Why I Show...

There are many reasons why people ‘show’ their animals. Local shows provide a social day out and a chance to catch up with friends. It is a chance to get other people’s opinions of your stock (especially the judges) and a chance to see what other breeders have bred. The primary reason though is for the competition and the chance to compare your own stock with that of everyone else’s and against the relevant standard for your particular breed/animal.

The Standard:

For every breed/animal that can be exhibited in this country there is a written list of points known as a breed standard which the animal has to conform to. This will list factors such as weight, colour, pattern, shape of body, length of ears etc., and the animal that mirrors the standard the most should be the winner. Obviously this is subject to each judge’s interpretation of the standard, and everyone has differing opinions. When you are assessing your stock or planning your breeding schedule you should always have a clear idea of the breed standard in your mind. This is to aim to create a specimen as close to this ideal as possible. The standard also lists any relevant disqualifications which would render your animal unfit for showing. These disqualifications should be considered when buying stock, choosing breeding pairs and what youngsters to run on.

For rabbits the standard we abide by in Australia currently is the British Rabbit Council Standard Of Perfection.

My Tale....

I have been involved in showing animals from a young age. As a young girl I would go and help a family friend who bred Siamese and Oriental cats, set up for cat shows but I never really desired to show cats myself.

I wanted a show dog! Every year when my family and I would go to the Royal Melbourne Show I would be most excited to go to the dog pavilion and see all the beautiful dog on display, I would beg my mum for a show dog, it start out with a German Shepard and as I got older it was a Border Collie and then a Golden Retriever and she would say “when we more I’ll get you one” or “I can’t afford it”.

When I got older and started working one of the first things I decided to buy was a show quality dog.

Now I was all set to get myself the Golden Retriever I had been waiting years for and then along came the American Staffordshire Terrier (Amstaff) in to my life, this is a long story so long story short after 4 years of waiting for the right Amstaff I brought my girl "River" home on 7th of December 2011 and showed her to her Australian champion title.

The first rabbit show I went to was in Seymour at the Northern Country Rabbit Club, I had been talking to Chris Boddy from Bedlam Bunnies and I was to be meeting her at the show, I was a little nerves and wasn’t sure what to expected but I had no need to worry I found Chris easily and she showed me all her bunnies and Introduced me to the other exhibitors.

I had a lovely time at this show, it was a very open and friendly club and It’s still my favourite place to show.

After that first show I could wait to start showing my rabbits and I really Injoy it.

Thought About Showing Rabbits?

So much of your success in show rabbits depends on your start.  Follow these tips to help you get off on the right foot!

Step One: Go to a show!

You can find rabbit shows listed on various Facebook pages, club websites and directories. You do not need to register or do anything else in advance. Just show up. However to make the best of your experience contact someone from the club prior, even by social media, and express your interest. That way you can introduce yourself on the day and they can assist you in getting the information you desire. You can learn a lot about rabbits on show day by immersing yourself talking to rabbit enthusiasts.

On show day your intentions are usually to find out:   

1. Is showing/breeding rabbits something You would really enjoy?
2. What breed is best for you?

Also consider this: there is generally a lot of competition in some popular breeds. Choose these breeds only if you are willing to invest a good deal of time (and/or money) before you see a lot of success on the show table. 

Step Two: Join Your Local Club

Now that you’ve decided that you do like showing rabbits as a hobby and chose a SINGLE breed to work on, you should join your local club.

Step Three: Prepare Your Equipment

Plan your rabbit housing and either purchase or build cages. You will like the result better if you plan ahead instead of purchasing cages on a reactive, got to-have-it-now basis. Rather than having a collection of mismatched cages that do not fit your space well, think about how you really want to operate even before you purchase your first rabbits. It would be a waste of money to start in one direction and then have to change strategies. Remember, you will need more cages than you think because it takes cages to grow out babies. Plan to fill 1/3 of your cages at first and leave the rest for future growth (and it won’t be that far in the future!)

Step Four: Purchase Your Starter Stock

Purchase a few, very good quality rabbits from at least somewhat related lines ideally. Get help from someone who has been successfully showing the breed for a while. Most of us purchased whatever rabbits were available because we were so excited we wanted to get started yesterday. We might luck up with some good stuff, but by and large, we will buy a lot of rabbits that we will re-sell in the not-too-distant future. Chances are you will ignore this advice. Or think you are following it until the next nicer example becomes available. If you buy too much from too many lines and end up having to pare it down, don’t feel bad. That’s how most of us did it.

Remember- just because it’s for sale doesn’t mean it’s worth buying. Making the right selections in the start will dramatically impact the pace in which you progress in the hobby. Every breeder you will meet will acknowledge that they would have tried to learn a bit more about genetics, husbandry, showmanship, breeding etc. before embarking in the fancy. So take the tip and prepare yourself as best you can. 

Established breeders can spend over 10 years developing lines that you might desire. As you can imagine this work has immense personal value to them. They can be protective of it- not because they are only competitive, but because they know the value is well beyond dollars. It’s the product of their passion. Selling it or giving it away to someone is like expecting a child to be able to swim before giving them swimming lessons. Some may float- but tragedy may come to the majority. If you have committed and prepared the doors tend to swing open. There is nothing more satisfying then helping someone who has helped themselves! Enthusiasm is contagious. Knowledge is powerful. 

Step Five: Show Your Foundation Stock (if appropriate)

Many wait until they have owner bred rabbits before going to a show. This creates issues because clubs won’t endorse breeders in a full capacity (sell rings) until participation in three shows is met. This is to not test members but more show support to the club. Clubs exist for members- if you do not want to participate in the club then your membership is a one way street. Taking without contributing is not the best way to grow and develop the Australian rabbit fancy! Most people admit that they should have gone earlier and shown their bought stock. Learning is the biggest goal in the beginning – even more important than producing winning rabbits. Equipping yourself with the tools to make the right choice is the only way to reach your goals. It is your responsibility to educate yourself. Volunteers are happy to educate members- but you must be in a head space to take on this information.

A point to remember is that every person breeding, showing and judging rabbits has an opinion. This is no different to life. You can learn just as much from a poor opinion as you can from an excellent one if you just change the way you look at it. You wouldn’t enrol in a university course and expect to be fast tracked to your last semester if you had no experience. Do not expect immediate results. If you’re impatient or unrealistic this hobby is not for you.

Steps Six and so forth

Now you are ready to breed rabbits, learn more about the details of conditioning, culling, (doesn’t always mean to KILL) dealing with problems, etc. You can start to make goals for yourself – earning your first cc, earning your first cc with a rabbit you produced, earning a BOB, so forth. Keeping the precious babies you have born, alive, is a very important goal! Champions are made in the nest.

The biggest lesson to learn in this stage is to lose your fear of being stuck with rabbits. You will want to keep your bunnies for several months before deciding which to cull ( remove from the breeding program). It is great advice to keep your first litter from a particular line until adulthood. Becoming very familiar with what you are working with, and especially how it matures, should be one of your goals.