My Miniature Lops

It must be about 14 years ago since I saw my first Holland Lop on the front cover of Fur & Feather. A new breed to me, which I just fell in love with. I had to have one. I managed to obtain a black broken buck but couldn’t get a doe anywhere. I borrowed a Dwarf Lop from Harry Brown and had my first litter of Lops. Unfortunately I found the little lop buck was dead one morning when I went out to see him. He wasn’t a year old so his death was a mystery. Jane Bramley came to the rescue with a mating which greatly improved what I had. We both had a decent buck from the litter and these bucks were just within the 3lbs 10oz weight for the breed at that time. We both showed them as unstandardized rabbits at Doncaster and Jane got a 4^th and I got a 5^th. (I think hers was better trained than mine). The following year I got a first at Doncaster still in the unstandardized class.

The following year the Miniature Lop came into being as a recognised breed, although there was still rather a lot of discussion about the name.

People who had spent quite a bit of money importing and quarantining stock wanted their stock called the Holland Lop.

The National Miniature Lop Rabbit Club was formed and has much the same principle officers has it has today 11 years on.

Jane Bramley with her genetics knowledge was keen to experiment and introduce new colours until now the Mini Lop covers all recognised colours except the Broken.

The popularity of the breed took off and the quality greatly improved. The Lops are now shorter and lighter in weight, and because they changed the balance of Fancy stock shown at shows, are now part of a Lop Section separate to other Fancy breeds.

I’ve always specialised in Sooty Fawns and Agoutis. I never kept a lot of Lops because I also had Chocolate Dutch up to 2004 when they were are replaced with more Belgian hares.

In 1998 I went into partnership with Neil Harris who lived nearby. He had more room than me and offered to breed some stock for me so that by expanding I might have more chance of improving my stud.

I thought a partnership was fairer. We have bred some very nice rabbits in the time since then and I was told recently that my Sooty Fawns were recommended to be searched out by anyone needing a good start. At shows many people come up to me to tell of wins by the stock they purchased.

Indeed just the weekend before Easter I supplied 6 youngsters to a Londoner because he had come by some of my stock which were winning for him and he wanted more.

Neil has now sold all the stock which he had and they have gone en-block to live on the South coast I believe. I’m back to a just having the small stud of these lovely Lops, many of them nearing retirement like me.

If I can help anyone with any problems with stock or getting a start with Miniature Lops they only have to ask and I’ll do my best. I just enjoy them for what they are, my pets.

May 5th Best of Breed at Bury & Radcliffe Show

Mini Lop Sooty Fawn buck  Ring No. 05K01422 Judge Mr S Gallaway

June 10th  Best of Breed and Best Lop at Honley Agric. Show

Mini Lop Sooty Fawn buck Ring No. 05K01421 Judge S Germany