The
Do's and Don'ts of Showing
1.
Check the weather the night before the show so
that you'll know whether or not to bring anything
extra for the rabbits, yourself, or your car.
2.
Bring a copy of the entry form. If there's a mistake
in the pre-entry show, you can straighten it out
more easily if you have the entry form. For entries
on the day of show, bring a list of the rabbits
you're going to show and the ear number of each
so that you can fill out the forms faster.
3.
Get to the show in plenty of time before it starts
so that you aren't rushed. Your rabbits can feel
your tension and will react, IMO.
4.
Bring some kind of treat for your rabbits to munch
on. Even though most people won't become distressed
at the new surroundings, your rabbits might. They'd
probably enjoy a hay cube, some grass hay, or a
slice of apple or carrot, and it would help reduce
their stress. Be sure to bring something for them
to drink from, too.
5.
Don't forget your tattoo kit for those tattoos
that always seem to disappear at the wrong time.
6.
Try to get a good night's sleep. Rest can be the
difference between having a good show day for yourself
and a day that you can barely squint through. No
sense in putting you or your animals at risk from
a bad night's sleep. If you have to, take a cat
nap after your breeds are judged so that you can
drive home safely.
7.
Bring an extra empty carrier for that unexpected
purchase. It's better to bring an extra empty hole
than to try to squeeze two rabbits in one hole.
Think safety.
8.
Have a first-aid kit and your grooming kit. It's
better to have the kits on hand and not use them,
than to have an emergency pop up and be lost without
them.
9.
Above all, remember that it's not what you win
but how you win it. Please be a gracious winner
and a gracious loser. We all win and lose from
one show to the next. Nobody's perfect.
The
Don'ts of Showing
1.
Don't get mad and start bad-mouthing the judge
just because you didn't win. Remember, he/she is
just a person who's giving an opinion of your animal
on that given day.
2.
Don't bad-mouth a rabbit that the judge is judging.
In other words, don't point out something that
you see and the judge doesn't. Most people would
look at this as trying to sway the judge's opinion
or as cheating. Remember, you're not the one that
holds the judging license.
3.
Don't let the judge know which animal is yours.
For instance, don't say to the judge, "Remember
when you gave this doe a BOB (Best of Show) when
she was only four months old? Look at her now." If
you do this, you could have your entire entry DQ'ed
(disqualified) from the show. I know that this
sounds crazy, but I've seen it happen more than
once.
4.
Don't fake your rabbit. This simply means do not
alter the appearance of your rabbit by plucking
stray white hairs, putting anything on the toenails
to make them match or to make darker, etc. If you're
caught, it means the disqualification of your entire
entry at the show.
5.
Don't blame anyone if you miss the judging for
your class of rabbits. You need to pay attention
to when and where the judging is for your breed.
Listen to announcements of breeds being called.
If you can't hear, go and ask repeatedly what breed
is up. Remember, missing your class is a bummer,
but it's not the end of the world.
6.
Don't be a poor sport. Winning at all costs isn't
a desirable trait when it comes to show people.
7.
Above all, don't bring an animal to the show that's
sick. It isn't fair to the other owners or their
rabbits. You'd be pretty upset if someone caused
your healthy rabbits to get sick or if you lost
one due to the illness.
