Wednesday, February 4, 2015

Part 5: Getting Started in Rabbits - The Show World



Apologies for the late post – school has been keeping me very busy lately.  

My last post of this series, I feel that showing is one of the most rewarding aspects of raising rabbits.  It shows your abilities as a breeder to select rabbits that excel in their breed and your efforts to making excellent representatives of the breed.  An additional benefit is the judges' valuable remarks about your rabbits which can help you to recognize features in your rabbits that you may not have realized before and to reinforce ideas about particular qualities and faults of an individual animal.  While showing does not come easily, it is a very rewarding process.  
My suggestion before showing your own rabbits is to attend an ARBA sanctioned rabbit show to see how it runs.  Talk to rabbit breeders and ask them about the show process.  Most rabbit raisers are more than happy to help you understand showing and can help you along the way.  Visiting the ARBA’s website will help you locate a show in your area to attend.

A few key points to know before I get into show remark cards:  you need to know the sex of your rabbit(s), age, tattoo number (if it isn’t tattooed it will need to be), and color or color class.  You need to review your breed’s standard to ensure it meets all minimum show standards.  For example, it is not over or under weight for its age, a broken patterned rabbit needs to have a nose marking, a colored rabbit should have colored nails, etc.  

Now, on to the show remark card.  The first things you can fill out is your name, address (this is so they can send you leg certificates and show reports and is usually optional), rabbit’s ear number, sex, breed, the show, color class (pay attention to this as some breeds are color specific while others like the angoras is either “colored” or “white).  You need to know if your rabbit is a 4 or 6 class.   If you enter a 4 class breed, (let’s say a Lionhead) as a six class and circle “intermediate” on the page, you are going to run into complications with the show secretaries.  A four class breed is generally a smaller breed and would be entered in junior buck, junior doe, senior buck, or senior doe.  A 6 class; however, would have all those classes in addition to intermediate buck and intermediate doe.  If in doubt, check your breed standard.    You don’t need and should not fill out any more on the card.  The remarks and judge are for the writer to fill out.  

After turning in your cards to the registration/awards table, you can work on grooming your rabbit.  Use whatever tools are appropriate for your breed.  You don’t want any loose fur flying so make sure you clean them up.  Keep your ears open for your breed to be called.  They will usually say “youth (the breed) to (specific judge’s table) or “open (specific breed) to (specific judge’s table).  This is when you need to go up with your rabbits (kept in carriers) and get them to the table.  

The first class done is senior bucks, followed by senior does, intermediate bucks, intermediate does (in the case of a 6 class breed), and finally junior bucks and junior does.  A specific color in the breed is typically done first and they work their way through all the colors.  If you are ever in doubt just ask someone and they can help you out.  Listen carefully to the judge’s comments on the rabbits and watch them pose them so you can get a feel of how they should look.  If your rabbit does not place first in their class or Best or Best Opposite of Variety they can be taken back.  Once all the breed’s variety representatives are shown they will be evaluated again to determine Best and Best Opposite of Breed.  

After the judge is finished judging, you can take your rabbits back.  Pick up your remark cards at the end of the table (where the writers were sitting) and take them up to the registration tables so they can give you your awards.  Some farther placings will not receive ribbons and disqualified rabbits also will not be entitled to any.  

There are a variety of ways your rabbit can win a grand champion leg.  First of all, you must be an ARBA member or you will not receive a GC leg with your rabbit, even if it is did place in the tops.  A rabbit can receive this award if:

·         It received 1st in class (and there were 5+ rabbits in that class shown by 3+ exhibitors)
·         It received BOB (and there were 5+ rabbits total in the breed shown by 3+ exhibitors)
·         It received BOS (and there were 5+ rabbits of that gender shown by 3+ exhibitors )
·         It received BOV (and there were 5+ rabbits in that variety shown by 3+ exhibitors)
·         It received BOSV (and there were 5+ rabbits in that gender and variety shown by 3+ exhibitors)
·         It received BOG (and there were 5+ rabbits in that group shown by 3+ exhibitors)
·         It receives BOSG (and there were 5+ rabbits in that gender and group shown by 3+ exhibitors)
If your rabbit is entitled to a GC Leg, the show secretary will mail it to you.  A rabbit needs 3 GC legs, with at least one being earned as a senior, in order to qualify for granding.  A rabbit must also be registered in order to be entitled to a GC title.  The registration process is simple and simply involved a registrar looking over your rabbit and its pedigree, weighing it to record weight, and filling out paperwork to send to the ARBA.  You must show your ARBA membership card to the registrar and there is a $6 fee for registration.  Once you receive all 3 legs and you qualify for granding, fill out the rabbit's date of birth and registration # on the leg certificates and send them in to the ARBA along with a small fee and they will then send you a grand champion certificate.    

I hope this brief post will help you understand the showing process a little better.  While it is a time consuming and sometimes stressful process, it is extremely rewarding and will allow you to become a better breeder.  I have been showing for a few years now and it has given me an even greater appreciation for our breeds and in turn has made me a better breeder.




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