Newbie from NY

[QTPie61282]

Hi everyone.  My name is Jen and I just joined.  I am 24 years old and I live in Rochester, NY.  I have 14 chins right now, but you never know when that is about to change    I am looking forward to talking to you all.  Its nice to be able to speak to those who actually know about chinchillas, instead of the common "whats a chinchilla?" that I hear from people.  I got my first chin about 9 years ago and researched breeding since then. I only started breeding within the past year, and have three successful litters so far since december.  I find it so exciting and rewarding to be a breeder.  Again Im still new at it so I have a lot of growing to do and Im looking forward to the future when I have a larger amount of people searching my website for baby chins for sale. 
I have one question though, do any of you attend chinchilla shows?  I really want to but they are usually too far away for me to go to. 

[Summer]

  Hi and Welcome

[Sweetnessheart]

Welcome Jen!  I started out like you with a couple of chinchillas and now have 18.

About shows.....There is one coming up this next weekend March 24th in Auburn, IN.  It is the National MCBA Show.
We went last year and it was a blast!  We are planning on going!  Hopefully, you will come on over to Indiana.
It takes us about 12 hours to get there so it is "a little" drive for us.

[jmrothermel]

Hi and welcome to the forums!  There is a show also in April on the 21st in York, PA.  Then there is a show in May - called Ryerson's Field day at Ryerson Chinchilla Ranch in OH.  Shows are great to attend, especially for breeders.  It helps you learn what people are looking for and it can help you better evaluate your own herd.

Jacqui

[Misskitz]

Hi Jen! Same problem with me about the shows! Here in Connecticut, SC and NC are very far, and I'm young so I can't just go off and stuff. Nice to meet you!

[Jo Ann]

Hi Jen ...

     Welcome to the Chinchilla Club Forum!

      Anytime you get a chance to go to a chinchilla show, please do!  You will learn more at a show in one day, than you will learn in a year with just your own chinchillas.   You can see and learn the difference between a good quality chinchilla and a low quality chinchilla.  The judge always comments on each chinchilla in the show, giving it's strong points as well as it's weak points.  Just the conversations between the breeders (especially with the old timers) can give you a wealth of information.  The money spent to go to a show is well worth every penny you spend! 
      You can test your own judgment and knowledge of chinchillas by looking at them before the show and trying to pick out the winners, then compare it to what the judges say and choose.
      You can check out Empress and MCBA websites to find the shows close to you.  The Nationals for either group will give you a chance to see "the best of the best" in the United States.  MCBA Nationals is next weekend in Auburn, IN.  Info can be found at www.mutationchinchillas.com/ ... just click on up comming shows.
      There are always new chins to purchase at the shows!  Hope to see you at some of them.   

 
Jo Ann

[ChinchillAZ]

Nice to meet you, Jen!  We look forward to learning more about you and your herd.   

[QTPie61282]

Thank you everyone for such a warm welcome :-)  I plan on attending a show at some point.  I have a lot going on this year.  I have a wedding to go to in Michigan in May, I have to drive to NYC in July, so the April one sounds like a good shot, or if I want to try the one in May, I may do that as well.  Keep me posted on show details.  Is there a forum topic strictly for shows?

[Debbie.nl.ca]

Hi Jen,
Nice to meet you.
I'm way to far off the show scene here on the east coast of Canada.
I would love to go to one, but can get so excited for the folks here that do go, and show, and come home with awesome placings.
I started with one pairs of grays, and now have 30. Some are rescues, some older retired, and some in breeding.
All are my babies and pets first.
The only addiction you can be proud of.

[QTPie61282]

I agree, it is quite an addiction!  Thanks for all your input everyone about the the shows.  The Ryerson one in May sounds good.  Its not too much of a Drive to Ohio for me.  Maybe even the one in York, PA.  I will look up driving directions and distances and see what I can do.  I hope that I can make it, and if I do, I cant wait to meet any of you that will be there!

[chinchillagrl06]

Hi Jen and Welcome. 

[jmrothermel]

Glad to hear that you might be able to make a show!  I was planning on attending and show at York in April, but the show is on the 21st, and I'm having my baby by c-section on the 12th.  So it might be a little too much too soon.

So I plan on attending Ryerson's in May

Jacqui

[QTPie61282]

Well congrats on your little one.  Hopefully Ill get to meet you and some others in May then :-)

[Marie14625]

   Hi theer..guess what, I live in Rochester, also.  In Penfield.  Good to see a local person here.

[QTPie61282]

Get out!  Are you a chin breeder also?  I never see many New Yorkers that are into chinchilla breeding.
Im in Irondequoit.