What is the most common breed of show rabbits?

Question

I am thinking of getting into showing rabbits just for a hobby and dont really know where to start as far as breeds and in the showring. What is a breed for beginners that would work well in the showring. Explain.

Answer 1

It really depends on what you are looking for.  There are shows for every type of rabbit (except wildlife).  The thing is to get a good pair of rabbits, or just one, if you want to start showing.  But a good breed for showing are the Dutch Rabbits, they stay fairly small unlike some rabbit breeds and come in a wide variety of colors.  Their temperment is usually docile when handled regularly.

Answer 2

Mini Rex isthe most common breed of show rabbit.  That means that the number of enteries at shows will be larger but the competition will also be tougher.  

Below is a list of breeds shown at ARBA National Convention the last couple of years based on number of entries.

1 MINI REX

2 NETHERLAND DWARF

3 HOLLAND LOP

4 MINI LOP

5 DUTCH

6 JERSEY WOOLY

7 SATIN

8 NEW ZEALAND

9 REX

10 POLISH

11 FRENCH LOP

12 CALIFORNIAN

13 AMERICAN FUZZY LOP

14 ENGLISH LOP

15 HIMALAYAN

16 FLORIDA WHITE

17 TAN

18 HAVANA

19 FLEMISH GIANT

20 ENGLISH SPOT

21 SILVER MARTEN

22 CHAMPAGNE D'ARGENT

23 DWARF HOTOT

24 ENGLISH ANGORA

25 CHECKERED GIANT

26 FRENCH ANGORA

27 PALOMINO

28 HARLEQUIN

29 BRITANNIA PETITE

*Rare breeds begin from here down

30 STANDARD CHINCHILLA

31 RHINELANDER

32 SILVER

33 SILVER FOX

34 CREME D'ARGENT

35 LILAC

36 AMERICAN SABLE

37 BELGIAN HARE

38 CINNAMON

39 BEVEREN

40 AMERICAN CHINCHILLA

41 GIANT CHINCHILLA

42 SATIN ANGORA

43 BLANC DE HOTOT

44 GIANT ANGORA

45 AMERICAN

NEW (Not yet ranked)

MINI SATIN

THRIANTA

My son and I show Jersey Woolies.  The competition can be good.  Not too many, not too few.  

Pick a rabbit breed like you would pick a dog breed - do some research first.  Each breed's phyical characteristics, care requirements, and temperament varies.  Smaller rabbits are easier for youth to show.  Personally I don't like marked breeds like the Dutch.  I'd rather not cull so hard for pattern alone.  But to each their own.

Start your search/research on the ARBA website.  Click on the rabbit photos on the breed page to be linked to that breed's national breed club to find out more about that breed of rabbit.  You can also find a show near you to attend.  I highly recommend going.  Rabbit exhibitors are very friendly people and will love to talk to you if they are not busy putting their rabbits up on the judging tables.  DON'T buy a rabbit at your first show.  You don't know enough.  Rather, make contacts and ask lots of questions.  Many exhibitors will have calling cards with email or website addresses.  Browse their sites and those exhbitors listed on the breed club websites.  There is loads of good info on show rabbits out there.

Tip:  Buy the best stock you can afford.  It's better than having to restock later because you bought not such great rabbits.  The good news is that showing rabbits is way cheaper than showing dogs.  :)

Check out the links below.

Answer 3

normally,every breed is a show rabbit.some shows specify only on one breed and you need to get the right rabbit the show you're going to join in will specify.for example:the show is about lionheads.so basically and naturally,you need to have lionheads to present.

a good begginer rabbit of a show is basically all short-haired rabbits.you see,the hardness of keeping show rabbits depends on the hair quality.different rabbits have different hair qualities and as a begginer,you''l just need short haired ones like an english spot or a florida whites.then as you progress,you may puchase long haired like lionheads and angora rabbits.

as a beginner,it'll be hard to keep a long-haired rabbit for a show so short haired ones is the best breed for you.

i suggest a dwarf hotot or blanc de hotot.you can easily spot them.they are pure white but there's a black eyeliner around the eye.this makes a "queen" like appearance on the rabbit.they are good show rabbits too!

Answer 4

Any breed is showable.

So just find a breed you like.

Answer 5

The most common breed isn't always the best to start with!

Without having the exact Convention or registration data in front of me I would guess the most popular breeds are probably Netherland Dwarfs, Mini Rex, and Holland Lops. All three are 'dwarf' breeds which are small, cute, and come in many colors.

They are also intensely competitive and complicated to breed (if you read up on the dwarf gene or "double dwarf/peanut", and "max factor" kits you'll understand). To find a decent show rabbit you're generally looking at $100 or more, and there are a lot of very poor quality rabbits you'll have to wade through to find them.

My recommendation is to find a breed that is attractive to you that is about a 'medium' popularity. Go to a local show, and most will have the breeds and number of entries in that breed posted on the show table. By  getting a breed that isn't rare but isn't too popular you should usually have other breeders to show against and buy rabbits from, but there won't be so many that it's impossible for you to get your foot in the door. The popularity of breeds can vary by area, which makes it hard for me to recommend a specific breed based on popularity.

Now, some of my personal favorites for beginners, popularity aside, are:

Havana-these are smaller rabbits with no complicated markings or genetics. They have a very smooth, shiny coat and are very handsome. They come in limited colors but from a breeding standpoint, that can be a very good thing!

Himalayan-Himis are often recommended to new breeders because they are well known as one of the gentlest, most laid back rabbits out there. Not every Himi is gentle, but most are. They will stick to you like velcro! They have a very unique body type, and no dwarf gene. They are a marked breed and you have to be careful for 's**t'-dark color on parts of the body that should be white. They tend to be good mothers.

Mini Lop-Most Mini Lops I've encountered are very personable and sweet. They come in many colors as well as 'broken' (spotted), and of course have those adorable lop ears. One big downside I've noted is that they shed like CRAZY.

Polish-If you want tiny without having to worry about breeding dwarf rabbits, the Polish could be for you. They only grow to 3 1/2 pounds and are very cute. I have heard that the blue eyed white Polish can be unpredictable but have no firsthand experience. I also know that some people have crossed them with Netherlands, so it is possible a 'purebred' Polish might have the dwarf gene, but unlikely.

Silver Marten-if you're looking for a more hefty breed, Silver Martens are a good choice. They tend to be a little more relaxed and friendly than the other commercial type breeds I've been around, and while they aren't too popular they are generally very high quality-you should be able to find a good one at a reasonable price.

Tan-I'm a bit biased, having bred and shown these guys for the last 8 years. If you want one of the arched breeds, which tend to be more active, the Tan is probably the easiest to start with. They are a marked breed but they aren't complicated, no dwarf gene, little grooming. Instead of posing on the table they run. Downside? They are an arched breed....think hyper cat mind in a 4 pound rabbit body. They aren't for everyone, but I love them.