Showing Your
Netherland Dwarf Rabbit
Once you buy your rabbit you may decide you would like to show it. Like any new adventure this can be a little (actually a LOT) confusing at first. Best Advice: GO TO A SHOW BEFORE YOU ENTER ONE TO SEE HOW THINGS WORK AND TALK TO OTHER EXHIBITORS.
Some things you might need to know:
How do I find a show in my area? Show information is available from the ARBA (American Rabbit Breeders Association), the NENDRC (New England Netherland Dwarf Rabbit Club), and the New England Show CIrcuit. Links for all of these organizations are under our GREAT BUNNY LINKS tab on the left. To get a show catalog that gives you details about the show, you need to contact the show secretary. Sometimes deadlines for entry are a month before the show, sometimes they are only a few days before the show.
Sometimes there are double and even triple shows on the same day. Sometimes they are referred to as SHOW A and SHOW B. This means that your rabbit will be judged by different judges. You do not need to enter both shows if you do not want to. Sometimes there is a specialty show along with a regular rabbit show. The regular show will have many different breeds being shown. In a specialty show, only Netherland Dwarfs are shown. If there is a specialty show, often you will have to fill out a separate entry form and send it to the secretary of the specialty show who is different from the secretary for the all-rabbit show. These multiple shows on the same day can be run one after the other or can be run concurrently with each other. This may mean that you are running your rabbits from table to table! They can be long but very exciting days.
I am confused about the show form, what information do I need to enter on it? While some shows have online entries, most use entry forms that are very similar. There is a column for a coop number; variety; ear number; sex; Class which is senior (SR), 6/8mo., junior (JR); doe litter; fur; meat; and entry fee.
You do not fill out the coop number. The coop number is a number that will be provided for you at the show and you will write it in the rabbits right ear with a black sharpie. Some shows are doing away with coop numbers. For a Netherland Dwarf, under variety, you should write Netherland Dwarf and the color. Ear number is the tatto in your rabbit's left ear. Rabbits must have a legible PERMANENT tatoo to be shown. Sex is either Buck or Doe. You need to check off if your rabbit is a senior or junior (for Netherland Dwarfs there is no 6/8 or intermediate class). Your rabbit is a senior if it is over 6 months old or if is over 2 pounds. It is a junior if it is under 6 months old. Entry fee is what is being charged per rabbit. You will add the number of rabbit fees together and put the total entry fee at the bottom of the column.
The entry asks for your name and address on the bottom and --THIS IS IMPORTANT -- at the top whether you are showing in youth or open. Youth must be 18 and under and must be able to bring the rabbits to the table themselves. Adults cannot enter a youth competition, but youth can entry and open (adult) competition. Sometimes there is only an open show, sometimes there are only some types of rabbits that have both youth and open. The show catalog will provide this information.
The form will also often contain a section for the show secretary. You do not fill out this information. It is used by the secretary to determine points and awards.
It is rare for shows to allow you to register at the door. Don't get your entry in late, most times it will not be accepted. SAVE A COPY OF THE ENTRY FOR YOURSELF TO BRING TO THE SHOW.
Does my rabbit need a pedigree to be in a show? You are never required to show a pedigree when you attend a show, however your rabbit must be purebred Netherland Dwarf.
How should I prepare my rabbit for a rabbit show? It is best if you work with your rabbit before a show to teach it how to pose and get it used to being flipped and examined as a judge would do. This helps the show experience be less stressful for your rabbit, and makes it easier for the judge to handle your rabbit. You do not need to bathe your rabbit before a rabbit show but it should be clean. In doing a health check before a show, or even before registering a rabbit for a show, weigh it to make sure it is in the correct class and to make sure it is not overweight. Make sure its eyes are clear and not weepy, its ears are clear and its nails are clipped. You should NEVER bring a rabbit to a show that is showing signs of sickness, it is unhealthy for the rabbit and has the potential of passing its illness onto other rabbits. Never bring a rabbit that is under 6 weeks to a show. Make sure its teeth are aligned correctly and it does not have any disqualifications as outlined in the Standard of Perfection (you are only wasting your money bringing a rabbit with a disqualification to a show). The Standard of Perfection, published by the ARBA is what judges use in judging rabbits.
What should I bring to a show? Make sure you have food and water for both you and your rabbit. If a show is only 6 or 8 hours or show, your rabbit can go without feed, but some hay might be appreciated, but your rabbit should always have water available. Some shows provide a food service where you can purchase food and drinks for yourself so having cash is a good idea too. Your rabbit should be in an appropriate carrier with a solid bottom so it doesn't leak on to the floor. A cat carrier is not an appropriate carrier for a show. Carriers are available from rabbit supply companies. Sometimes there will be a rabbit supply company availabe at the show.
Bring a chair for yourself. Some shows do not allow this if space is tight, but many do. Bring your copy show entry form so you will know which rabbits you entered (if you have many) and to show the secretary in a case where there is a discrepancy between information they have. Other helpful items include: toenail clippers, tatoo kit (for touch ups), grooming mat, wet wipes, a black sharpie, a cart if you have many rabbit cages to transport, pedigrees for rabbits you would like to sell.
What does it mean when a show is sanctioned? There are lots of details that could go with this answer, but the basics of it are the club sponsoring the show will pay a fee to the ARBA and the rabbits in the show are eligible to receive "legs" towards a Grand Champion certificate. The information about winners in the show are sent to the ARBA and you receive a "leg" certificate from the show if your rabbit won and the number of rabbits and breeders necessary are met. A sanction may also be for the American Netherland Dwarf Rabbit Club (ANDRC). This association is a national specialty club that keeps track of points. You need to be a member of this club in order to receive points (see the Great Bunny Links tab to go to the ANDRC). Points are assigned depending on the number of rabbits within a particular variety that are shown. You receive a report of your points back from the show secretary in the mail after the show. (Remember the show secretary section on the entry form? That is what is filled in with points and information about the number in class, place and points the rabbit receives in the show.) Throughout the year, points are tallied and published on the ANDRC website.
What do I need to do when I get to the show? Make sure you get to the show ahead of the starting time so that you can take care of the following: Upon arriving at the show, bring your bunnies into the building and find a spot to put them. If the show is not spacious, it is a courtesy to others to stack your cages. Check in with the show secretary. The secretary will give you a copy of your entry and coop numbers if the show is using coop numbers. CHECK IT OVER. Make sure the ear numbers, colors, sexes, etc are correct. You want to get any errors corrected BEFORE your rabbits are on the table so they are not disqualified due to an error. Enter coop numbers in your rabbits ears if necessary. Walk around the show room and see which judge will be judging Netherland Dwarfs. Then you wait for your breed to be judged. You are responsible for getting your rabbit to the table when it is time. Pay close attention when the breed before yours is at the table because you will be next. Netherland Dwarf are usually judged in order of the varieties as they are listed in the Standard of Perfection. That is self, shaded, agouti, tan pattern and aov (any other variety). And within those varieties, rabbits are judged on their color. If you are not sure when to bring up your color, it is sometimes helpful to ask another breeder standing at the table, most are very willing to help. But remember not to disturb the judge and remember that the other breeders most likely have a rabbit on the table and are interested in hearing what the judge has to say so do not take advantage of someone's helpfulness.
Hope you enjoy the show!!
Some things you might need to know:
How do I find a show in my area? Show information is available from the ARBA (American Rabbit Breeders Association), the NENDRC (New England Netherland Dwarf Rabbit Club), and the New England Show CIrcuit. Links for all of these organizations are under our GREAT BUNNY LINKS tab on the left. To get a show catalog that gives you details about the show, you need to contact the show secretary. Sometimes deadlines for entry are a month before the show, sometimes they are only a few days before the show.
Sometimes there are double and even triple shows on the same day. Sometimes they are referred to as SHOW A and SHOW B. This means that your rabbit will be judged by different judges. You do not need to enter both shows if you do not want to. Sometimes there is a specialty show along with a regular rabbit show. The regular show will have many different breeds being shown. In a specialty show, only Netherland Dwarfs are shown. If there is a specialty show, often you will have to fill out a separate entry form and send it to the secretary of the specialty show who is different from the secretary for the all-rabbit show. These multiple shows on the same day can be run one after the other or can be run concurrently with each other. This may mean that you are running your rabbits from table to table! They can be long but very exciting days.
I am confused about the show form, what information do I need to enter on it? While some shows have online entries, most use entry forms that are very similar. There is a column for a coop number; variety; ear number; sex; Class which is senior (SR), 6/8mo., junior (JR); doe litter; fur; meat; and entry fee.
You do not fill out the coop number. The coop number is a number that will be provided for you at the show and you will write it in the rabbits right ear with a black sharpie. Some shows are doing away with coop numbers. For a Netherland Dwarf, under variety, you should write Netherland Dwarf and the color. Ear number is the tatto in your rabbit's left ear. Rabbits must have a legible PERMANENT tatoo to be shown. Sex is either Buck or Doe. You need to check off if your rabbit is a senior or junior (for Netherland Dwarfs there is no 6/8 or intermediate class). Your rabbit is a senior if it is over 6 months old or if is over 2 pounds. It is a junior if it is under 6 months old. Entry fee is what is being charged per rabbit. You will add the number of rabbit fees together and put the total entry fee at the bottom of the column.
The entry asks for your name and address on the bottom and --THIS IS IMPORTANT -- at the top whether you are showing in youth or open. Youth must be 18 and under and must be able to bring the rabbits to the table themselves. Adults cannot enter a youth competition, but youth can entry and open (adult) competition. Sometimes there is only an open show, sometimes there are only some types of rabbits that have both youth and open. The show catalog will provide this information.
The form will also often contain a section for the show secretary. You do not fill out this information. It is used by the secretary to determine points and awards.
It is rare for shows to allow you to register at the door. Don't get your entry in late, most times it will not be accepted. SAVE A COPY OF THE ENTRY FOR YOURSELF TO BRING TO THE SHOW.
Does my rabbit need a pedigree to be in a show? You are never required to show a pedigree when you attend a show, however your rabbit must be purebred Netherland Dwarf.
How should I prepare my rabbit for a rabbit show? It is best if you work with your rabbit before a show to teach it how to pose and get it used to being flipped and examined as a judge would do. This helps the show experience be less stressful for your rabbit, and makes it easier for the judge to handle your rabbit. You do not need to bathe your rabbit before a rabbit show but it should be clean. In doing a health check before a show, or even before registering a rabbit for a show, weigh it to make sure it is in the correct class and to make sure it is not overweight. Make sure its eyes are clear and not weepy, its ears are clear and its nails are clipped. You should NEVER bring a rabbit to a show that is showing signs of sickness, it is unhealthy for the rabbit and has the potential of passing its illness onto other rabbits. Never bring a rabbit that is under 6 weeks to a show. Make sure its teeth are aligned correctly and it does not have any disqualifications as outlined in the Standard of Perfection (you are only wasting your money bringing a rabbit with a disqualification to a show). The Standard of Perfection, published by the ARBA is what judges use in judging rabbits.
What should I bring to a show? Make sure you have food and water for both you and your rabbit. If a show is only 6 or 8 hours or show, your rabbit can go without feed, but some hay might be appreciated, but your rabbit should always have water available. Some shows provide a food service where you can purchase food and drinks for yourself so having cash is a good idea too. Your rabbit should be in an appropriate carrier with a solid bottom so it doesn't leak on to the floor. A cat carrier is not an appropriate carrier for a show. Carriers are available from rabbit supply companies. Sometimes there will be a rabbit supply company availabe at the show.
Bring a chair for yourself. Some shows do not allow this if space is tight, but many do. Bring your copy show entry form so you will know which rabbits you entered (if you have many) and to show the secretary in a case where there is a discrepancy between information they have. Other helpful items include: toenail clippers, tatoo kit (for touch ups), grooming mat, wet wipes, a black sharpie, a cart if you have many rabbit cages to transport, pedigrees for rabbits you would like to sell.
What does it mean when a show is sanctioned? There are lots of details that could go with this answer, but the basics of it are the club sponsoring the show will pay a fee to the ARBA and the rabbits in the show are eligible to receive "legs" towards a Grand Champion certificate. The information about winners in the show are sent to the ARBA and you receive a "leg" certificate from the show if your rabbit won and the number of rabbits and breeders necessary are met. A sanction may also be for the American Netherland Dwarf Rabbit Club (ANDRC). This association is a national specialty club that keeps track of points. You need to be a member of this club in order to receive points (see the Great Bunny Links tab to go to the ANDRC). Points are assigned depending on the number of rabbits within a particular variety that are shown. You receive a report of your points back from the show secretary in the mail after the show. (Remember the show secretary section on the entry form? That is what is filled in with points and information about the number in class, place and points the rabbit receives in the show.) Throughout the year, points are tallied and published on the ANDRC website.
What do I need to do when I get to the show? Make sure you get to the show ahead of the starting time so that you can take care of the following: Upon arriving at the show, bring your bunnies into the building and find a spot to put them. If the show is not spacious, it is a courtesy to others to stack your cages. Check in with the show secretary. The secretary will give you a copy of your entry and coop numbers if the show is using coop numbers. CHECK IT OVER. Make sure the ear numbers, colors, sexes, etc are correct. You want to get any errors corrected BEFORE your rabbits are on the table so they are not disqualified due to an error. Enter coop numbers in your rabbits ears if necessary. Walk around the show room and see which judge will be judging Netherland Dwarfs. Then you wait for your breed to be judged. You are responsible for getting your rabbit to the table when it is time. Pay close attention when the breed before yours is at the table because you will be next. Netherland Dwarf are usually judged in order of the varieties as they are listed in the Standard of Perfection. That is self, shaded, agouti, tan pattern and aov (any other variety). And within those varieties, rabbits are judged on their color. If you are not sure when to bring up your color, it is sometimes helpful to ask another breeder standing at the table, most are very willing to help. But remember not to disturb the judge and remember that the other breeders most likely have a rabbit on the table and are interested in hearing what the judge has to say so do not take advantage of someone's helpfulness.
Hope you enjoy the show!!
