My comments on showing rabbits

I was talking to a new person about showing rabbits. She asked me if I “granded” (3 Grand Champion Legs) my rabbits and then retired them, as she was told that was the “standard practice” by some breeders. My response to her was that I show my rabbits until they cannot show no more, unless they do not do well at shows, at which time they are retired, but not bred. Mostly, they either become a fiber animal in my rabbitry if the wool is great, or simply get culled. If they are chosen to be bred due to excellent qualities and they have out grown their showing stage, then the breeding is carefully planned.

My experience and believe is that a true show person is not one that just takes rabbits to a show to get a “leg”. The way I see it is if a breeder focuses on “granding” a rabbit, meaning acquiring 3 legs, and just retires them afterwards, is not truly looking at the full picture. I believe that a true show person breeds a rabbit to the ARBA Standard of Perfection. That being said, one breeds a rabbit striving to get a Best In Show (BIS) rabbit, not just a Best Of Breed (BOB). Granted, one needs BOB to compete in BIS, but just simply being satisfied with a Grand Champion Certificate (3 legs), is not truly reflecting the importance of showing to the ARBA Standard Of Perfection.

Ever since I began showing rabbits, I researched the breed and worked on my goals. My belief and philosophy is to show a high quality rabbit as much as it can be shown, regardless if it has 3 grand champion legs or not. If a rabbit continuously wins BOB, that is the making a of good rabbit capable of winning BIS. If the winning is sporadically, then that is a different story.

I have heard numerous times of some breeders using the rationale of granding a rabbit and “give others a chance to win”. I ask, “chance for what?” If the other breeder has a superb rabbit, it will beat all the rabbits in the breed. There is no “chance” in this situation. The way I see it is, a rabbit will win if it has what it takes, if not, then it won’t. True, there might be some times a judge might not pick the best, overall, but then we have to look at whether this rabbit will win consistently or sporadically.

Overall, I told this person, if you are truly in it for the breed and showing, focus your goal in breeding a Best In Show rabbit, not a simple three grand champion leg rabbit.