Shan_non":e92khc7l said:
I am looking to better my rabbits for showing. I have never shown and don't know anything about it. Where would I begin and what do I look for to better my rabbits?
arba.net is the place to begin. You need to buy a standard of perfection; it tells what the ideal rabbit for each breed should look like, it tells you accepted colors, weight ranges, DQs, etc. Rabbits are all judged against the standard of perfection, and all good breeders have one. arba.net also has listing of shows; I'd suggest finding a show, contacting the secretary to get the catalog (which says when and where it is) and just going, for the first time, without bringing any rabbits. Watch your breeds get judged, and try to find a breeder of one of your breeds there willing to help you out. When you are first starting out, the best tips on what you can improve in your rabbits come from judges. When you do decide to enter them in shows, rabbit judges tell you exactly where the rabbit is lacking (like: this rabbit needs more depth, or lacks fur density) and you can start building your rabbits up from there.
Shan_non":e92khc7l said:
We have Silver Fox and New Zealand White rabbits.
Any tips are appreciated! Thanks in advance.
Both silver fox and NZW are judged mainly on body. They want a deep, wide body with very firm flesh. Both NZW and Silver Fox, luckily, strive for the same shape in their body: 'commecial'. try looking at pictures of show quality NZ to see just what the body is supposed to be shaped like (here is the national BIS of last year: a NZW)
https://www.arba.net/images/BIS_Rabbit16.jpg
Silver fox also place some importance on their fur. They have thick, long fur compared to other breeds, and its supposed to not be able to return to its normal, lying position when stroked from tail to head.
Shan_non":e92khc7l said:
Our Silver Fox Buck
View attachment 1
Our Silver Fox Doe
They look like they're posed pretty well; the doe looks better in these pictures, of the two. Especially looking at her hindquarters: hers look more rounded, while his seemed chopped off, or not full.
Shan_non":e92khc7l said:
Also, I see show people post their pictures with their hand on the ears or face. Is the purpose of this to get them to round their backs?
The purpose of having the hand around the head in pictures is to keep the rabbits still for pictures (some rabbits are quite curious about the world and would rather explore it than sit still for a photo session). Photos without the hand (especially in breeds where the head is more important, like polish and dutch) are preferable.
