Hello! We are Michael & Jennifer Dobbs. We, along with our children Ellen, Christian and Emilee operate a small rabbitry in Abilene, KS. We are located right off I-70, about 30 miles east of Salina. Let me tell you a little bit about our beginning adventures in rabbits.
I starting raising rabbits in 1988, at the age of 9, as a 4-H project that my parents (Gary and Kathy Rariden of Gotta Wild Hare Rabbitry, McPherson, KS) thought would go bust really quickly! Well needless to say I loved my bunnies. I started out with on Mini Lop, but my heart was captured by Satins early on in my show career. My brother and I, along with Dad and Mom showed rabbits for around 10 years. When we moved to "the farm", Mom and Dad let us have more rabbits, and at one point we had around 200 head when we at our largest. I was able to breed and grow a competitive line of Satins, and my brother Mike was able to breed a winning line of Dutch.
We started raising dairy goats as another 4-H project that Mom & Dad thought would fizzle after a short time, grew into another passion. As we needed to make room for our goats, we sold out most of our rabbits. We grew into a winning dairy goat farm, and went on to show for 10 years.
Our family had to move to town in the late 90's and we sold all of our animals. My brother and I were a Jr. and Sr. in high school, and we opted to not get anymore animals since I was getting ready for college and he was working and involved in other activities.
I've been out of the rabbit industry for about 12 years, and fell in love with Mom and Dad's Mini Rex. Although I'm still incredibly fond of Satins, I love the Mini Rex all the same. I raise Lilac, Blue Eyed White and Chinchilla Mini Rex.
Michael, my wonderful husband is a new to the rabbit industry. He grew up in the country and had animals off and on all of his childhood.
He wasn't really sure about raising and showing them, but fell in love with a little blue doe named Tater Salad, that Mom and Dad brought up for the kids to pick from. He attended his first show Valentine's Day weekend, and he's had the rabbit habit every since. He's raising blacks, blues, blue eyed whites, brokens, castors and reds. He loves his bunnies and each and every rabbit in the shed gets special love every night from Michael.
Emilee is our youngest, and has Lilac and Chinchilla Mini Rex. She got a late start with her bunnies, because she's in and out of the hospital, due to being born with Spina Bifida. She's our go-getter, but will run you over with her wheelchair if you get in her way!
Ellen and Christian currently do not have any rabbits, but still attend all the shows with us. Ellen has expressed an interest in Himalayn Mini Rex, but is showing reds right now; and Christian in Blue Eyed White and Ruby Eyed White Mini Rex.
We are just getting going, but have big hopes and dreams.
Come by and see our "babies" of all sizes!
We have resently added a new "baby" to our family. Our big man Rocky moved in about 2 months ago. He's a 2 1/2 year old Rottweiler. We adopted him from a family in Wichita. He's adjusted well to all the animals, and is starting to do some limited traveling with us to some shows.