Unlike most shows where exhibitors bring their own rabbits to the table, at national shows, runners bring the rabbits to the judging tables. This year the number of entered rabbits is large, so it will take a number of runners working constantly to keep the judging tables full for the judges.
The benefits of being a runner are many:
- You help this huge show run smoothly
- You stay involved and are more likely to listen to the judge's comments while you are waiting for the next rabbit
- You will get to know people more easily because you are involved in the show
- You will get to see a rabbit up close just after the judge has made his or her comments - that's a real learning experience
- You will have a great time.
Running is not hard (and you don't have to do it all day). There are just a few things to do and remember. First, the ramrod will pass out slips of paper or cards to the runners as he or she needs more rabbits on the table. You will see the coop number on the slip and go find the rabbit by that number. When you go to the coop you should:
- Check to see if the exhibitor has written scratch on the coop or has left it locked, the rabbit may not actually need to be shown (discuss any problems with the ramrod)
- Check the ear number of the rabbit. Sometimes a sale rabbit has been placed in the coop and the entered rabbit was supposed to be scratched. Or an exhibitor could have his or her rabbit in the wrong coop.
- If the ear number is correct, take the rabbit out of the coop by lifting first and then removing. Do not drag a rabbit's nails across the wire. Do not lift by the scruff (can stretch the neck skin). This rabbit could be the culmination of many years' work - handle with care!
- Take the rabbit and the card back to the juding coops. The ramrod will have his or her own system, but generally, you put the rabbit in the coop and place the card upside down on top of it (remember, the judge should not see the contents of the card, which contains an ear number he or she may recognize)
Of course rabbits must go back to the coop as well. When returning the rabbit, you will also leave a slip of paper that shows that the rabbit has already been judged. Try to find a place to tuck the paper where it is less likely to be eaten by the rabbit, such as behind it's feed dish.
Last year at Holland Lop Nationals, I found someone taking one of my scratched rabbits out of the coop. [I found out later that none of my scratches had been removed from the cards. I learned to write SCRATCH on the coop card and zip tie shut the coops for scratched rabbits.] As I approached, the runner dropped my rabbit on the floor and had to scramble after him. He did not bring the rabbit back to me (I realize now that he didn't know I was the owner about to ask him what he was doing with my rabbit). We searched through all of the rabbits on the table to find him so that I could check to make sure he was alright (he was).
Anytime a rabbit hits the floor, teeth, nails, and bones should be checked. Things will happen, but if a rabbit gets away, you should take him to the ramrod so that you can both check his teeth and nails together.
Running is tiring, but not hard to do. It's an important part of making the show run smoothly. And you have a lot to gain both in terms of learning about your breed and having fun from being involved.
Laurie Stroupe
The Nature Trail Rabbitry
"Holland Lops Of Distinction"
http://www.thenaturetrail.com/
http://www.thenaturetrail.com/blog/BLOG.html
