Heavy Heart

Wooley babies having a snack.

Nap time after lunch.

Mom got the comfy spot.

The rabbit world is filled with lovely people and when one of them leaves us it makes for a very heavy heart. Brian Hartzel is one of the reasons that I added Jersey Woolies back into my herd after many years without. He made such improvements in the breed that I felt they were back to being a wool breed again rather than a Netherland Dwarf having a bad hair day. Many years ago daughter was showing in youth English Angoras and her best friend was showing American Fuzzy Lops. Brian was the big competition and was constantly the topic of conversation.

Years later, I heard that he had was able to get the broken Jersey Wooley passed. This made me happy because I was in love with broken bunnies and that they were wooley was great. At the Rhode Island Convention, we were all grooming together in a very tight area and this handsome young man set up his grooming table. The only problem was there was no plug close enough for him. He said "Did anyone have a spot to plug in?". Everyone ignored him. I thought this was mean so I offered him my extension cord only to find out later that this was the famous "Brian Hartzel". Everyone was too busy grooming or maybe no one wanted to help the competition. He was very thankful and polite.

A few years later I added 2 of Brians beautiful Jersey Woolies to my lines that improved the broken color and wool tremendously. He has made such improvements to the Jersey Wooley and American Fuzzy Lop breeds that his legacy will be felt forever. Everywhere that I saw Brian, I made sure to stop him and tell him what a great job he did with him bunnies and how beautiful they were. He was always humble and would say "Well, I still didn't win Best in Show". Well, in my eyes he will always be the Best in Show.