At the Bradford Excel 2008 Small animal show, Hannah Copeland was presented with “The BRC Junior of the year” award for 2008.

Hannah can often be found keeping the paperwork in order as the Book Steward at shows up and down the country.  We conducted an email interview with here for this yearbook.

When did you find out you had been nominated for Junior of the year?  Who nominated you and why?

I didn’t actually find out i had been nominated till after I had won! Ann Stephenson then told me that she had nominated both me and Georgia (my younger sister, no doubt you'll have heard of her!) but had kept it a secret.

When did you find out you had won?

I first found out I had won when Ann Stephenson called and told me that I had won first place and Georgia had come third.

How did you feel?

I was totally shocked! I didn't expect to win at all, there are so many juniors up and down the country who are out every weekend helping out and claiming top prizes. I thought after I had come highly commended last year that that would be it!

Rabbit keeping seems to be a family affair, who in your family shows rabbits?

Just me and my sister Georgia. Though my dad used to show Himalayans as a child, thats who had the idea for us to get started in the fancy!

What rabbits do you keep and what colours?

I only keep nethies, as soon as I went to my first show i fell in love with them! I Keep REWs ,Marten sables and Siamese sables with the odd agouti and otter dotted about!

How do you keep your rabbits?  Hutch layouts space, nest boxes?

The rabbits live in our garage, there’s plenty of room. Its ideal because its made of bricks it stays cool in the summer and doesn’t get to chilly in the winter.

We have about 40 hutches my nethies are in 600mmx600mmx500mm hutches mostly made by my grandad. My sisters rabbits are in bigger hutches.

What do you feed? Any tips?

We feed Allen and Page pellets mixed with a little Wag plus they get hay and the odd bit of carrot.

What can the fancy do to attract more members, and progress?

In the USA, the ANDRC sponsers youths with grants for further/higher education.  Is this something that would interest juniors?

I think it’s a great idea though imagine what the kids at school would say knowing your grant for University came from the rabbit club!

How should we fund it?

I'm not really sure! But all goes wrong there’s a few wealthy fanciers we can pick on!

Do you think juniors is a fair title, the Americans have “youth”?

I like juniors better, youth sounds a bit posh to me!

Do you intend to start judging?  If so do you think there are enough opportunities to practice?  If not how could this be improved?

Yes, when I have finished my exams though! I’ve had the papers for a while but I haven’t got them filled in./

Any other thoughts on the Rabbit Fancy in general?

Personally i think that people should help out more with cleaning up after shows, its always the same old faces that are tidying away week after week! If everyone helped they'd be down in a flash! You may want to 'Get home' but so does everyone!!!