| RABBIT SHOWMANSHIP EXAMINATION CHECKLIST |
| Explain each step to the judge as you are performing your showmanship examination. Explain all faults and disqualifications for your breed. Also explain disease causes, symptoms and treatments. ~Study the ARBA Standard for your breed. ~Adhere to proper dress code; Show coat, nice pants & shoes (no shorts or sandals). Neat & clean appearance, long hair tied back, no gum, no nail polish, no excessive jewelry. Speak clearly. Properly carry, handle & control your rabbit. Begin your showmanship by introducing yourself and telling your rabbit's breed, sex, variety, and show class -- 4 or 6 class, junior, intermediate or senior. "I will begin my showmanship now" INITIAL POSE -Know how much your rabbit weighs and proper weights for your breed. -Know the Schedule Of Points for your breed. -Explain body type (arch, semi-arch, commercial, compact or cylindrical) & posing position (how & why) for your breed. -Check head, shoulders, midsection & hindquarters for faults and DQ's. (ex. low, narrow shoulders, pinched or chopped hindquarters, lack of depth, narrow midsection, pinched muzzle, narrow head, etc. -Check fur - normal (rollback, flyback, snappy flyback, standing), rex, satin or wool. -Check fur length, density & texture. -Check for hutch stain, sunbleach or molt. -Check for fur mites or fungus infection (ringworm). -Explain fur color & markings (if applicable). -Check undercolor & ring color (if applicable). -Check for foreign colored spots, stray white hairs or smut. -Check flesh condition (firm, fat, rough or soft) -Check for tumors, abscesses or abnormal swellings. EARS -Check left ear for legible tattoo. -Check for ear canker (ear mites). -Check ear length & carriage. -Check for torn or missing portion from ears. -Check for proper thickness & fur covering. |
| TURN RABBIT ON IT'S BACK EYES -Check for proper color or mismatched eyes. -Check for blindness, eye spots, marbling or wall eye. -Check for conjunctivitis & weepy eye. -Check for notched eyelids (entropian). -NOSE -Check for foreign colored spots on nose.. -Check for thick, white, nasal discharge (snuffles). TEETH -Check for buck teeth (malocclusion), butting teeth (simple malocclusion), broken or missing teeth. -Check for slobbers. BODY -Check jawbone for abscesses. -Check dewlap area for wet dewlap (fungal infection). -Know if a dewlap is a DQ in your breed. -Check for pigeon breast (deviated sternum). -Check belly for mastitis (does), rupture, hernia or abscess or abnormal lumps on belly. -Check for proper surface, undercolor & foreign colored spots. LEGS -Check bone density on front leg (fine, medium, heavy). -Check for 4 tonails & 1 dewclaw on front feet, 4 tonails on back feet. -Check for broken toes. -Check for missing, mismatched or white toenails. -Check legs for straightness, weak ankles, bowleg or cowhocks. -Check for lumps on the leg bones (evidence of healed break -- DQ) -Check for sore hocks. GENITALS -Sex your rabbit. -Check for vent disease or hutch burn. -Check for 2 descended testicles in senior bucks and none or both descended testicles in junior bucks. -Check for split penis (hypospadias). TAIL -Check for straightness, wry, bobbed, dead or broken tail. -Check tail color. FINAL POSE -Evaluate your rabbit's type, balance and condition. -Explain whether or not you have found any disqualifications or faults. "I have completed my showmanship, do you have any questions?" |
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