By Katrin Becker

Some people are surprised when they hear that there are shows for rabbits.
Whole books could be written about just rabbit shows. This article offers a very brief introduction.

First, a bit of background.
Almost every kind of domestic animal has:

• distinct, recognized breeds¹a breed is a distinct variety of a particular species that “breeds true”, meaning that the offspring of 2 animals of the same breed will all share the same qualities, including fur or feather type, size, colours, temperament, and abilities.
• a representative association that maintains a written description of each breed (called a Breed Standard or Standard of Perfection) that describes what it is supposed to look like, and sometimes also how it should behave or what it should be able to do.
• some kind of show. Pigeons, poultry, sheep, dogs, cats, cows, horses,²this is not a complete list! … and, rabbits.

Different kinds of animals have different kinds of shows, but most have some kind of Conformation Show.³[NOTE: the word is conFORMation, not conFIRMation. Confirmation is when you agree about something; conformation is about the FORM of something. A conformation show is one where the animal’s appearance is judged by someone who has been trained and is qualified to assess the animals. Other than possibly having the animal move around, conformation shows do not require the animals to perform in any way. Since part of what is being judged often includes the animal’s structure, being able to watch the animal move is sometimes an essential part of the judging process (but they don’t do tricks or follow commands).

Some rabbit shows include other events (like obstacle races), but unlike dogs, these other events are not officially recognized by ARBA (The American Rabbit Breeders Association), which is the official association for domestic rabbits in North America.

There are currently 50 officially recognized breeds of rabbit in North America. The United Kingdom, Europe, and Australia have their own official associations and have set their own standards for what the breeds should look like. Some breeds are common to all but their breed descriptions sometimes differ.

Some rabbit shows include separate classes for fur and commercial qualities. These may be discussed in a future blog.

ARBA holds a very large national show once each year, usually in the fall. It draws hundreds of exhibitors and has thousands of entries.

Most shows are much smaller, and are put on by local rabbit clubs.
There are currently 3 rabbit clubs in Alberta:

• EARS – Edmonton Area Rabbit Society
• SARBA – Southern Alberta Rabbit Breeders Association
• WNRC – The Wild North Rabbit Club (Facebook)

There are 2 main varieties of rabbit show:

• cooped, and
• carrying cage

In Alberta, carrying cage shows are more common than cooped shows, but we do have both.

In a cooped show, cages are supplied by the show. This often happens when the show is part of a larger exhibition and the the venue wants to provide a more consistent way to display the animals for the public attending the event. Sometimes you can choose which cages to put your rabbits into. Other times cages are labelled and you must place your rabbits where you are told. This is often done to make sure that all rabbits of one breed are in the same area.

In a carrying cage show, you are expected to keep your rabbits in cages you have brought yourself. In both cases you are expected to bring everything your rabbit will need for the time it will be staying at the show grounds. That includes food & water dishes, sufficient food, bedding, and any grooming equipment you will need.

Normally, rabbits remain at the show in their cages for the duration of the show.

You will sometimes see a show advertised as a “single”, “double”, “triple”, or “specialty” show.

A single show is one show held on one day. Usually all rabbits are judged by the same judge.
A double is when there are TWO completely separate shows in the same place on the same day. They will be judged by two different judges and both shows usually run simultaneously.
A triple is when there are THREE shows, with THREE judges, all running simultaneously on the same day.

A Double-Double would be 4 shows on 2 consecutive days, often, a Saturday and Sunday. In that case each judge usually judges one show each day. In case you are wondering why anyone would want to show the same rabbit under the same judge two days in a row, things can change from one day to the next. Also, check the section on Winning, below.

A Specialty show is one where only rabbits of one particular breed compete.

How do I enter my rabbit in a show?

Rabbits are shown by phenotype⁴what the rabbit looks like rather than genotype⁵the actual genetics of the rabbit. In other words, if you have a rabbit that looks like a Dwarf Hotot(as in the photo), then you can show it as a Dwarf Hotot. This is also true for the rabbit’s colour variety.

The show-giving club will usually publish a Show Catalog several weeks before the actual show providing information on rules, the judges, entries, the show venue, accommodations, and so on.

You will have to fill out an entry form, where you will identify each rabbit by its ear tattoo, breed, variety, sex⁶junior(< 6mo), senior(> 6mo). Some large breed have and additional intermediate class which is 6-8 months. In that case, their senior age group is 8 months and over.

Your rabbit MUST have a permanent identifying tattoo in its LEFT ear. You can sometimes find someone at the show who can tattoo your rabbit for your on the day of the show if it hasn’t already been done.

The breed must be one of the 50 recognized breeds, and the variety will vary, depending on breed. The written Standard of Perfection (SOP) gives a detailed description and the correct name for each variety of every breed.

The age classifications usually also include minimum and maximum weights, so it is a good idea to weigh your rabbit before entering it in the show. It is NOT allowed to show a rabbit in a younger age category. So, a 7 month old rabbit that is too small for the senior group canNOT be shown as a junior. However, a 5 month old rabbit that exceeds the maximum weight for a junior should be shown in the next age category (intermediate or senior, depending on breed).

There is usually a fee for each entry. In 2022 in Alberta, that is usually $5.00 per rabbit for one show. So, to enter your rabbit in all shows of a “Double-Double” would cost $20.00. Becoming a member of the show-giving club will often get you a discount on entries.

Most shows have an entry deadline that will occur anywhere from a few days to a week before the show. This gives the Show Secretary time to enter all the entries and make sure that judging will go smoothly on show day.

Below is an example of a rabbit show entry form.

Most shows will give you time – often the day before the first shows – to bring your rabbits to the venue and get them set up, either in their carrying cages, or in the coops provided. There are often tables set up for you to use. Occasionally you will have to bring your own (that info will be in the show catalog).

When you come to set up, please be considerate of other exhibitors. Don’t take up more than your share of the available space. Cover the table with a tablecloth of some sort if one has not already been supplied, and make every effort to keep your space clean and tidy throughout the show.

Judging usually starts at 8 or 9am on the morning of the show(s). Rabbits are judged one breed at a time, and the order of the breeds is determined by the show committee. The order of the breeds will be different for each show on the same day. The show committee will usually try to make sure that no breed is required for judging on both tables at the same time!

There is usually a break for lunch, but exactly when that happens depends on how the judging is going.

Your breed will be announced when it is time for it to be judged. Someone at the judges’ table will be able to tell you which ‘slot’ (called a hole) your rabbit should go in. They will often place the judging sheet⁷the sheet where placements and wins are recorded on top of the judging coops ove the places where the rabbits listed in the sheets are to go. They are placed into the holes on the judging table in a very specific order. For example, the Rex will often be called up by colour, then gender, then age, so all black senior bucks will go next to each other, followed by the junior black bucks, then the senior black does, and finally the junior black does. Then, all of the next variety (in this case Blue) will be placed next to the blacks, and so on.

1. DO NOT stand on the same side of the judging table as the judge.
2. Try not to obstruct the view of others as they watch the judging.
3. DO NOT identify your rabbit to the judge. Who owns it should have NO impact on the way it is judged.
4. Do not spend too much time schmoozing with the judge. Occasional question and banter are normally fine, but leave the long conversations until after the judging is complete. They only slow down judging.
5. Pay attention while your breed is being judged. You can learn a great deal this way.
6. The judges’ opinion is NOT open for debate.
7. DO NOT say unpleasant things about the judges, the other exhibitors, OR the show committee at the judging table.
8. If the judge disqualifies your animal, you can remove it from the judges’ table and put it back in your carrying cage.
9. Once your breed or variety is finished being judge, remove all but the winning rabbits from the table.
10. Be a good sport and congratulate the winner – even if it wasn’t you!

DQ stands for disqualification. That’s when your rabbit is disqualified from competition.

It happens to ALL of us and is normally no cause for shame or embarrassment.

The ARBA SoP lists all general disqualifications as well as any that are specific to your breed.

Some are considered permanent DQ’s. An example would be if your black rabbit has a white spot somewhere.

Others can be temporary, such as a rabbit that is over or under the allowed weight for their breed and age.

Occasionally – we’ve ALL done it – we will forget to check our rabbits carefully enough and discover that we have forgotten to tattoo one, or entered one in the wrong class – even the wrong sex! Sometimes the judge will notice something we didn’t (or didn’t know yet). That’s OK. It is sometimes possible to correct the entry for the next show if it’s a gender or ear number problem. It will almost never be possible to correct it for the current show. Consider it the price of education.

Also, just because one judge noticed a disqualifying fault, it doesn’t mean the others will too. When we pay for our entry, we are paying for ONE judge’s opinion on THAT day only. Respect their opinion.

There are many opportunities to win at a rabbit show.

It might be easiest to explain this using an example:

Suppose we have the following Rex rabbits entered:

We have 16 Rex altogether, shown by 3 different people (A, B, and C).

When it comes time to judge the Rex, they will likely be placed into the holes of the judging coop in the same order as above: black Sr. bucks, then the black jr buck, then the broken sr doe, then the jr doe, then the senior otter bucks, the senior otter does, and finally the junior otter does.

The judge will first look over all 3 black senior bucks. They will check for disqualifying faults and then assess the rabbit’s overall quality. They often don’t say much about the rabbits at that time.
Once they have made their decisions, they will take them out again – often in reverse order of placements – and give a verbal critique about each rabbit as they do so. They will say what they like about that 3rd place black buck, and then say what could be better. They will do the same for the second place rabbit, and also for the first place winner. They will often explain how they compared against each other as well.

At that point the 2nd, and 3rd place winners are done being judged for that show. They can often be taken off the judges’ table and put back in their carrying cages.

Next, the judge will assess the junior black buck. Unless there is a reason that the rabbit should not win anything, it will normally be given 1st place.

Then the black doe will get judged. Since there are no junior black does, that completes the judging of the Black classes. The 3 1st place winners will still be on the table, and the judge will choose among them for the wins of Best of Variety (BoV) and Best of Variety Oppostite Sex (BoVO). If the BOV goes to the doe, then the judge will choose between one of the bucks for BoVO, and if one of the bucks is chosen BoV, then the doe will become BoVO. Let’s say the Junior Buck wins BOV and the doe wins BoVO.

This continues with each variety until all the varieties are done. Note that there are no Broken bucks, so the only award will be for BOV.

Now, all the BOV winners will be compared against each other, and the judge will choose one for Best of Breed (BOB). Depending on whether that winner is a buck or a doe, the judge will also choose a Best of Breed, Opposite Sex (BOBO).

Suppose Senior Otter Doe wins Best of Breed, and the Junior Black Buck wins Best of Breed, Opposite Sex. Those two rabbits will be needed later when it comes time to judge Best in Show. The rest are done for that show.

Depending on how many rabbits there were and how many exhibitors showed them, winnings can be eligible for “Grand Champion Legs”. A rabbit must earn at least three grand champion legs before it can become a grand champion. It must also be registered with ARBA. Some people only register their rabbits once they have won enough “legs” in order to apply for Grand Champion stats (sometimes called “being granded”).

The basic rules for earning a leg are quite simple: The rabbit must have won at the class level or above, and must have beaten at least 4 other rabbits. So, to win a leg in a class, there must be at least 5 rabbits in that class. On top of that, those 5 rabbits must have been shown by at least three different exhibitors. This prevents a single exhibitor from earning a leg by simply entering 5 of their own rabbits.

A rabbit can only ever earn ONE leg at any given show, even if it wins Best in Show.

Let’s look at the Rex classes and see where legs would be awarded.

The Black Jr Buck would not have won a leg for winning his class, as he was the only one.
He also didn’t win a leg for the BOV. There were 5 black Rex altogether, but they were all shown by only TWO exhibitors (A & B), so no leg.
He DOES earn a leg for the BOBO win, because for that he beat all of the other bucks – 7 in total, shown by all 3 exhibitors.

The BOB winning Senior otter doe won her leg at the class level: there were 5 does in her class shown by 3 different exhibitors, so she earns a leg for that.
Winning Best of Variety, and then Best of Breed is really wonderful, but doesn’t earn her any additional legs.

If you’ve made it this far, congratulations! I hope that wasn’t too long or complicated. Please let me know if there is anything I got wrong, or anything important I left out.

Here is a Rabbit Show Checklist you can use to get ready for your next show….