Do you know how frustrating and heartbreaking it is to watch a young kid come to their first rabbit show, toting with them their most prized possession...the rabbit they bought from you.  The one you told them was show quality and would no doubt do well in the shows.  Only to watch that kid hold back the tears as their best buddy, beloved freind was disqualified off the show table, being told the rabbit they purchased from you was not a show quality animal, or it was not quality at all?

Sadly, this happens all too often.  It hurts.  It really does.

First lets clarify Show Quality.  When someone states that an animal is show quality, it simply means that at that time, the animals meets all the requirements for being able to be shown, and does not exhibit any disqalifications according to the Standard set forth for that breed.  Also, two rabbits bred together that ARE show quality will not always produce show quality offspring.  To know an animal is show quality, you have to be very familiar with the standard for that breed.  If you are not familiar, then you should at least have the standard so that while examining your litters you can compare them to the written standard.  

The standard was created to give breeders a blueprint to breed towards. Without it, you can end up with animals not able to perform the duties in which they were bred for.  Yes, even rabbits have a purpose.  When you start breeding subpar animals, you are destroying what generations of hard work has created.  You will end up with animals that are unhealthy, poor coloration, poor meat/flesh condition, Poor temperments,  Twisted spines, cronic illness, low immune systems, poor fur....the list goes on.

In addition to disqualifications, there are faults.  Now faults do not mean that an animal cannot be shown, but depending on the fault, it does mean it could be less likely to win.  Knowing what these faults are, are very important when it comes to breeding.  You do not want to breed two rabbits with pinched hindquarters together, because, well...what do you think they are going to produce?  That's right.  Pinched Hindquarters.  How well do you think a rabbit with pinched Hindquarters will place against one without?  Not very well.  

Now I know its not to hard to read a breed standard and figure out what the disqalifications are.  But, can you tell easily the difference between Long, Low or Narrow shoulders?  What does it mean when an animal is hollow in the loin?  Is the crown slipped?  How wide should the eye set be? Are the teeth budding?

If your not showing, you cant know all this.  This is not something you can learn from a book.  This is not something you learn from attending one show.  This is something you learn over years of showing and even years of breeding.  Dedicated breeders who show know to breed that narrow shouldered doe to a wide shouldered buck.  Good breeders know how to breed for improvements, evaluate, cull and breed again.

And again, breeding to a standard is not just for creating a show animal.  It is to create an animal that is correct in movement, sound in temperment and in good health!

If you are looking to purchase a rabbit that you would like to show at any time in the furture, ask your breeder:

Are you an ARBA Member?
Are you a member of the National Breed Club?
Are you a member of any local Clubs?
Do you have registered stock?
Do you actively show?

Ask your breeder to show you POSED photos of the animals for purchase.  Or, if you are face to face, ask the breeder to pose the animal for you.  Ask the breeder to highlight the animals good points and bad points,

But if you are serious about wanting a show rabbit...then go to a show.  Meet the breeders, look at the breeds.  Learn, watch and buy.  Do not be fooled by these so called breeders who are only breeding for money.  Chances are, you will find a better bred animal....for cheaper, from a breeder who breeds for a purpose, other than money.

Entering into the rabbit hobby is exciting, but can be overwhelming at times. Once you get the hang of it all, the rabbit hobby can be very rewarding!! As of late I have seen those who are fairly new to the industry ask all sorts of questions via social media. These are folks who obviously did not do their homework, and I have seen them ripped appart by more experienced breeders. This is sad. We are all supposed to help eachother. After all we are all breeding to better the breed right? With that said, I thought I would write a few tips of advice to these newcomers into the rabbit hobby, and perhaps maybe avoid some of these issues! :)


We all had to start somewhere right? For me, my grandfather bought me and my brother mixed breed pet bunnies for easter when I was 12. A year later, I had Mini Lops with pedigrees. I was in 4H. I was buying up rabbit books and wanting to join ARBA and start showing ARBA shows. My first Mini Lop was a birthday present from a school friend, and then it started from there! We all have came into this hobby in one form or another. How we managed to do so is not important. What is important is why we choose to stay!


One of the biggest things I cannot emphasis enough...RESEARCH! Before you buy your first rabbit, before you choose your first breed, research it! The American Rabbit Breeders Association has a great page of all recgonized breeds available for you to use! Check this page out, check out the links to the National breed clubs. Read about the breeds you are interested in! The next step would be to find a local breeder or two of these breeds in your area. Contact them and ask if they can take some time to visit with you about their breed, show you a few examples, and allow you to ask questions. Be sure to let them know that you are looking to get started, and are just researching breeds at this time. A good breeder, with a true passion for their breed & hobby will make the time to do this. And no matter how cute these darling bunnies are that you are shown, now is not the time to buy! Do not make impluse purchases! It will get you know where other than frustrated!


Your next step after talking with a few breeders, on your breed choices is to find a local show to attend. When you go to this show remember: DO NOT go behind the judges table, DO NOT interupt the judging, DO NOT stand in front of exhibitors watching the judging, DO NOT ask exhibitors to point out their animals. But DO watch how the judging works, DO listen to the judge place and comment on the animals (especailly the breed(s) you are considering getting into) When Judging is over, you may then talk to other breeders/exhibitors about their breed. Again this is not a time to buy, you are still researching!


In the meantime, between meeting breeders & attending shows, collect a few books on rabbit raising, Join ARBA, purcahse the current Standard of Perfection, and jion a few groups on Facebook dedicated to raising and show rabbits. These groups are excellent resources for newbies and a great place to meet more breeders, see more breeds, and ask questions!


When you feel like you have done enough research, and read all there is to know about rabbits. Now it's time to choose your breed. I highly suggest you start with one breed, and only one breed. A common mistake I see amoung newbies is getting so excited about all the varieties, pretty colors, body styles and just plain adorable rabbits! What ends up happening is that they cannot focus on all, they dont win at shows, improvements are being made when breeding, and in the long run they end up frustrated and give up!


Some of the biggest mistakes I see being made are newbies not doing their homework. Asking questions in groups in which, had you as a newbie done your research and learned about the basic principles of rabbit breeding and showing you would know these things. I understand that everyone was a newbie at somepoint, and everyone has to start somewhere. But, the point is do you really want to be that one person that posts a question in a group that says "I just bred my doe. When is she due?" Come on, if you did your research, you would know this! You are more than likely to get answers from several people. Several will be nice, most not so nice.


Showing and raising quality rabbits is not difficult and with today's world of technology all the information you need to know is right at your fingertips! So before you get started, do some research! Find the simple basics of breeding such as gestation, best age to breed (this varies from breed to breed and different breeders have different opinions) It's okay to ask questions to learn...but don't ask questions after the deed has been done. ​

​I am pretty sure I have posted about this before, but it does not hurt to post again. There is maybe one thing more important in this hobby than the breeders themselves, and that would be our local clubs. If it was not for these local clubs putting on shows, we would not have the opportunity to exhibit our breed specimens, converse and learn with others in our breed, learn about new breeds, and so much more! These local clubs are run by local breeders, not by ARBA or the National Breed clubs.


I have noticed that shows are becoming far and few inbetween, at least in my area. New clubs pop up, but quickly diminish. Why is that? Well lets look at how a club works:


A local club must consist of seven people: President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer (Secretary & Treasurer can be combined), Board Director, and two other board members. This is what is required by ARBA to start up and continue a local club. All these club members MUST be ARBA members as well. Each club is responsible to make up their own consititution and by-laws. Each club is a small branch of ARBA, but not governed by ARBA. ARBA oe not get involved with club buisness matters.


Each officier of local clubs has a role to play. However, the heart and soul of each club without a doubt is the secretary and treasuers position. These positions in a club are always the hardest to fill. Many times a person will take the position, but quickly remove themselves. Without a secretary or treasurer the clubs cannot function! The sceretary is responsible to make sure all the paperwork is in order for the charter, taxes, non profit, state requirements, minutes for club meetings, etc etc. Then you have the treasurer who is responsible for the clubs money. Add that to the secretary's job and oh boy! But it's not impossible to do!


One of the most important things to remember of our local club members is that they are ALL 100% volunteering their time to these clubs. There is NO pay to be a club member! Infact, when new clubs start up, the charter fee comes out of pocket. And in most cases, when the show happens, awards, judges, hotels, coops, venue and all that goes along with hosting a show, comes from the pocket of the club members until entry fees are paid. This is especially true for smaller local clubs.


Don't think that your personal life is just too busy to be an active member of a local group! Each and every member, including the secretary and treasuer has a family to care for, a home to clean, kids to chase, a full time job, and their own rabbits to maintain! And yet, even though most members have full time jobs, and we all have an entire life of our own, we make time so that the show can go on!


What can a membership to your local club get you? Well first and foremost your paid membership to your local club gets you a vote in all things club related. It gives you the opportunity to make changes that you see need to be made. Your small yearly membership dues help pay for the club charter, purchase awards for the show, or pay for anything else the club needs to continue. Your membership is valued, no matter how little or how much you participate.


However, active members are needed! Even if you can only do so much, any help is appreciated when it gets time to put on a show. In most cases, your local shows are put on by two or three people. That is an average of three people finding and collecting bids for judges that they think the exhibitors will appreciate, organizing judging orders, taking in your entries and fees, making the show catalog and ensuring everyone who wants one gets one, sending in for sanctions, printing out and orgnizing pre show paperwork, picking up and entertaining the judges, finding the venue, setting up the show, finding table writers, and down to imputing all the placements after the show, printing out the show reports and legs and getting them off in the mail to you! There is so much more that goes into hosting a show than what I listed. But, the point is...on average three people do all this work for you the exhibitor to enjoy, while we work full time jobs, and care for our own families!


So take minute and contact your local clubs, ask to join and ask where you can help! YOu are an assest! No matter how big or how small!