Good breeds for show

[lopsofun]

I imagine this topic has been touched on a lot, but I figured I'd toss it out there again.

We have a junior Holland Lop doe and a junior Mini Lop buck right now. The Mini Lop buck is a great pet rabbit and will let you handle him anyway you like. The Holland Lop doe is a little more high strung, but she can be gentle and worked with too. Plant to show them this fall in 4-H, and maybe the Perry National Fair. We really want to learn about this and hopefully we can get some good info to use at both events.

Rabbitosis has bitten me, and since I'm very susceptible to pets and pet hobbies, I figured it was just a matter of time. So now I'm thinking about other rabbits to show, mainly different breeds. I'm sold on the two lop breeds I have, and I've read that the Holland Lop shows are very competitive, so we have a long way to go there. I like the smaller rabbits (below 7 lbs). What are some good breeds in addition to what I have that would be good to show, and possibly breed? I like the look of the Mini Rex rabbits, and the Dutch. I'd like some feedback on the pros and cons of some of the breeds I've mentioned. Also, if I'm overlooking a good breed to try, please let me know. My daughter is 11 and my son is 8 and I'm hoping for them to show rabbits as long as possible in 4-H, and maybe compete in a couple of local ARBA shows.

 

[Random Rabbit]

All the breeds You have listed are Very competitive ! At least up here they are.

Mini Rex classes are very large...so wins are hard to come by.

Hollands are also very popular. I have read that they are difficult to breed . ( also dern cute !)

Mini Lops are not as popular here... but those being shown are Nice !!

Dutch can be tricky... the markings need to be just so. Breeders we have talked with sometimes go thru a Lot of litters to find The One with correct body type and markings. The does are supposed to be excellent as foster mothers.


I would almost go out on a limb and say that the Mini Lop could be a good choice for children, the ages of Yours. They are friendly and should not have the breeding issues that the dwarfish breeds do. jmo.

 

[Peach]

I have a little pet Holland Lop doe... handling her isn't worth it lol I've accepted she is my lovely Jack's bonded pair since he enjoys her companionship so much. Otherwise, she would of gotten the boot long ago!

I love my Mini Lops. By selling to the FFA groups in Ga, I'm getting numbers up Mini Lops....There were NO youth at the last Ga show I was told they had gone "out of style"....Unfazed, I got my Mini Lops and put a goal on mind to sell quality showing Mini Lops to those with a want to hit the show table. So far I have accomplished a lot in the past few months. I've sold some really nice (Some were keepers!) to the kids because they are the future of such a fantastic breed.

I believe aleast 5 or 6 people I know of are going to be showing rabbits from me. Unfortunately, all the rabbits are different age groups and I don't know if I should gather the money to sanction the youth because they won't have enough to compete against. My other big thing is that for some, I kept what I believed at the time was the better of the other litter mate. I'd hate to beat them out! Some I have sold will certainly be excellent competition against what I've kept (Sold some EXCELLENT bucks). I just want to ignite that spark for these kids

I love the Mini Lops because I've hardly have had a nasty one. I think I got one that was awful, but she didn't stay long. Her breeder is notorious for this ( I didn't know since I was just starting out). They are easy to breed, excellent mothers, charismatic, and can take little more rough handling than a dwarf breed.

Every rabbit I've bred and raised has always had a wonderful temperament. You can tell usually when a Mini Lop comes from a big rabbitry and one that is relatively small and works with their babies often.

I think you should come out and show your Mini Lop at Perry! I'll be there with my Mini Lops and so will the FFA kids from my area

 

[skysthelimit]

Mini Rex are very competitive and they tend to be snotty. Hollands lops are very competitive, go through so many stages, have so many pieces to fit together it's hard to breed true for show, don't really finish maturing until past a year old (when most breeds stop showing). And they are hard to breed. I went through three does in the past 4 months, 5-6 tries and lots of dead/stuck litters. If they were my main breed I would have given them up.

I cast a vote for the mini lop.

 

[wild1slilfarm]

Mini Rex's are nice show animals, but the are very hard to win with and big breeders are uptight(at least thats been my experiance)
Mini Lops are Cute if you get good starts i would sugest them
Holland Lops are very cute, but its been my experiance that they are very hard to breed and even harder to get good show animals

hope this helps, good luck with wich ever you choose

 

[lopsofun]

Good stuff all. Thanks.

 

[SatinsRule]

Mini Rex and most lop breeds are popular both as show animals and as pets for casual pet owners. Angoras and other wooled breeds are becoming more popular for the same reasons, and open avenues which other breeds usually don't have. In other words, what I am telling you is that you can sell culls as pets more readily, and that can produce a source of income for sustaining your operation. The one thing I'd caution you about after having said that is to use your conscience as your own guide. The responsibility to find an appropriate owner for any animal you sell rests upon your shoulders, and it is a responsibility you should take very seriously. Ask some tough questions, and try not to sell rabbits at a bargain basement price just to get rid of them. It goes a long way toward weeding out any flavor of the week buyers who won't care for a rabbit the way it should be cared for.

Being competitive in the showroom begins with selection of good breeding stock from the start. Garbage in/garbage out is a good way of looking at it. If you start out with marginal to poor breeders, it will take you a long time to become competitive. While it may be more expensive at the front end, going out of your way to get better rabbits from reputable breeders from the start will prevent most of it. Don't base your decision to purchase your initial breeding stock upon who is charging what for their rabbits, but rather upon the recommendations of other showroom breeders. That will tell you who is most likely to take care of you and who is most likely to take you, if that makes any sense.

Along the way, it becomes prudent to augment what bloodlines you may have in your operation with rabbits which display strong certain traits which you're trying to improve upon, but always start with animals possessing good, solid body type and work from there. It's the framework which every rabbit is built on, and just about anything else will be correctable within 1-2 generations. Problems in body type can take several generations to overcome.

 

[skysthelimit]

Garbage in/garbage out is a good way of looking at it. If you start out with marginal to poor breeders, it will take you a long time to become competitive. While it may be more expensive at the front end, going out of your way to get better rabbits from reputable breeders from the start will prevent most of it. Don't base your decision to purchase your initial breeding stock upon who is charging what for their rabbits, but rather upon the recommendations of other showroom breeders. That will tell you who is most likely to take care of you and who is most likely to take you, if that makes any sense.

Along the way, it becomes prudent to augment what bloodlines you may have in your operation with rabbits which display strong certain traits which you're trying to improve upon, but always start with animals possessing good, solid body type and work from there. It's the framework which every rabbit is built on, and just about anything else will be correctable within 1-2 generations. Problems in body type can take several generations to overcome.

Good advice. If you go with mini rex, you need to find the best animal possible--shell out some money, as this rabbit will be the start of it all. No sense trying to correct things you could have avoided with a bit more money invested. Some things are harder to breed up.

 

[curlysue]

Dutch are great mothers easy breeders and small enough for kids too handle.you will have a lot of unshowable babies.

 

[lopsofun]

Seems like the mini lop is the way to go. I thought the Holland's would be the best becuase of size, but our whole family likes the mini lop better.

 

[Random Rabbit]

Seems like the mini lop is the way to go. I thought the Holland's would be the best becuase of size, but our whole family likes the mini lop better.

Hollands ARE cuter than a bugs ear ! It is the Breeding issues that could cause even adults to throw in the towel ! They don't 'take' from a breeding reliably, there are Birthing issues, such as a kit getting stuck.... and there are Very good chances , because it is a dwarfed breed, of getting 'peanuts'... those will Not survive. Perhaps an older youth can deal with the issues better than younger youth. ( i'm an adult and don't wanna deal with that.....) :hiding:

 

[Peach]

:camera3: Got any new pictures of your buns posed up?

 

[lopsofun]

:camera3: Got any new pictures of your buns posed up?

Not yet. Need to though.

 

[skysthelimit]

Seems like the mini lop is the way to go. I thought the Holland's would be the best becuase of size, but our whole family likes the mini lop better.

Hollands ARE cuter than a bugs ear ! It is the Breeding issues that could cause even adults to throw in the towel ! They don't 'take' from a breeding reliably, there are Birthing issues, such as a kit getting stuck.... and there are Very good chances , because it is a dwarfed breed, of getting 'peanuts'... those will Not survive. Perhaps an older youth can deal with the issues better than younger youth. ( i'm an adult and don't wanna deal with that.....) :hiding:

And they tend to be fragile. Don't take drops very well.

 

[Bill]

I imagine this topic has been touched on a lot, but I figured I'd toss it out there again.

We have a junior Holland Lop doe and a junior Mini Lop buck right now. The Mini Lop buck is a great pet rabbit and will let you handle him anyway you like. The Holland Lop doe is a little more high strung, but she can be gentle and worked with too. Plant to show them this fall in 4-H, and maybe the Perry National Fair. We really want to learn about this and hopefully we can get some good info to use at both events.

Rabbitosis has bitten me, and since I'm very susceptible to pets and pet hobbies, I figured it was just a matter of time. So now I'm thinking about other rabbits to show, mainly different breeds. I'm sold on the two lop breeds I have, and I've read that the Holland Lop shows are very competitive, so we have a long way to go there. I like the smaller rabbits (below 7 lbs). What are some good breeds in addition to what I have that would be good to show, and possibly breed? I like the look of the Mini Rex rabbits, and the Dutch. I'd like some feedback on the pros and cons of some of the breeds I've mentioned. Also, if I'm overlooking a good breed to try, please let me know. My daughter is 11 and my son is 8 and I'm hoping for them to show rabbits as long as possible in 4-H, and maybe compete in a couple of local ARBA shows.

Nice chatting tonight, hope I was at least some help. The Hollands, Mini Rex, NDs and Dutch have had good numbers showing in the shows we've been to. I didn't pay enough attention to the Mini Lops so can't say there. There's a family from our county that has very good Mini Rex and NZW and one from south of us that has very good Dutch. We'll see how our Hollands are next month!

If you do enter the Georgia National Fair it should be a great experience to go and see differnt breeds and talk to the breeders and see what else might interest y'all.

http://www.georgianationalfair.com/file ... abbit1.pdf

 

[Rustina]

I vote for Mini Lop too ! They were my first breed when I was a kid and are nice sweet buns with a chill temperment and are more "durable" than hollands, and still small enough for kids to heave them onto the show table. I have also been told by some breeders(and their kids) that Himilayans are pretty nice too.

 

[lopsofun]

I imagine this topic has been touched on a lot, but I figured I'd toss it out there again.

We have a junior Holland Lop doe and a junior Mini Lop buck right now. The Mini Lop buck is a great pet rabbit and will let you handle him anyway you like. The Holland Lop doe is a little more high strung, but she can be gentle and worked with too. Plant to show them this fall in 4-H, and maybe the Perry National Fair. We really want to learn about this and hopefully we can get some good info to use at both events.

Rabbitosis has bitten me, and since I'm very susceptible to pets and pet hobbies, I figured it was just a matter of time. So now I'm thinking about other rabbits to show, mainly different breeds. I'm sold on the two lop breeds I have, and I've read that the Holland Lop shows are very competitive, so we have a long way to go there. I like the smaller rabbits (below 7 lbs). What are some good breeds in addition to what I have that would be good to show, and possibly breed? I like the look of the Mini Rex rabbits, and the Dutch. I'd like some feedback on the pros and cons of some of the breeds I've mentioned. Also, if I'm overlooking a good breed to try, please let me know. My daughter is 11 and my son is 8 and I'm hoping for them to show rabbits as long as possible in 4-H, and maybe compete in a couple of local ARBA shows.

Nice chatting tonight, hope I was at least some help. The Hollands, Mini Rex, NDs and Dutch have had good numbers showing in the shows we've been to. I didn't pay enough attention to the Mini Lops so can't say there. There's a family from our county that has very good Mini Rex and NZW and one from south of us that has very good Dutch. We'll see how our Hollands are next month!

If you do enter the Georgia National Fair it should be a great experience to go and see differnt breeds and talk to the breeders and see what else might interest y'all.

http://www.georgianationalfair.com/file ... abbit1.pdf

Good seeing you today at work! What a coincidence! Thanks!

 

[Bill]

Came across this today, with all the studying it might be something else to do!





Date: Tue, 11 Sep 2012 11:51:52 -0400
Reply-To: Ricky Wheeler <[email protected]>
Sender: Ag Ed Discussion Group <[email protected]>
From: Ricky Wheeler <[email protected]>
Subject: BREED ID CONTEST - Rabbits
Content-Type: multipart/mixed;
[multipart/alternative]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------Teachers,

Here is an opportunity for you students while they are at the Georgia
National Fair on October 6th.

Information is below and attached.

RW
**
*Subject:* *BREED ID CONTEST added to the GSRCA Oct 6 show schedule*
BREED ID CONTEST:
The October 6, 2012, Georgia State RCA Show will be hosting its first youth
BREED ID contest this year. The contest is $2 a person and will be a day of
show entry. Youth will be asked to identify 20 of the 46 ARBA breeds.
Andrew Evans will be over the contest and available for questions Saturday
morning. 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place will be cash prizes. Contest will run from
7:00am - 9:30am, winners will be announced before lunch. Start studying
your breeds and look forward to the number of youth participating!
Questions: [email protected]

 

[ladysown]

part of the difference between your two lops is the one is a buck, the other is a doe. And YES it makes a difference.

Bucks tend to calmer, quieter, easier to handle. A buck that isn't should be terminated in my opinion.

Does tend to be more watchful as well a girl should be. She has to mind her young.

My vote for small breeds: holland lops are nice but highly competitive, polish, mini rex are nice - but highly competitive.

Mini lops... they tend to be bigger than the hollands, I've seen some that are a fair size, and some struggle to get/keep the weight where it should be. Most Netherlands I've met I'm not keen on, same with the dutch. I've met nice dwarf hotot, nice brittania (though they are a busier rabbit) and one nice thiantra (the other was NOT).

 

[lopsofun]

Problem I'm having is that I have only contacted a couple of folks that have the mini lops that are close enough for me to obtain more stock. The Georgia Fair has only sanctioned:
Cavy
American Fuzzy Lop
American Sable
Dutch
English & French Lop
Flemish
Holland Lop *
Jersey Wooly
Mini Lop
Mini Rex *
Netherland Dwarf *
New Zealand
Rex

The star(*) indicates breeds that are sanctioned for youth. I keep learning more and more about rabbits and genetic faults they have for shows. If I knew now what I knew a month or more ago I'd have done things differently.