Getting Ready for my first ARBA Show :)

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Cindi Davis

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I have 3 Im planning on showing,
1 Sr NZ Doe :bunnyhop:
1 JR Nz Buck :bunnyhop:
1 Flemish boy :bunnyhop:

any helpfull suggestions? all I know is Im excited
 
Invest in a spray water bottle and a carpet remnant. You'll benefit by having them, as they will aid you in grooming your rabbits. Very simple to do, and relatively cheap to get. I have a door mat from Wal Mart that I paid all of $5 for and I still use it from time to time with my rabbits. I think I coughed up just short of $5 for the spray bottle which I tote to rabbit shows every time out, too.

Mix and mingle with breeders, not only NZ and FG breeders, but others as well. Watch as many breeds being judged as you can, and see if there are any other breeds out there which strike you as interesting. More showroom breeders than you realize got their bread-and-butter rabbits after attending their first show with other breeds.

If you haven't already done so, pick up a couple of carriers. They don't have to be elaborate, just functional. Another "must have" is a copy of the ARBA Standard of Perfection.

Go there with the full intention to learn and have fun doing so. There will likely be the preoccupied breeder or 2 who won't seem enthused in getting to know you. Spend time with the ones who will mix with you and glean as much knowledge as you can from them. That said, beware of the breeders who are overly friendly to the point that they're trying to pimp their culls on you. ALWAYS look over pedigrees of rabbits that you're considering buying at a show.

Bring a couple of camp chairs. Again, relatively easy and inexpensive to get, but it will help you to relax when you need to take a breather. Do yourself and everyone a favor, though. Set your chair(s) up on the outer area of the showroom, not in the middle of it. Nothing is more annoying to other breeders than having to haul multiple rabbits to/from the show table and being forced to wade around folks' portable living rooms in the process.

Make a list of things you need around your rabbitry and take that with you. There will likely be an equipment dealer who will be peddling all kinds of equipment ranging from feeders, water crocks, nest boxes, carriers, and tattoo equipment, all the way up to things you never thought existed. You know what your primary needs are and what you can afford to spend better than anyone else, but buying them at the shows will save you bookoos of cash versus ordering them online and having them shipped.
 
I always plan on having fun thats my middle name. Learning is 2nd if not vice versa
Carpet will be easy to get.
I have the chairs, carriers bottles bowls brushes nail trimmers and oh yeah a Cooler for keeping things cold including lunch stuff and carrots.
I have a friend who has the standard of perfections which will come with us.

Thank you Both for your input its greatly appreciated :)
 
I'm in the same shoes my first show is a week from today. I have a small grooming table I built from mostly recycled stuff with plastice shoe box drawers for my supplies. I have my spray bottle, peroxcide and gauze pads (for removing fur stains), flea comb, 2 sided brush, slicker comb, lint roller, sissors, some "business" cards and a few first aid items for myself (a couple band aids, Ibuprofin, triple antibiotic (for me and rabbits) and a couple other OTC meds in case I need them. I also got my camp chair and 3 hole carrier (I plan to buy some cage cups there). I'm taking a solid Jr. Mini lop doe and a pair of broken sr. mini lops. I'm car pooling with a mentor I got hooked up with. I don't have an SOP yet but have the sop for mini lops saved to my computer, should I print it off and take it with me?
 
Rittert, im going to be at the gardner show :) where do you live? Hoping to learn a lot there. Then making my rounds to arba too for some bunnies
 
Cindi and Rittert3

Wishing you both luck at your first show! You Go!

And Cindi, wishing your Flemish Boy BIG TIME luck! Sorry, I'm biased now. lol

Karen
 
Good luck at your shows you guys! If you are thinking of making purchases, I've gone to judges with rabbits to give me an opinion. I find them when they aren't busy of course!
 
Peach":13v7jt0k said:
Good luck at your shows you guys! If you are thinking of making purchases, I've gone to judges with rabbits to give me an opinion. I find them when they aren't busy of course!

That is an awesome idea that I'd never considered!!
 
I didn't sit the whole time, spent all of my time at the table listening to judges. I learned more in that one day than I did in many months of reading.
 
Blue love, that is the show I am going to and I'm north of Manhattan. I will report back monday with how my rabbits did and my overall experiance. I already don't want to wait for the next one, I'm very restless and excited!
 
ZRabbit LOL So am I. Justice is my first Flemish Boy I have had to show, Wild1 has a great one as well with Big Show. We are going together LOL :)

I do have a trial run show set up at the County Fair next week in the open classes. I did well there last year with a Champion and a Reserve Grand on 2 rabbits. However I talked a couple friends into showing there this year so we will have more competition which I love. So to the Best Bunny goes the spoils :) Will take lots of pics to share :)<br /><br />__________ Mon Jul 30, 2012 2:23 pm __________<br /><br />
rittert3 said:
I'm in the same shoes my first show is a week from today.

Pictures RitterT LOL :)
 
Here are pics of the 3 I'm taking is thats what you were asking...

My Jr. Doe
084.jpg


My Sr. Doe
087.jpg


My Sr. Buck
089.jpg
 
Thanks for all the good luck wishes. I'm just hoping to do well at breed level but hoping there will be other open MLs too. So far my 3 are the only 3 I know of. I know there are a couple other folks showing them at the youth level at this show.
 
Thanks Cindi! all 3 have some great lines behind them but very closely related. The buck and Jr. Doe are full siblings and the sr. doe is a littermate to their dam.<br /><br />__________ Mon Aug 06, 2012 5:12 pm __________<br /><br />I had fun at the show the sr.s both placed 2/2 and the Jr. placed 3/3. No bad comments they just wern't the best rabbits on the table.
 
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