Jasminebunny
Well-known member
I know nothing about showing rabbits , but i do breed .
How do i show rabbits ?
Sorry !
~jasminebunny x
How do i show rabbits ?
Sorry !
~jasminebunny x
How do i show rabbits ?
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What breeds do you work with?
Jasminebunny
Well-known member
Zass":9qunkz6y said:
I work with harlequins , lionheads and lops ( i have no clue what lop breed he is , he has quite long ears , not as long as english lop , not as short as holland or mini)
Usually when showing rabbits, there's several levels of show. If you're going to a small local show, then it's a lot less tension and the other folks there are usually a bit more friendly since the stakes are lower. When folks are competing for National honors, they get more uptight. Also, at the shows, if you talk to breeders of rabbits outside the breed you're showing, they are usually friendlier since they aren't in direct competition with you.
As for the showing, usually they will let you know the requirements before you go. Around here, the bunnies have to have a tattoo and be healthy. Usually there's a vet or someone who will inspect the bunnies as they come in to check for obviously diseased animals.
I show English angoras when we have rabbit shows on our island, but I don't fly them off island for a show so I'll never get to one of the big shows. I have several two hole 'show cages' which are wire cages with a solid pan underneath. If there's more than will fit in the show cages, then I'll use shipping kennels as well, but those don't keep the animal off the bottom so I line it with towels. Not as good as the show cage, but it's not a National show, either.
Usually a show will have tables and chairs for you to use. The bunny cages and kennels are frequently put on the tables. If you have a lot of them, sometimes they are stacked against a wall.
At our shows, the judge will be up at the front with a long cage on a table which has doors which open from either side. They will call a class to be judged - and it's the entrant's job to listen for their categories. Then the judge will turn their back and not watch as the people bring their bunnies up. Each bunny is put into the long cage from one side. Then when everyone has put their bunnies on the table and gone back to their seat, the judge will turn around and start judging the bunnies.
Usually the judge will make commentary while judging the bunny and it's good to take notes while they are judging your bunny. Sometimes they will give you a comments sheet that the show secretary is supposed to have filled out while the judge is talking, but it's better to take your own notes if you can. Getting the judge's opinion on your bunny is the best reason to show a bunny. (If you really want an award or ribbon, there's probably a shop somewhere near you that will sell them and that's a lot less work and money than taking your bunny to a show.)
Sometimes at a show you can get your rabbits registered. A registered rabbit has been inspected by a judge and determined to be a good example of it's breed.
For our local shows, we don't need to show a pedigree, I'm not sure of the requirements at a National show since I've never been to one. Usually we show our rabbit in the category that it looks like.
In the United States, there's the American Rabbit Breeder's Association (ARBA) which has a booklet called 'The Standards of Perfection' (humble, aren't they?) which details what a perfect specimen of any breed should look like. The closer your rabbit is to that standard, the more points they get. If they are better than the other rabbits of their breed, then they win.
There's also 'legs' which are (in the United States anyway) how a bunny gets to be a Grand Champion. I think there has to be at least five rabbits owned by three different people in the category. Whoever wins gets a 'leg' towards a Grand Championship for their bunny. Which you can then write on their pedigree. Since there's no hope of any of my rabbits ever getting a GC (not enough rabbit shows, nor enough competition in my breed) I don't worry about it.
At a bunny show, congratulate the winners and commiserate with the losers. Say nice things about their bunnies and don't brag about your own. If it's a local show you'll be seeing these folks over and over again, so being on good terms with them is a really good thing. Making friends with other bunny folks is always a good thing. If there's other breeders of your breeds, you'll want to be on especially good terms with them so you'll be able to swap bucks to keep your lines from becoming inbred.
As for the showing, usually they will let you know the requirements before you go. Around here, the bunnies have to have a tattoo and be healthy. Usually there's a vet or someone who will inspect the bunnies as they come in to check for obviously diseased animals.
I show English angoras when we have rabbit shows on our island, but I don't fly them off island for a show so I'll never get to one of the big shows. I have several two hole 'show cages' which are wire cages with a solid pan underneath. If there's more than will fit in the show cages, then I'll use shipping kennels as well, but those don't keep the animal off the bottom so I line it with towels. Not as good as the show cage, but it's not a National show, either.
Usually a show will have tables and chairs for you to use. The bunny cages and kennels are frequently put on the tables. If you have a lot of them, sometimes they are stacked against a wall.
At our shows, the judge will be up at the front with a long cage on a table which has doors which open from either side. They will call a class to be judged - and it's the entrant's job to listen for their categories. Then the judge will turn their back and not watch as the people bring their bunnies up. Each bunny is put into the long cage from one side. Then when everyone has put their bunnies on the table and gone back to their seat, the judge will turn around and start judging the bunnies.
Usually the judge will make commentary while judging the bunny and it's good to take notes while they are judging your bunny. Sometimes they will give you a comments sheet that the show secretary is supposed to have filled out while the judge is talking, but it's better to take your own notes if you can. Getting the judge's opinion on your bunny is the best reason to show a bunny. (If you really want an award or ribbon, there's probably a shop somewhere near you that will sell them and that's a lot less work and money than taking your bunny to a show.)
Sometimes at a show you can get your rabbits registered. A registered rabbit has been inspected by a judge and determined to be a good example of it's breed.
For our local shows, we don't need to show a pedigree, I'm not sure of the requirements at a National show since I've never been to one. Usually we show our rabbit in the category that it looks like.
In the United States, there's the American Rabbit Breeder's Association (ARBA) which has a booklet called 'The Standards of Perfection' (humble, aren't they?) which details what a perfect specimen of any breed should look like. The closer your rabbit is to that standard, the more points they get. If they are better than the other rabbits of their breed, then they win.
There's also 'legs' which are (in the United States anyway) how a bunny gets to be a Grand Champion. I think there has to be at least five rabbits owned by three different people in the category. Whoever wins gets a 'leg' towards a Grand Championship for their bunny. Which you can then write on their pedigree. Since there's no hope of any of my rabbits ever getting a GC (not enough rabbit shows, nor enough competition in my breed) I don't worry about it.
At a bunny show, congratulate the winners and commiserate with the losers. Say nice things about their bunnies and don't brag about your own. If it's a local show you'll be seeing these folks over and over again, so being on good terms with them is a really good thing. Making friends with other bunny folks is always a good thing. If there's other breeders of your breeds, you'll want to be on especially good terms with them so you'll be able to swap bucks to keep your lines from becoming inbred.
Jasminebunny
Well-known member
Where are bunny shows ?
Also i do want to breed netheland dwarths too .
Also i do want to breed netheland dwarths too .
https://thebritishrabbitcouncil.org/shows-current-year.php The British Rabbit Council would most likely be the governing body that authorizes the shows. That is, shows where your rabbit can get national points. Some organizations such as county faires and such would possibly have pet or livestock shows where there wouldn't be national points involved.
https://thebritishrabbitcouncil.org/juniors.php Joining the British Rabbit Council might be a good start on showing rabbits, or at least going to some of their shows and then talking to people there who are showing the breeds of rabbits you're interested in. What with the virus and all, that may have to wait until next year, but you can probably find addresses and maybe websites of folks near to you who have the rabbit breeds you're interested in.
And there's five breeders of Netherland Dwarfs listed on this page: https://thebritishrabbitcouncil.org/breeders-directory.php
https://thebritishrabbitcouncil.org/juniors.php Joining the British Rabbit Council might be a good start on showing rabbits, or at least going to some of their shows and then talking to people there who are showing the breeds of rabbits you're interested in. What with the virus and all, that may have to wait until next year, but you can probably find addresses and maybe websites of folks near to you who have the rabbit breeds you're interested in.
And there's five breeders of Netherland Dwarfs listed on this page: https://thebritishrabbitcouncil.org/breeders-directory.php
Jasminebunny
Well-known member
Ah okay , thanks !
