Commercial Department. Here is a capable Committee under a good Commercial man yet I don’t feel the general membership takes full advantage of their potentialities. I think we need more constructive thoughts and suggestions from the membership about what is wanted and what you believe would be helpful in developing the commercial aspects of the rabbit business and less blind and carping criticism about what we haven’t done. WHAT DO YOU WANT DONE NOW?
As a general thought I don’t think many of us read our Constitution and By-Laws—our operating rules—and I believe this applies to about all of us. I get a number of letters asking me to do things or to take action that is prohibited by our Constitution or By-Laws. I have no choice other than to “live by them" as that is my obligation as an officer. You, the membership, wrote them so why not all of you look up some of the provisions before you get too mad about some of the methods of operation.
The Committee at Washington has held several meetings and is doing a fine job in keeping us currently informed on Governmental regulations and opinions. In addition they arc working on a revision of the Fair Trade Practices code pertaining to the rabbit business.
The 1954 Election Committee appointed by President Pine is:
Ward Hatcher, Louisville, Ky., Chairman; George E. Greenwell, Joe Gognat, Mrs. Lorine Hatcher, and Edward Toebbe.
I feel that we, the Board, have to be more vigilant in our management policies as more of your membership dollar can be saved there than most anyplace. This is to be the main topic at our midyear Board meeting scheduled for July.
The Board will meet in Kansas City in late July so if you have any item that you want discussed be sure to advise your nearest Director of your thoughts. The Board is your governing body but surely needs to know your desires in order to develop the ideas you have in mind.
As a personal appeal—I want to close by again asking you registrars to have a look at your work for this year and see how you can increase your registration. Next, to the Clubs and membership in general—ARE YOU HELPING US TO INCREASE OUR MEMBERSHIP? How many new members have you obtained this year? We can and will work to improve the rabbit industry but we need membership strength to do that—depending on each of you we hope to have:
“1,000 MORE IN FIFTY-FOUR."
Sincerely yours
CHARLES A. PINE, President.
Shall We Change The Date of National Rabbit Week?
Value of Registered Rabbits
By IVAN MILLER, ARBA Registrar
I have been asked to write an article on registered rabbits. First of all, I think a breeder who keeps his stock registered at all times is far ahead of the game. I mean by this as years go by, if you have your stock, red, white, and blue, it will be much easier to sell your stock as breeders. The buyer will look at a pedigree and if this pedigree is filled with registered numbers, he will know the ancestors behind this rabbit were all good stock. I have been raising rabbits the better part of my life and I know by experience that the classes in a show are getting better by the year. This goes for commercial as well as fancy.
The Commercial breeders are improving their stock by leaps and bounds. Also, this is true of the fancy breeders. These breeders are culling and selecting the best specimens. If one of these good specimens has a red white and blue pedigree, you have some very fine blood lines behind this rabbit. I get a thrill going around from rabbitry to rabbitry. It is the best experience a fellow who is planning to be a rabbit judge can have. By doing this job of registering rabbits, you will learn many breeds and what each breed must have to be a good rabbit.
These remarks you put on a register blank are very important because the individual registering rabbits will go by your remarks. If the rabbit is a good one, tell them so and if it is not so good, let them know that also.
This will help him in selecting his breeders. Let’s all try, if we are asked by a breeder to register his rabbits, to do the job well, and we will be repaid by better rabbits on the show table and also benefit the commercial rabbitries.
Always remember we have a standard set up for us to follow. Let’s see that we do just this. The ARBA has the finest registering system in the U. S. Let's keep it that way.
The Tops in Registrars
Some gain in registration was shown during the quarter ending March 31 (the second quarter in this fiscal year). Here are the TOP TEN REGISTRARS for the quarter:
1. Dan Law, Oregon, and
2. Vern Ashton, Ohio, TIE.
3. H. B. Williams, Illinois
4. Harry Hurlburt, New York
5. Don Lovejoy, Ohio
6. Dick F. Parker, Alabama
7. O. N. Breid, Missouri
8. Art Nelson, Colorado
9th and 10th, tied: Marshall Hazard, Illinois; T. H. Ayers, Illinois; Dr. Max Andrews, Indiana; Bob Shoptaw, Indiana; Charley Pine, Kansas; Mrs. Doris Leibel, Minnesota; Harold Johnson, Michigan; Dr. B. E. Krajicek, Nebraska.
For the first six months of this fiscal year here are the TOP TEN PRODUCERS:
1. Harry Hurlburt, New York, 100 blanks.
2. Vern Ashton, Ohio, 80 blanks.
3. Don Lovejoy, Ohio, 70 blanks.
4. Ivan Miller, Illinois, 70 blanks
5. W. D. Harwood, Oklahoma, 60 blanks.
6. Dan Law, Oregon, 60 blanks.
7. Dr. B. E. Krajicek, Nebraska, 60 blanks.
8. O. N. Breid, Missouri, 60 blanks.
9. Harold Johnson, Michigan, 60 blanks.
10. Art Nelson, Colorado, 60 blanks.
For some time there has been much discussion about a change in date for National Rabbit Week. Some feed companies are conducting a survey on the idea. With this in mind, Charles A. Pine, President of the American Rabbit Breeders Association, has asked the ARBA Bulletin to present the question of a change to the membership of the American—in an effort to get the desire of the members. We urge you to give this your careful consideration and send in your vote immediately.
VOTE ON NATIONAL RABBIT WEEK
There have been many opinions expressed as to the best time to hold National Rabbit Week. In order to provide the membership an opportunity to express themselves on this question the following comments and a ballot is offered.
A summary of the views on advantages and disadvantages of the two dates generally suggested, February or July, is as follows:
FEBRUARY ADVANTAGES
r. Not much competition at this time from other weeks or big holidays.
2. Cold weather, therefore a good meat eating season.
3. Some of the big feed companies prefer this date (unconfirmed).
FEBRUARY DISADVANTAGES
1. Sales are generally good at this time of year—why concentrate promotion on an already good season.
2. This period follows a normally low production season (fall) so the stock of meat rabbits is generally lowest at this time.
JULY ADVANTAGES
1. Sales are down at this time—why not boost a weak season by offering rabbit meat as a competitor to chicken for picnic lunches, summer dishes, etc.
2. This follows a good production season (spring) so a better supply of fryers is available.
JULY DISADVANTAGES
1. Due to the hot weather this is not a favorable time to sell meat.
2. Due to the heat it is generally not easy to sponsor programs, dinners, and similar promotional events. Publicity may also be tougher.
The above are not intended as all of the reasons that can be offered pro and con for or again either date but do represent a fair cross section.
In addition to this poll a canvass of each local club is proposed within the next month. Please be sure your club acts on this question when the letter is received. With your help a good CROSS SECTION of opinion can be obtained.
WHICH DATE DO YOU PREFER? PLEASE VOTE YOUR CHOICE MARK YOUR BALLOT AND MAIL IT TODAY
Please Fill Out and Mail to:
A. Frank Martin, Editor,
A. R. B. A. Bulletin,
325 North Husband,
Stillwater, Oklahoma
□ I favor the February date for National Rabbit Week
□ I favor July for National Rabbit Week
□ I Favor........................for National Rabbit Week
Month
Signed.................................................................
Address....................................................
My ARBA Card No....
President Pine Suggests Research Project
Have you ever had the frustrating experience of a severe rabbit problem such as heavy losses of young, a stubborn case of watery eye or a similar trouble and then tried to find, out why and what to do? Chances are, if you have rabbits long, you will have had that experience repeated many times—I have! For that reason I have long felt that one of our greatest needs was for a sound, well coordinated research program on a continuing basis.
Accordingly, in my first letter to the Board of Directors, I suggested the thought of an ARBA membership sponsored fund for research with the money coming from the membership and administered by a non-office-holding group of our members who would help us to initiate and develop research projects at some of our State Colleges and Universities and other experimental units. The Board tentaively approved the idea so I am now advancing the thought to you, the membership.
Will your local club be willing to sponsor a benefit of some kind this year and turn the proceeds to the ARBA Research Fund? Do you as a member feel that you can support such a project by helping to raise funds and then if called on to help plan and locate such a project? Let me know your reaction to this idea.
I hope that you will join me in the thought that it is about time we made a united and intelligent effort to find the true answer to some of our problems that have been unsolved for years—like mucoid enteritis, high mortality rates and many others. Every year we wait to start a planned program delays the answer that much longer. Please let me know how you feel about this project.
CHARLES A. PINE, President
What I See, Hear,
And Think
By JOHN C. FEHR All Local Associations Attention
Did you know that the By-Laws of the ARBA association with which you arc chartered require the following. Quote: “All local associations affiliated with the ARBA Association shall file a complete list of their members' names and addresses, including ARBA Association membership at the time of renewal or charter or application for a charter.” Unquote. Are you doing this? If not, you are not living up to your obligation and duty, and you are not being fair to your parent association.
There has been considerable fault finding relative to what the ARBA Association is doing and not doing. I shall very shortly come out in my department and shall explain just what the ARBA is and has been doing for you.
Your president has appointed a number of committees. He has outlined one of the most progressive programs ever attempted. To make this successful we must have more finances. Every resolution presented at our last several conventions that would have given us more revenue have been defeated .
Did you know that for every $3 membership the ARBA spend about $7? The 1954 Guide Book is worth more than the membership fee. The Beginners Book is interesting thousands; there are your future members and customers.
These two items alone are worth $10 to anyone interested in rabbits for exhibition or commercial purposes, not only from the interesting reading and information, but for the interest they are creating among beginners and prospective breeders. I know of what I speak, for I have carried a small ad in these, keyed by signing my name John Conrad Fehr. To date I have received over 500 replies to these ads. When this booklet gets into the hands of an interested party, you, your local association, the ARBA have another prospect.
But we must follow these up—so if our local clubs will send in a complete list of their members and those not members of the ARBA, we will have materia! to work with. It’s your duty to work on these non-members of the ARBA.
It’s because of your parent body that you can have official shows, that your shows arc being judged by our official judges, that you have our official standards by which your rabbits are being judged. You have the privilege of our registration system, our ad-
vanced Red, White, and Blue registration. Yes, the ARBA is doing all this but is not getting the support and cooperation it should from is members, the local associations, nor the various state and specialty clubs.
The ARBA just cannot prosper and expand as it should if it must give so much and receive so little.
I am surprised at some of the questions put to me from officers of various rabbit associations, when in fact, all these questions are answered in our Guide Book. On investigating I often find that none of the officers of these local clubs arc members of the ARBA yet they put on official shows. These are the ones who usually complain about some action taken by our parent body. If you are a member of your local union, I am sure you have the rules and regulations laid down by the national or international association. Don’t condemn ARBA because of some member going wrong. I was a charter member of Local No. 41, Sheet Metal Workers Union, at one time our business agent went South with all the money in the treasury. Was the Union to blame? Just recently I saw where a preacher, a married man, eloped with the organist. Can we condemn religion because of this? Let’s all get more broadminded, and instead of trying to find fault and the weak spots in our organizations, let's sing out the good we are doing and have done. Let’s build up, for we have a real foundation, and not tear down. I assure you that even though you may be one of the fault finders you will feel better if you would get behind us and help push.
I see where a party in one of our magazines made a remark that nine out of ten rabbit breeders are commercial minded. If this be a fact, why not join up with us, for you will then have full control and will be able to get and do whatever you want. For in this good old U. S. A. majority still rules.
Special Notice to Judges
I have again run across a case where a judge gave a rabbit a third with only the one in the class. I had quite an argument at Portland on this point with one of our prominent judges. If this is again called to my attention, I shall feel at liberty to mention names.
Please turn to page 272 in your Guide Book; section 18 reads as follows, quoting from our official show rules: “When only one rabbit is competing in a class, a judge shall use his own good judgment. If in his opin-ion the animal would place in good competition, it shall be given a first. If not, it shall
not be placed, and a notation be made by the judge ‘Unworthy of an Award.’ He may if he wishes go into detail and explain his decision. At no time shall a single rabbit in a class be given 2nd, 3rd, 4th, or 5th. It shall be either worthy of a 1st with only one in class or not placed with the above remarks." Unquote.
This again shows that even some of our judges do not keep up to date on new rules and regulations. There are a number of changes and new rules, so it is important that every member read carefully every page of our new Guide Book; and by all means, all members of local clubs and specialty clubs should be members of the ARBA, for regardless of what breed you are interested in, it’s the parent body that is giving you national publicity.
Things I Like About A Well-Run Show
By DORIS LEIBEL
About this time of year a good share of the rabbit raisers are busy attending the various rabbit shows over the nation. These shows as a whole are well managed with the sponsoring club making every effort to please the public and the exhibitors. I have noticed a definite up-swing in obtaining publicity for the show. This is a wonderful trend. If the public doesn’t know that there is a rabbit show, you aren’t fulfilling one of the prime reasons for putting on this exhibit. Why do we work so hard to have a show? To get together with our friends- “Yes.” To obtain sweepstake points? "Yes." To beat the other fellow with our super-duper rabbits? “Yes,” if we can, but also to present to the public a fine display of our rabbit industry. It has been said before and will continue to be true “that the rabbit show is the window of our rabbit industry.” Let those interested in the meat end set up a freezer with a meat display. As I think of this I also think of the fine display that Mr. Haskins had at the St. Louis, Missouri, show. Those that are interested in the toy novelties could have a very fine exhibit in the showroom. This could also be profitable if they should choose to sell from their booth. The various feed mills have displays that they would make available to the show committees. These would dress up the showroom considerably. Have you seen the fine rabbit act that General Mills, Larro Feeds has? The Basket Ball Shooting Bunny is the center of attraction wherever he goes.
The shows that I have attended so far this year have been just grand. Upon entering the showroom there is always someone to come up and say “hello.” The rabbit entries have been put away in an efficient manner. I’ve never once seen them without feed and water, especially water. I like to see the rabbits weighed upon entry into the showroom. The judging has been starting on time and proceeding in an orderly manner. Here I would like to mention the Membership Service Committee. They are doing a wonderful job in standardizing the secretarial supplies; as I understand it there will also be a manual on the proper procedure of handling the details at the show. A lot of confusion on the judging table will be eliminated as a result of this splendid work. At the end of the Iowa State Show at Clarinda, Iowa, I was handed my premium check, ribbons, and judges’ remarks. Within the week came a report on the entire show. This was on a 650-head show, so it can be done. Someone worked awfully hard, though, very possibly the show secretary, Don Guthrie.
The Editor’s Corner
When your editor was asked to edit the ARBA Bulletin some six months ago we knew but very little about the publication, its purpose and objectives. Again, our years of association with the rabbit breeders, registrars, judges and the leaders in the American were few.
During the past few weeks we have tried to shape up what President Charles Pine said to us when he stated that he wanted a new ARBA Bulletin that would well serve the members of the association, one that would give the readers new ideas, usable suggestions, valuable experiences and human interest stories as they are actually lived.
So we are offering you this issue as our first efforts. We have solicited some fifty people, asking for news articles. We have avoided discussions of any nature for which we are not qualified to be a judge. We hope we are offering you articles, first run, and not warmed over. Any state or national magazine or club bulletin that wishes to use these articles are welcome to do so.
We arc grateful for the help we have received. We hope others will respond with excellent new articles for we will be glad to pass them on. We solicit new ideas, suggestions and above all your help and confidence. May we hear from you in the future.
A. FRANK MARTIN, Editor.
ARBA Bulletin.
Rabbit Fur Could Be Important
By HARLOW B. GEORGE
In March ARBA Bulletin an article by V. S. Winchester titled “Rabbit Fur Is Important” advocates the value of breeding for fur quality to meet the requirements of the fur trade. This is fine as far as it goes, BUT what incentive does the breeder have to concentrate on fur quality improvement when he knows he will scarcely receive enough to pay transportation charges to his “market” much less enough to cover his actual labor in shaping and otherwise handling the raw furs?
Mr. Winchester assures us the fur market will improve shortly and then proceeds to prove himself wrong by admitting that fur prices for domestic pelts haven’t improved during the past eight years! What indications point to an imminent change within the next eight years?
We breeders do have one practical solution open to us. We should organize a fur marketing cooperative like those now successfully operated by the other fur breeders. Everyone would have to join and cooperate for it to work. The threat of imported skins could be reduced if we could control the marketing of our own domestic crop. A powerful co-op would retain the services of a representative in Washington to promote legislation to curb excessive imports and low tariffs. The National Board of Fur Farming Organizations would probably work with us if we could show our willingness to organize and help ourselves.
Until our present “commercial” men on the ARBA Board are removed in favor of men who don’t ridicule a fur marketing cooperative, we will continue to slide backward in our pelt marketing problem as well as our other major marketing problems. If you believe that a fur marketing cooperative could benefit you, please tell your ARBA Board how you feel.
Eddie Parker Raises 'Em, Butchers 'Em, Cooks 'Em
Eddie Parker adopts three-way plan at Perry, Oklahoma
In the city of Ferry in the north central section of Oklahoma there is a restaurant owner by the name of Eddie Parker. Eddie has a most unique arrangement in which he raises rabbits, processes them, and sells them through his restaurant.
Mr. Parker has been in the restaurant business for 29 years. His place is known as the Kumback Lunch, which is recognized as one of the leading restaurants in northern Oklahoma where “Good food is served and the price is always right.” Eddie states that during the 29 years he has served more than 130,000 pounds of coffee, which would make at least 65 tons and would take twelve or fourteen five-ton trucks to transport this amount of coffee into Perry.
Eddie has a small processing plant located on the edge of town where during the past he has furnished his customers select steaks and “choicy" pork chops. He feeds out his cattle and hogs, processes them, and gives his customers the very best meat possible.
Recently Eddie became interested in rabbits. He joined his local association, started attending local, state, and national shows, and has built and stocked his modern, up-to-date rabbitry which accommodates some 50 docs. He started raising rabbits for his restaurant. He now processes from 50 to 100 rabbits each week and puts them in his large deep freeze. Fried rabbit appears as a special item on his menu, and it has become so popular that Eddie has had to buy rabbits from local breeders around his city in order to meet the demands of his customers.
It is a common thing for the customers to tell Mr. Parker how much they liked the fried rabbit, and he in turn will tell them that he has a fryer already dressed for serving. The customer quite often will purchase a rabbit to take home with him, and Eddie tell us that they never fail to come back for another.
Mr. Parker takes pride in his rabbitry, because he has some of the best breeding stock to be found in the United States. He can give you a discourse on how to raise rabbits, the methods of processing, and even go into the profit side of the enterprise. What Mr. Parker is doing in the county seat town of Perry, Oklahoma can be done by most any resaurant man, either as a whole or in part, for he has built up a demand for rabbit meat that is unusual.
Evaluating Publicity
By L. L WALKER, Publicity Member
We all know that there is all kinds of publicity for any venture whatsoever and that at all times we should take advantage of it whenever it comes our way. There is always publicity present around us whether it be good or bad and it is our job to make that publicity as good as possible under any given circumstances. Recall the old saying, “Actions speak louder than words" and you will realize that that in itself is publicity whether we realize it or not. So we of the Domestic Rabbit Industry should take advantage of any opportunity that comes our way to capitalize on any publicity when it presents itself, for that opportunity may never present itself to us again.
Now if someone should ask for a value to be placed on publicity that would leave most of us out on a limb because I do not think there could be any set value placed on publicity except to say that publicity pays off always in either one of two ways and that is for good or bad depending on how we present ourselves for the rabbit industry. Not only is this true for the rabbit industry but it is true in all walks of life. We as individuals from day to day are constantly publicizing ourselves to everyone we come in contact with no matter whether we are conscious of it or not and so it is with our rabbits.
There is one thing that we all should bear in mind when doing this publicity for our rabbits and that is to be sure we can back up everything that we say about them. For if we cannot show proof of what we say about our rabbits then all of our publicity will surely backfire on us and all we have done will be in vain and we will find ourselves in a worse condition than if we had said nothing at all. We can all look back on some breeder we can think of and see either their rise or fall based on just this one fact as to whether they could back up what they said or not.
I am sure that each reader has had this experience or at least knows of a case of rabbit clubs in his vicinity that is at a standstill because of the lack or publicity or unfavorable publicity. Good publicity is oftentimes forgotten but just one bit of bad publicity will linger on and it is very difficult to overcome. We all know of both clubs and individual rabbitries that will fit into both of these classes and it certainly does not take a mind reader or an efficiency expert to tell which of these classes that we as individuals wish to be in.
There arc many different ways in which we can get this publicity for our club or rabbitry and I will say now that not all of it will work out as we plan it but it does work on an overall picture for our good if we set down and really plan out some sore of long range publicity campaign. In doing publicity there is one basic rule that I have followed and I am convinced that it is the most important rule in this business of publicity. That rule is: “Never think for one moment that your idea will not go over or that the person or persons to whom it is presented will turn you down on your idea.” Right here let me hasten to say that I do not mean that you will get turned down a lot of times, for you surely will many times. There is where your long-range publicity campaign has its advantages for if you have alternate publicity plans then if one idea does not click then try another and somewhere along the line you will get the desired results.
Another thing that makes the evaluation of publicity something hard to try and calculate is that there arc so many ways in which we (Continued on Page 6)
NEW JUDGE LICENSES ISSUED THE FIRST FOUR MONTHS OF 1954
Joe Baldauf _____________________614 Blanche Ave. ...............— .Lockland 15, Ohio
Floyd Carnes _______________________________________________________Aurora, Nebraska
Enid Densel ___ .. - ___ ______9647 Sierra Ave....................Fontana, California
James Vaughters ................ 1872 Valley Boulevard............Memphis, Tenn.
NEW REGISTRAR LICENSES ISSUED THE FIRST FOUR MONTHS OF 1954
C. Boulderson .....311 Woodlawn Ave., West .North Augusta, S. C.
Edward S. Cantrill .............Route 2, Box 241A .Albany, Oregon
Frank Gibson_____________________Box 74 ............................ Natoaka, W. Va.
G. J. Leger______________________Route 1, Box 639 — ---------Lake Charles, La.
John Hoblitzell ...... ..........Morris Bridge Rr., Rt. 6, Box 609 E. Tampa, Florida
Peggy Carter.....................Route 2, Box 786................... Lutz, Florida
Herbert Roell ...................610 23rd West ................-....Bradenton, Florida
J. L. Bidwell ....................Route 1, Box 2 ___________________Cedar Falls, Iowa
William H. Gibson ............. 3517 Given .........................Memphis, Tenn.
J. Earl Mickley ----------------------------------------------------Thomasville, Penn.
W. H. Cone ......................1508 Blonde .......................Wichita Falls, Texas
Cecil Johnson ....................323 South Wallace ................Bozeman, Montana
Emil C. Hahn.....................812 Garfield Ave. S. W............Canton, Ohio
Clinton Gibbs ...................Route 2 ..........................Mannsville, New York
Willard Young ...................Box 744 ......................Vista, California
Robert A. Hausman................Route 4, Box 8 ..........Victoria, Texas
Allen J. Hess ............................ . Jacobus, Penn.
EVALUATING PUBLICITY
(Continued From Page 5) can do his publicity work it is hard to tell which method that we use is really doing the work that we have set out o do. I am sure that you all are aware of the many different ways to get this publicity but anyway here are a few: personal conact, the way in which we keep our rabbits, our shows (nowhere is publicity on top of publicity. To get the publicity from our shows we have to first publicize the show itself), newspapers, radio and television.
In conclusion let me say that publicity has a very high value in any industry or endeavor whether is be a profit making or a non-profit making organization or a business. For instance the best product that can be had would be a total failure without the proper and constant publicity. For best results publicity must not stop with just one spurt from time to time but must be continued day in and day out the year round in order to keep whatever we are trying to publicize before the public at all times. Again I must say that I do not mean that we should not have certain days or week set aside to more fully empha-sibe our product for one that is a must. The main object in this business of publicity is to keep the product before the public all the time. To capitalize fully on this business of publicity it is imperative that a stronger effort be put forth from time to time with a definite goal in mind to get the most out of our publicity.
Abbreviation Dictionary For Rabbit Shows
AGNES J. SANDERSON, Nebraska State R. & C. Breeders Ass'n.
This is a subject that has been batted around among rabbit breeders for a long time. Judges' remarks and how to read them. For example, I will copy the remarks on one rabbit to show what I mean.
This was on a Checkered Giant. Judges' remarks on Coop Card “EH EBS VGFC LCOTB VGBL ECIT-CSC-VGS-RSMC-VGC.''
Judges’ comments on show secretary’s report, same rabbit “FGC-CM-R-F BF-VGS-RSC-VGC-E Type, Ears, Head & Bone.”
With over 30 years of raising Checkers behind us, we are not quite sure that some of the remarks are, so you can imagine the confusion it would cause in the mind of a new breeder. Many breeders feel that something should be done about the situation, and it does not seem like it is much of a problem.
With something basic for both writers and judges to shoot at, it would be comparatively simple for both. Those who are willing to take down remarks at a show, naturally cannot take down everything in long hang, so they must abbreviate with no uniform system of abbreviations to go on. When the exhibitor tries to read these, it turns into a guessing game, and he hopes he is guessing right.
The following resolution was sent to the
Resolutions Committee, brought up and voted down at the 1953 ARBA Convention: RESOLUTION NO. 11
Realizing the necessity of a uniform system of abbreviations of terms commonly used by judges in judging shows, also as a guide to the clerks, we submit:
Resolved that the ARBA prepare an abbreviated list of terms commonly used by judges in judging shows and that this list be added to the official show rules of the ARBA. Further, that this list be followed by ARBA registered judges and clerks taking remarks at sanctioned shows.
I talked to and received letters from several who were at the Convention (we didn't make it) and all seemed to have a different version of why it was voted down, so I will not give any of them. Nevertheless, it seems to be a subject that those showing rabbits arc interested in: and those that I have contacted are in favor of the resolution. This being true, we would like to have the opinion of others on the subject. I will be glad to receive letters and will keep them on file, hoping that we will get enough for a general opinion.
If such a system were set up, it could be used as part of the educational portion of rabbit club meetings and tests given periodically, making it possible to get competent clerks at a moment's notice. The NR&CBA has 2 or 3 rabbits brought to each meeting by different members, and about a half hour is taken up with judging and discussion on these: so in our case a test could be run each month. Clubs that do not have this judging at their meetings could add something to the education of their members by trying this idea.
One last word about clerks. In many cases not enough thought is giving to their hear-ing range when taking comments. If the clerks are seated back of the judge, it is almost impossible for them to catch everything he says. Since most judges are right handed, the best position for the clerks is near the left front corner of the judging tables, since most of his comments will be toward that direction. In the case of a left handed judge, the clerks will get the comments easier if they arc near the right front corner of the judging table.
This may seem like a minor problem but each small amount of improvement we make is always one step forward.
REMEMBER THE DATE
National Canvention and Show
York, Pa., Oct. 23-27, 1954
AMERICAN RABBIT BREEDERS ASSOCIATION, INC.
4323Z Murray Avenue, Pittsburgh 17, Pa.
APPLICATION BLANK
James Blyth, Secretary
4323Z Murray Avenue, Pittsburgh 17, Pa.
Sure, I want to belong to the American Rabbit Breeders Association, Inc. I want to do my part and help make the rabbit industry one of the largest meat and fur producers in the country. I'll be glad to abide by its Constitution and By-Laws. Enclosed find $3.00 for a year's membership. You are to send me free the big 320 page Official Guide Book and my membership card.
(Return and Forwarding Postage Guaranteed)
Section 34.66 P.L.&R. U. S. POSTAGE
PAID
Pittsburgh, Pa. Permit No. 1613
Ted Wengert 2830 Kinsey Avenue Rockford, Ill.
Name
Address______
City-------------------------------State_____________
Check: □ New Member □ Renewal POSTMASTER: Form 3547 Requested