About Us
The history behind LHHR
LHHR started 10 years ago when I fell in love with Mini Lop rabbits. My parents let me buy a rabbit and believed I would grow bored by the end of the summer. I had those two rabbits for almost a year before I decided I wanted more. I bought two Mini Rex does, a Holland Lop buck, added in two Dutch does, and had a Mini Lop buck by the end of the year. I bred the Mini Rex for a few years... finally coming back to my first love, the Mini Lops. I bought a bred doe, "Venice" from Jenn Rose (bred to Karin Vail's buck) which started my Mini Lops up. Ven gave me three kids, the buck Benvolio is now a great, great, great, great..... grand daddy to many of my best rabbits! I want to thank Andre Von Arx, Lisa Davis and especially Nicole Velotta for some awesome Mini Lops and great advice :) Roger Hassenpflug for my excellent start in Satins; I will come back to raise them again someday! Because I've chosen to go off to college, LHHR is now only 20-25 holes, breeding only quality Mini Lop rabbits.
About the Owner
My name is Ilaena "Lana" Mellentine and I am 20 years old & an open breeder. I have raised rabbits for 10 years now. I started out with a few pet Mini Lops and then discovered the world of 4-H and ARBA showing. I obtained my ARBA Registrar's License in 2007. Also that year I had the wonderful chance to represent Oregon for Youth Royalty at the ARBA National Convention in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Our Oregon Team was 2nd in the Nation for Judging! With time, I may apply for my judges license. I will be attended Mini Lop Nationals this spring [and did very well :)], and will attend the 2009 Convention in San Diego thist fall!
As a kid I was very active in 4-H. I did horses, rabbits, dogs, sheep and photography. I did junior leaders and was a counselor for 4-H camps. I attended Regional Leadership Conferences and State Summer Conferences. I've also gotten the wonderful chance to represent Oregon at the National 4-H Congress in Atlanta, Georgia. I was very successful in 4-H in Showmanship, Judging, Conformation and more. Feel free to read my article on Showmanship here -- published on the OLRCB and District 1 Websites. Feel free to use it to your advantage, but please let me know about it :)
Currently I reside in Corvallis, Oregon. I majoring in Animal Science at Oregon State University with an option in Beef and a minor in Agriculture Education . I plan on becoming a High School Ag teacher and being an FFA advisor. I'm in the Young Cattlemen's Association, the Public Relations officer for Steer a Year & Purebred Cattle Management Programs and I am the primary leader of my own club, "Got Rabbits?" in Benton county. It is off to a great start; we have over 20 members for our first year and are representing many 4-H shows up here in the Northwest.
I have a wonderful Appaloosa mare, Sierra, in which I love with all my heart. We have done everything together these past few years. Where right now I am currently searching for a youth to ride her while I am gone, I will still be keeping my baby and breeding her in the spring! I also have a four year old Black Lab/Pitt Bull, Chopper, in which I now share him with the whole family.
My family, without them, this rabbitry would have not continued on and I cannot express how thankful I am for them to take care of my animals while I am at college. I have to thank the rabbit friends I have made at shows, the registars and judges who were willing to answer my every question or give me helpful tips, my 4-H leaders, who I cannot thank enough, and all the 4-H members who have helped me grow with them. I love you all! There are so many others I would love to thank as well, but I do not have the time or space to list you all!
About our Barn
We have a 12 x 20 barn, holding 15 holes for during school and an additional 10 holes for summer. Our 15 holes are 24 x 24 stackers. We have 2 cages for juniors, that are 36 x 36. We have 3 cages for litters, that are 24 x 36. We also have a 6 hole, 18x24's and those are for show juniors. All are stackers w/ trays and J-feeders. We have an automatic watering system by KW Cages. During the winter we provide plenty of hay, COB and use crocks when it drops below 30*. In the summer we have a big shop fan that keeps the air circulating. Though we get many hot, hot days, our barn being in the shade and the fan keep the rabbits at a comfortable level. We have a 4 x 12 run in which we let the rabbits out individually to get plenty of exercise.
