Welcome to the showing world!
Well there are certain things know about showing. I'll explain how to properly dress, placing your rabbit on the table and responding to judges. When I say dressing properly, I'm not talking about your whole outfit. You've probably seen people who show pigs, goats, sheep and cattle, how they have to wear a button shirt, belt, jeans and work boots. In the rabbit world, it's important to wear long sleeves. One, it protects you. Rabbits have very sharp nails and will cut you up! Second, it looks better to judges if you do this especially if you wear a lab coat. Third, it's more comfortable, I think.
When you're going up to the show table with your rabbit, pick it up right. Some people do a way called 'football style'. This is where you place them under your arm, usually your left, and scoop them underneath, holding their belly. Their head should be looking behind you and make sure the can breath. The second way (the one i use) doesn't really have a name. I'm right handed, and this may work for left handed people too, I don't know, but I put my right hand under their belly and put my left hand under their rump (around the tail) and support the tops of their legs. I place their head under my arm, and sometimes I just hold them with my left hand; although, some feel more secure if you hold their bellies. I have some who need me to and some who will let me hold just their rumps.
Listen for your class when they call your breed, variety and age division. Some breeds, like Netherland Dwarfs, have more complicated classes. Netherland Dwarfs actually have the most varieties out of all 48 breeds and their varieties are split into groups then broken down into varieties. Mini Lops, Holland Lops and many other Lops have a lot of varieties too. When you approach the table, carefully put your rabbit in the holding space and step back a little so other competitors can put their rabbits up there too. The judge will usually just start looking at them and not say anything. Once they go down the row, they'll tell the secretary the ear number and begin making comments. Most common comments have to do with 'rough hindquarters', 'rough shoulders', 'molting', 'narrow shoulders', 'bad midsection' etc.. The judge may send your rabbit back right off the bat if he knows for sure he or she isn't going to place it in the top 3-7.
When you're up there, don't talk to others, text or listen to music. I'm a teen and I see other teens doing that and it makes me angry. It's disrespectful towards the judge and you need to pay attention anyway. When a judge is speaking, make eye contact or look at your rabbit and let she or he know you're paying attention. Never EVER talk back to a judge or correct them. Make sure to collect your remark card and take your rabbit back to your carrying case or stay up there with it if they place first.
When you're going up to the show table with your rabbit, pick it up right. Some people do a way called 'football style'. This is where you place them under your arm, usually your left, and scoop them underneath, holding their belly. Their head should be looking behind you and make sure the can breath. The second way (the one i use) doesn't really have a name. I'm right handed, and this may work for left handed people too, I don't know, but I put my right hand under their belly and put my left hand under their rump (around the tail) and support the tops of their legs. I place their head under my arm, and sometimes I just hold them with my left hand; although, some feel more secure if you hold their bellies. I have some who need me to and some who will let me hold just their rumps.
Listen for your class when they call your breed, variety and age division. Some breeds, like Netherland Dwarfs, have more complicated classes. Netherland Dwarfs actually have the most varieties out of all 48 breeds and their varieties are split into groups then broken down into varieties. Mini Lops, Holland Lops and many other Lops have a lot of varieties too. When you approach the table, carefully put your rabbit in the holding space and step back a little so other competitors can put their rabbits up there too. The judge will usually just start looking at them and not say anything. Once they go down the row, they'll tell the secretary the ear number and begin making comments. Most common comments have to do with 'rough hindquarters', 'rough shoulders', 'molting', 'narrow shoulders', 'bad midsection' etc.. The judge may send your rabbit back right off the bat if he knows for sure he or she isn't going to place it in the top 3-7.
When you're up there, don't talk to others, text or listen to music. I'm a teen and I see other teens doing that and it makes me angry. It's disrespectful towards the judge and you need to pay attention anyway. When a judge is speaking, make eye contact or look at your rabbit and let she or he know you're paying attention. Never EVER talk back to a judge or correct them. Make sure to collect your remark card and take your rabbit back to your carrying case or stay up there with it if they place first.