How to start showing rabbits, and where?

I have a very pretty lop-eared lionhead buck(His name is Whiskers) who does not have a pedigree(I don't even know what a pedigree is) and is probably not purebred. Could he be a show rabbit? And if he could be a show rabbit, where would I show him?

When showing rabbits you don't need to show their pedigree to prove that they're purebred, but considering he's a Lion head with lop ears it's very highly unlikely you'll be able to show him in any ARBA shows. I don't have any experience with county fairs that rabbits are shown in so maybe you'd be able to do something with those

If you are interested in showing, the place I would start would be the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA) website: https://arba.net/ They have a list of upcoming shows across the nation, just click on the 'Member Resources' tab at the top of the page, and then click on 'Shows'. When you do, another menu box will appear, click on 'Find a show'.

As to whether you can show your rabbit or not, you need to consult with ARBA's 'Standard of Perfection' book. It lists every breed of rabbit that is showable in the US, along with what the qualifications for show is for that breed. This includes what traits are disqualifications (you can't show the rabbit), and which are faults (they will decrease your chance of winning, but they won't keep the rabbit from being allowed to show.)

A pedigree is a list of a rabbit's parents back three generations, giving their name, color, ear tattoo, and weight. A purebred rabbit is considered a rabbit that has every entry on that pedigree all from the same breed of rabbit. Any rabbit breeder can fill out a pedigree form for their rabbits, ARBA is not involved, it is just on the honor of the breeder that they are giving accurate information.

A registered rabbit does involve ARBA. The rabbit owner takes the pedigree and the rabbit to an ARBA sanctioned show where they have a judge available to function as a registrar. For a small fee, they will look over the pedigree to make sure it is complete, then look over the rabbit, and weigh it, to make sure it meets the requirements for that breed. If it passes the requirements, a registration certificate will be issued, to certify that the rabbit meets the minimum requirements for the breed.

As to lionheads, the breed is supposed to have short ears held upright in a 'V'. Ears over 3-1/2" long are a disqualification (DQ). Lopped ears are not held upright in a V, so I would think your rabbit is not a show bunny. Showing is enjoyed by many rabbit owners, and if you think you would enjoy showing, I'd suggest joining ARBA and purchasing a copy of the Standard of Perfection. When you choose your next lionhead rabbit for show, you'll know what to look for in a show rabbit. I'd also attend a few shows in your area, and watch the lionhead jusdging. The judge's comments will tell you what you should be looking for in a show rabbit, and you'll get a chance to see other breeders of lionheads (which sometimes bring rabbits to the show for sale.)

HeyHayHay said:

I have a very pretty lop-eared lionhead buck(His name is Whiskers) who does not have a pedigree(I don't even know what a pedigree is) and is probably not purebred. Could he be a show rabbit? And if he could be a show rabbit, where would I show him?

Click to expand...

A breed called the Miniature Lion Lop is recognized by the British Rabbit Council; you can see more information here: https://lionlopsuk.co.uk/

However, lion lops are not officially recognized in the U.S., where shows are run by the ARBA's standards, which as @judymac points out, you can find in the Standard of Perfection (SOP), available here https://arba.net/product/standard-of-perfection/ As far as I know, there are no breeders that currently hold a COD; that's a Certificate of Development, which means the ARBA has given the green light to officially working on getting lion lops approved and included in the SOP. But you do see a lot of maned lop-eared rabbits around in the pet world, so it wouldn't surprise me if someone was working unofficially on them. They're pretty adorable.

@RabbitsOfTheCreek has a good idea about checking with your local fair, though. Many fairs are only loosely based on ARBA standards and accept unrecognized breeds and/or mixed breeds (which your bunny would technically be since there is no such thing as a lion lop in the U.S., other than maybe an imported M.L.L.). This is can also be true for 4-H shows.

I agree with @judymac that a really good way to get into showing is to visit a couple of ARBA shows. You can find a listing of shows in your state (or nearby states if you live near a border) here: https://arba.net/show-search/ You'll see a sample of the breeds shown in your area, have a chance to talk to some of the exhibitors about their breed(s), and possibly buy your own show-quality rabbit. Many breeders are happy to help youth get started in showing rabbits, and while they won't necessarily sell you a Best in Show contender (although they might - I have!), at least you might find a rabbit that will not get disqualified (DQ'd) on the show table.

Also as @judymac mentions, rabbits don't have to have a pedigree (or any other papers) to be entered in an ARBA show, but if you get a pedigreed rabbit, you'll know it's purebred and a recognized breed. Do be aware, though, that a pedigree does not necessarily mean it will be showable - a pedigreed rabbit can still have DQs.

Showing your own rabbit and listening to the judges' comments - more than one judge, as they all have slightly different impressions and interpretations on the standards - is one of the very best ways to get up to speed on recognizing rabbit breeds, understanding the standards and developing an eye and feel for what makes a good show rabbit. But even going and just watching judges evaluate others' rabbits is helpful (and fun, if you like rabbits!).