Showing Rabbits and Cavies

Showing rabbits and cavies is great fun for the entire family!  Many exhibitors start out as 4-H members and learn about showing their rabbits and cavies by competing at local county fairs.  Oftentimes, after the 4-H'er gains experience, he or she is ready to take the next step in competition; showing rabbits and cavies at ARBA-sanctioned shows!  Of course, not everyone starts out this way, but everyone was a beginner at some point..read on...

However you got here, we do have some helpful articles, especially for the first-time rabbit or cavy exhibitor, and we will be adding more as we complete them.  Over winter of 2006 we'll be working on a pdf file for conventions and multi-day shows; this will include several helpful pages to assist those attending their first convention!  We also have a collection of links to offsite showing-related  information for your viewing pleasure.

We personally attend only about a dozen shows per year just because of our intense high-school sports schedules and such.  You can browse through our past show years to read how we did and also take a look at some of our pictures and show diaries from larger, or select shows we attended.  Our current year show schedule lists rabbit and cavy shows we plan to attend during the 2006-2007 show season.

Feel free to contact us if you have any questions about showing - if we can't answer your questions, we'll try to send you to someone who can help!

Scroll down to view the menu for this section.  You can also use the arrow keys to jump page to page throughout each segment.

Rabbit & Cavy Show Help Articles

 ~onsite~

Our Show Seasons

Arrows take you thru show seasons and diaries/pictures

How To Show Your Rabbit

Large series of articles for the beginning exhibitor; tips and advice for your first rabbit show.  Below are the chapters we have so far:

ch 1   About Rabbit Shows and Clubs

ch 2   Choosing Rabbits To Show

ch 3   Conditioning and Working With Your Rabbit

ch 4   What to bring To a Rabbit Show

ch 5   How To Fill Out A Rabbit Show Entry Form

ch 6   All About Remark Cards

ch 7   To Do The Night Before The Rabbit Show

ch 8   Arriving at the Show, Unloading and Setting Up

ch 9   Show Day!  Rabbit Judging Begins

ch 10 After The Show - How Did You Do?

Checklist For a One-Day Rabbit Show

What do I bring to a rabbit show?  Our printable checklist keeps you organized!

Printable Rabbit Show Entry Form 

Here is a basic blank rabbit show entry form for anyone to use! 

How To Tattoo a Rabbit

Series of articles and instructions on how to tattoo your show or breeding rabbit

What is a GC Leg?

All about grand champion legs and how to use them to 'grand' your rabbit or cavy

Grand Champion Certificates

How your rabbit or cavy can earn a Grand Champion Certificate!

How to Buy Show Quality Rabbits

General tips and info on how to go about getting your first show rabbit and what to expect!

How the New Exhibitor Turns Into A Rabbit Breeder

How the new breeder progresses, learns and grows in the show rabbit world.

How to Ear-Tag Your Show Cavy

Illustrated, step-by-step instructions on how to put an ear tag in your show cavy's ear.

Convention Show Packet

Our packet of help for first-time convention or multi-day show goers!  Includes hints for success, lists of items to bring, travel planner, event calendar, pages of travel fun for kids, plus a lot more!  Entirely printable.  Coming perhaps over winter 2006.....

Show Schedule 2006-2007

Show Schedule 2005-2006

Show Schedule 2004-2005

Show Schedule 2003-2004

2005 ARBA Convention

2005 Wi State RBA Convention

2005 Misty Hills Fall Frolic

2005 Fox Valley Fall Show

2006 Lakeland RBA Show

2006 Badger RBA Show

2006 Tri-Country RBA Spring Show

2006 Southwest WI RBA Show

Offsite Links to Show Info

American Rabbit Breeders Association - visit here to find shows in your area!

ARBA Show Rules - 2003 official rules for showing Rabbits and cavies at ARBA shows

Breeding Towards the Standard: An Exhibitor's Opinion. Excellent HL article by Katherine Simmons of River Hill Hollands

Cavy faults - Celestial Cavies description and pictures of common show cavy faults

The Holland Lop - Judging Hollands and what traits to look for - excellent! 

Holland Lop Body Type - by Allen Barr, ARBA Judge

Judging Holland Lops - by Chris Zemny, ARBA Judge

Learn the Language of Rabbit Fanciers - by Candy Haenszel of Candy's

Some Thoughts on Judging The French Lop - by Joy Ekstrom