Troy Ihrke
from Gilroy CA |
|
How may years have you raised Dutch? |
Over 15 years |
What recognized varieties do you raise? |
Black, Blue, Chocolate, Gray, Steel |
What non-recognized varieties do you own? |
Chinchilla, Chocolate Agouti, Chocolate Steel |
When using other breeds of rabbits in the development of these new colors, it will take many years to get animals that consistently show a good Dutch type. What about the colors we could have just crossing the varieties we already have? Lilac Dutch for example were very popular back in the days of the AOV class. |
Color is only one element of our breed. We have only 10 points on color. If the Dutch has color it gets at least 3-5 points. The only time color should come up is for best of breed or the judge needs to look at the other things a little closer (50 % markings and 25% type). If you really study the standard the Dutch is only two-thirds color and one-third white. People forget about the 3 1/3 points for white that every Dutch has. Color is about drawing interest to the breed and keeping it. Do we want to be a BIG CLUB or a little club??? |
If we start adding new colors of Dutch to the Standard will we get carried away with the entire thing? for example, the Netherland Dwarfs and Mini-Rex. Will this benefit our club or the Dutch breed? |
More colors mean more breeders which means more money for the club along with better rabbits. This is the one problem that Dutch have, not that many colors can be breed to each other. If the club wants to change with the times then they need to add more varieties or lose those breeders to the other breeds. Its one or the other, simple question. |
Will the Chinchilla Dutch complement the Gray and/or Steel varieties? This would still need to be proven. |
Chins should be breed to chins, best case. Since they are both AGOUTI pattern varieties you can bred them together without worry about any DQ's. When breeding chin to steels remember that a steel is an add or take out color. So a steel is bred to a self/agouti pattern depending on its color. Plus the Chin will bring back the silver steels that we have lost to the gold steels. |
Would the Red Dutch complement any other colors? |
Think long and hard about this color. You breed this color to Torts you will have a red-tort (Whatever color you want to call it). It will create more harm in the future then good. |
Instead of adding more classes of Dutch to be judged, would it be better to have an agouti class in place of the Gray? |
If the SOP Committee and ARBA directors will go for that. I see the Chins being bigger then steel, tort, choc, and gray. Just have to wait or give them some time. The only thing Dutch members need to be afraid of is that this is the one color that could very easily be the best color! No more blacks winning top awards. With Chins winning that might mean the silver steels will win a little more too. All possible! |
At many shows the number of Steels shown is not very good. Will more colors hurt the Steel numbers even more? Plus will it add to having more varieties with poor showings? |
What does adding another color have to do with a color that is not shown that much any way? Maybe the Dutch club should add Blue and Chocolate to go with the Blacks now. The base color is not the actual color, remember that a Steel is a TICKED PATTERN!!! We have 3 self colors why not have 3 self in the steels? |
Having more colors of Dutch may just add interest from people who haven't raised Dutch before. |
That is called "Promoting" our great breed!!! If you do not want to do that (Promote Dutch) maybe you should think about another breed. Florida White has only one variety. |
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