Showmanship
The main thing to remember is that you explain everything you do to the judge as you do it. Explain what you are doing, why you are doing it, what you are checking for, etc.
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Study the ARBA Standard for your breed.
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Adhere to proper dress code; light colored show coat, nice pants & shoes (no shorts or sandals).
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Neat and clean appearance, long hair tied back, no gum, no nail polish, no excessive jewelry.
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Speak clearly and don't forget to smile.
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Properly carry, handle and control your rabbit.
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Know the proper weight for your rabbit, and the senior weights, also know the weight of your rabbit.
Begin your showmanship by introducing your rabbit's breed, sex, variety, and show class (4 or 6), and age (junior, intermediate or senior).
Pose your rabbit properly.
1. Know the proper weight for your rabbit, and the senior weights, also know the weight of your rabbit.
2. Explain the schedule of points (found in the Standard of Perfection ).
3. Explain the rabbit's body type and how and why it is posed that way.
4. Check head, shoulders, midsection, and hindquarters
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Check for disqualifications and faults.
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Check for proper balance.
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Compare them to the standard for your breed.
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Also check for: low, narrow shoulders, pinched chopped hindquarters, lack of depth, narrow, pinched muzzle, narrow head, poor ear carriage, etc.
5. Check the fur
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Normal (rollback, flyback, snappy flyback, standing), rex, satin, or wool.
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Compare to the standard for your breed.
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Check length, density, and texture.
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Check for hutch stain, sunbleach, moult, abscesses, hernias, ruptures, mites, and fungus (ringworm).
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Explain proper undercolor/ringcolor, surface color.
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Check for foreign colored spots, stray white hairs and/or smut.
6. Check flesh condition (see the condition standard in the Standard of Perfection ).
7. Check the rabbit's ears.
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Check the left ear for a legible tattoo.
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Check the right ear for a registration mark or number, explain this can be given only by an ARBA. Registrar at the time of registration.
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Check for ear canker/ear mites.
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Check for proper ear length and carriage according to the standard.
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Check for torn/missing portion of the ears.
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Check for proper thickness and covering.
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Check for proper coloring/markings.
Flip the rabbit over
8. Examine the eyes of the rabbit.
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Check for proper color (see the standard) and check for mismatched, marbled, or discolored eyes.
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Look for blindness, eye spots, marbling, or wall eye.
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Look for conjunctivitis and weepy eye.
9. Look at the nose of the rabbit.
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Check for foreign colored spots.
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Check for thick, white, nasal discharge, which is an indication of snuffles.
10. Examine the teeth of the rabbit.
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Check for malocclusion (buck or butting teeth)
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Check for broken or missing teeth.
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Check for slobbers.
11. Feel the front feet of the rabbit.
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Examine the feet for proper bone density (fine, medium, or heavy)
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Check for missing, mismatched or mismatched toenails (there should be 4 toenails and one dewclaw).
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Check for broken toes.
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Check for straightness, weak ankles, or bowlegged.
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Check for lumps on the bones (signs of a healed break).
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Check for matted fur, an indication of snuffles or a cold.
12. Check the body of the rabbit.
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Examine the entire body for signs of abcesses, ruptures, abnormal lumps, or hernias.
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Check the dewlap for wet dewlap (if applicable).
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If your breed is to have no dewlap check for that now.
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Check for a pigeon breast.
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Check for the proper surface color, undercolor, and look for foreign colored spots.
13. Check the hind legs.
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Check for 4 toenails, all proper color.
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Check for broken toes.
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Check for straightness, lumps, or cowhocks.
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Check for sore hocks.
14. Check the genital area of the rabbit.
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Sex the rabbit.
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Check for vent disease and hutch burn.
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If a buck, check for testicles (2 in senior bucks, and none or both in junior/intermediate bucks).
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If a buck, check for split penis.
15. Check the tail of the rabbit.
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Check the tail for straightness, be sure it is not wry, bobbed, dead, or broken.
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Check the tail's color.
16. Repose the rabbit.
17. The judge will then ask you questions, answer them as quickly as possible, with a good attitude and offer as much information as you know about the answer.
For an idea of what to study check the ARBA Showmanship Standard
