Rabbit Show Basics

Before you try to show rabbits, I urge you to purchase the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA) Standard of Perfection--read it and study the standard. The standard has information on the qualities that your rabbit will be judged upon. You have to know all the terms that the standard covers as well as learn what would be a disqualification or an elimination, what colors and body type is correct for your breed, etc. You should know as much as you can about rabbits to show them well, and knowing the breed standard by heart is a very wise idea. Otherwise, if you have a disqualified animal, for example, and try showing it, you've just wasted your entry fee.

Any rabbit being shown must have a legible ear tattoo in the left ear. If you do not have your rabbit tattooed, you will probably be able to find someone to do it for you if you know where to look. A good place to start looking is with your local rabbit club--someone who has a tattoo set might be willing to do it for you. You can also look for a judge or registrar (there are registrars at rabbit shows), but they might charge you for the service. What to tattoo is up to you--it can be any combination of letters or numbers, as there is no rule regarding the tattoo (other than it must be legible and in the left ear).

Finding and Entering Shows

Locate a rabbit show that you'd like to attend by visiting the ARBA site. Once you've found a show, contact the show secretary and request a show catalog. The show catalog will give you all the pertinent info about the show--when the show is, how much entry fees are, who is judging, the check-in time, what time the show starts, where the show is, what the show rules are, etc.

After you get the catalog, fill out the entry form and mail it in by the deadline with the entry fee to the address listed. Some shows require a pre-entry--you have to send it in by the deadline or your money will be sent back and you will not be allowed to enter.

If the show is a "day-of-entry" show, you simply pay your fee and do all the paperwork the day of the show. You might be able to send in your paperwork and fees ahead of time. If the catalog does not have an entry form, you will be able to get it at the show (day-of-entry shows will have all paperwork you need)I If you have any questions about the paperwork, ask someone--they will be happy to help you fill it out correctly.

Be very cautious when filling out the paperwork. All information must match on the entry form and the remark cards. If you "scratch" an animal (remove it), you might be able to substitute another. In most cases the substitution must be in the same breed, variety, sex and class. Check with the show secretary for details.

The Showroom

The show superintendent and/or show committee will put a list of breeds together. Usually certain breeds (ones that tend to have a large number of entries) will start first. If you have one of those breeds, you must enter on time--if you enter late, you are out of luck.

Leave early so you have plenty of time--if you get there too late and the show has already started--too bad. When you arrive at the show, leave the animals in the car and find the entry booth. Fill out your paperwork, pay your fees, and walk around the showroom. Usually there will be several long tables set up, and a posting of the breeds and the judge's name will be available by each table.

Locate where your breed is going to be judged, and go fetch your rabbit(s). Set up as close to the table where your breed will be shown as possible because you have to be paying attention and carry your animals up to the table when your entry is called. Try not to have a leaky carrier, and if your rabbit makes a mess please clean it up!

Now you wait. Pack a comfortable lawn chair, take a book, and perhaps pack a cooler with snacks and a drink. Wear comfortable, sturdy walking shoes, too. If you have a breed that is a bit further down the list--you might have several hours to kill, so you can walk around, watch the judging, talk to breeders, etc.

Pay attention to what is going on at the table where your breed will be judged--if judging for mini lops is followed by fuzzy lops, for example, and the judges are picking best of breed mini lop, you know fuzzy lops will be up very soon! Before taking your rabbit to be judged, give him a good grooming. Dampen your hands and work the fur to remove loose hairs, remove static, and add sheen and life to the coat.

Judging Order

Rabbits are always judged in a particular order. For each breed, the judges will judge each variety (color) in alphabetical order and by class. For satins, blacks are first, followed by blues, and so on. Each color is then broken down further into classes.

For 4-class animals, you have four--junior and senior bucks and does. Animals that are 6-class have those classes, plus 6/8 or intermediate bucks and does. Senior bucks are judged first, followed by senior does, and then junior (or 6/8) bucks, followed by junior does, and so forth. You have to pay attention as the "ramrod" or guy in charge will yell out "Satins! Black Senior Bucks!" Listen for it and be ready to take your animal up if you have a black senior buck! If you wait too long and the class is judged without you, you are out of luck. The judges usually call out the class being judged several times, so if you didn't hear it the first time, you still have a chance to get your rabbit to the table.

Judging and Evaluation

Each class is judged by itself. For example, all white senior bucks in a breed are shown together. All rabbits in a class are compared to two "guides" when being judged. First, each animal is evaluated and checked for any disqualifications (DQ) or eliminations. If found, a DQ or elimination will cause the rabbit to be removed from consideration.

All animals in the class are then compared to the breed standard and to each other. The judge will then begin placing them, and when he is satisfied, he begins to call out ear numbers. If there are 10 animals, he starts with tenth place, He then goes to 9th place and on up the line. If your rabbit's ear number is called, remove the animal--his day of showing is done. When the judge reaches first place, the animal is not removed--it is held back.

All first place animals in their respective classes will then compete for Best of Variety (BOV) and Best Opposite Sex of Variety (BOSV)(if applicable). All the senior white bucks, the senior white does, etc. are brought back up and then re-evaluated. The best animal wins BOV and the best animal of the opposite sex wins--you got it--BOSV. The two winners are then held back again, and everyone else is released--their day is done.

If you have a BOV or BOSV you must wait until the judges go through all the varieties and pick BOV/BOSV for each one. When the last variety is judged, you will bring your animal back to the table- where all BOV/BOSV animals then compete for Best of Breed and Best Opposite Sex of Breed (BOB/BOS). The best animal coming closest to the breed standard in the judge's opinion wins BOB and the best animal of the opposite sex wins BOS. The BOS goes home, sometimes with a trophy--and the BOB stays held back again.

After all the breeds have been judged, and the Best of Breeds have been picked for all the breeds, the BOB winners compete once more for the final and most prestigious honor- the Best in Show (BIS) award. The BIS is highly coveted and to win that award is a very difficult challenge. However, if you win, you can earn prize money, a fancy trophy or ribbon or other neat prize and feel pride knowing it was your animal that won out over all the others.

Tips and Show Etiquette

All exhibitors must be quiet during judging. The writer who records the placements must be able to hear the judge's comments, and others appreciate hearing without having to strain to hear through rude chatter.

Do not make any comment about rabbit ownership at the show table--the judge should not know whose rabbit is whose, and neither should anybody else. It's done in the interest of a fair, honest evaluation.

If you you disagree with a judging comment, do not make a scene. You can discuss it calmly and quietly after judging is complete; a judge will be happy to discuss his or her reasoning for the placement. Interfering with a judge by yelling/threatening/etc., is in direct violation of ARBA Show Rule 47, and you can be forced to leave the grounds as well as forfeit all winnings and entries.

Keep control of your kids and please leave your pets at home. No one appreciates kids running wild and creating chaos. People aren't likely to appreciate having Fido in the showroom, and the rabbits won't like him, either.

Win, lose, or draw--do it with style and grace. Always be a good sport, and be courteous. Mistakes happen sometimes, and being polite will make things happen much easier (and you will not get a reputation as a hothead, either).

Read the show rules, and ask one someone such as the show superintendent or the show secretary) if you have any questions. They are there to help you and to run a safe, well-organized show!

Have a clean carrier and bring all the supplies you need or think you might need. SaniWipes are wonderful to bring along. A carrier such as a Pet Taxi is fine, but if the rabbit urinates, it will sit in its own urine and you will have a mess (and a nasty, filthy rabbit). So try to obtain a proper wire rabbit carrier with a pan below to catch the droppings. Having a leaky pan--or, even worse, no pan--is something to be avoided.

If the aisles are narrow, please try not to block them. Tempers can get frayed when people park themselves in the middle of a crowded walkway and block others from getting to their animals.

Do not--repeat do not--ever bring a sick or diseased animal to a show! Ever! If ever there is a big no-no, this one is it.

Finally, have fun and enjoy yourself!

Article written by Molly Kinkaid
MK Satins Rabbitry