Heartland Rabbit Shows is proud to dedicate the 2012 ARBA Convention to this man who gave so much to the rabbit industries of Kansas, the Midwest, and to the ARBA.  Fibber was known as one of the premier rabbit breeders in the history of our association.  He holds the unmatched honor of having won Best in Show at 4 ARBA conventions.  The Best in Show for all ARBA Conventions carries the title of “THE FIBBER CUP” and serves to honor this man’s contributions to rabbits. 

Fibber emphasized the quest for outstanding quality in rabbits.  He was known for raising some of the finest New Zealand Whites and Florida Whites, but Fibber’s interests included many other breeds, all of which he was successful at raising and showing.   His efforts directly impacted the type on rabbits to this day, as Fibber was known to be in the forefront of judges who demanded depth of body in their winners. 

Fibber traveled all across the United States and Canada during his judging career. He was one of the most sought after judges and considered one of the finest judges ever licensed.  He was always humble, honest in his evaluations, helpful to new breeders, and anyone meeting Fibber could not come away without calling him friend. He advised and mentored many of the individuals who went on to become successful showmen and judges.  So profound was Fibbers contribution to the rabbit industry that he was honored with induction into the ARBA Hall of Fame in 1991. 

Although Fibber is no longer among us, he continues to serve as a role model for how all rabbit breeders should conduct themselves.  He was a friend of Kansas and all rabbits, and we take great pleasure in honoring this man at the 2012 Heartland ARBA Convention.

Stan Pulliam began raising rabbits in 1950, at the age of 7, when he purchased a trio of New Zealand Reds from John Jennings, IA, and a trio of Champagnes from Oren Reynolds, IL. In an article for Kansas History Makers, Stan recalls being at the Santa Fe Railroad station for 4 hours, anxiously waiting for the trios to come in their fruit crates. Stan and his father, Leonard, raised rabbits for meat until Stan got hooked on showing. He joined the American Rabbit Breeders Association in 1955 but left during his military service years.

As a young man he won many awards with his rabbits and became active in local and national clubs. At 18, he was President of the Sunflower Rabbit Breeders Association, located in Wichita, KS. He also held the office of Vice President of the National Champagne Federation.

While attending Oklahoma Baptist University, Stan played basketball and met his wife, Linda. He was President of the Oklahoma Rabbit Breeders Association. In 1967, when he went into the U. S. Marines, he sold his prize winning Champagne herd to Clarence Benjamin, KS.

Stan taught history and coached basketball in TX where he helped start the Permian Basin Rabbit Breeders Association and was elected president. He received his ARBA Judges’ license in 1972. Back in Kansas, Stan helped form the Kansas Netherland Dwarf Specialty Club and served as the president from then to the time he passed away. He was one of the first in the U.S. to import the small breed from England and it became his favorite breed from 1969 on. Stan was a life-time member of the ANDRC.

Through the years Stan raised and showed New Zealand, Champagne, French Lop, Californian, Palomino, Dutch, Holland Lops, Netherland Dwarf, Mini Rex and Belgian Hare breeds. He judged shows all over the country. In 2003, Stan was open superintendent of the ARBA National Convention in Wichita, KS. His expertise helped the first show in Wichita run smoothly and is one of the reasons the show was held in such high regard.

Stan was married to his wife, Linda, for 40 years. They have four children and six grandchildren. He retired as a high school history teacher and basketball coach in 2006, after 30 years of teaching.

Bobby was born in Fort Worth Texas on November 8, 1947. While in high school Bobby was an avid bowler with dreams of joining the pro tour. He met Nancy when he was 15 years of age and in 1967 while attending the University of Texas they decided to get married. 1968 he was drafted into the Army and served in Vietnam with the Army security agency. In 1972 he graduated from the University with a degree in accounting and started his own consulting firm.

Bobby and his two sons, Clint and Robert, were active in different youth organizations including football, softball, bowling and soccer. In 1977, Bobby and Nancy purchased their first French Lops for their boys as an Easter gift at the Fort Worth fat stock show. He and Nancy went to a local show trying to sell some of the bunnies from Flopsey and Mopsey when he was bitten by the show bug. After twenty years of being a successful breeder, he wanted to pursue a different avenue and received his judging license in 1997. While judging around the United States, he came to realize that one of his greatest pleasures came from the interaction of the younger breeders at the youth shows. Some of his proudest moments were when he was the youth superintendent for three different national conventions, two in Tulsa in 1989 and 1994 and the last one in Wichita in 2003.

Bobby was known for his bloodlines of Mini Rex, Florida Whites and Standard Rex. But what he was probably best known for was always having a smile on his face, that
distinct laughter that could be heard through out the entire barn, his ability to hide cookies in the oddest of places and having an incredible sense of humor. In early January of 2011 he lost his fight with Parkinson’s due to the tour in Vietnam and being exposed to the chemical “agent orange”. He is survived by his wife, two sons and two grandchildren. Bobby always called the National convention a family reunion. So with our 89th family reunion his spirit will be smiling down on us.

He will be truly missed by all.

With love, your son,
Clint