I currently hold the next in line Certificate of Development for the Lilac Polish, I will be able to present for the first time in 2008.  I will be gearing all my breedings next year into 3 categories; Blue-eyed-whites, Ruby-eyed-whites, and of course Lilacs.

Some people believe that by simply breeding a Chocolate and a Blue together will produce Lilacs, not true! Lilac is technically a dilute of Chocolate but is also gets one gene from the Blue. Since the first year I've raised Polish I have produced Lilacs in my herd, it is naturally occurring since it is a self variety just like all other colors in the Polish breed.

The key to producing Lilac (and its not easy!) is to have extensive Blue and Chocolate lines in both parents pedigrees. I have produced many Lilacs from Blacks, as would I assume many others just because we tend to breed our Chocolates and Blues to Blacks to darken color and improve quality. The Black your breeding your Blue to could be a Chocolate carrier and therefore you have a chance of producing Lilac.

For 2007 I am mainly concentrating on producing Lilac, and if not producing the color itself at least produce rabbits that will be able to produce it the following year. I am going to avoid using Brokens in my breeding program at all costs because of the tendency to produce white toenails. Lilac is a double dilute variety so the toenails are already very light and have a tendency to be mismatched. This is why I will also avoid Lilac to Lilac breedings until after first presentation.

To darken the toenails, the best solution is to breed your Lilacs to your Chocolates because it is its dominant counterpart just like black is to blue. Well that wraps up the genetic lesson for today. Below is my working standard for the Lilac variety of the Polish breed.

PROPOSED  STANDARD

LILAC POLISH

Color is to be a uniform, medium, dove gray, with a delicate pink tint on the surface.  Color is to be carried well down the hair shaft to a slightly lighter undercolor.  Eyes--Blue-gray, ruby cast desirable.

Faults--Showing a decidedly blue or brown cast, mealiness

In conclusion, I believe the Lilac variety is not only a beautiful color but as a naturally occurring color and the last color of the self variety will make a great addition to the Polish standard. I have produced and seen many Lilacs that could take the table and even the show, thats how I know this is a color that could improve the Polish as a breed. Thanks for reading!