1. Where can you find a copy of the show rules?
   
2. How many rabbits must be judged in a breed before the sponsoring club is required to pay the awards required by the specialty clubs?
   
3. It is mandatory to choose a Best Reserve In Show rabbit?
   
4. Judges must award the Best Of Breed in each breed. Are ARBA judges authorized to pick a "Best Opposite Sex Junior," if requested by the sponsoring club?
   
5. We all know that you may substitute a rabbit of the same sex, class, variety, group, and breed for the one you entered. Is there a situation in which this is not allowed?
   
6. Do the rules say that a rabbit with an illegible tattoo may be disqualified or must be disqualified?
   
7. Who is responsible for making sure that diseased rabbits are removed from the showroom?
   
8. Can rabbits be entered under a rabbitry name only?
   
9. If a judge determines that you have been faking (plucking, dying, trimming or any other action designed to deceive), can he or she disqualify that rabbit or your entire entry?
   
10. True or false: As long as you are willing to risk $25, you can protest anything at a show.

Here are the answers:

1. You can find a copy of the show rules in your year book.
   
2. Section 9: There must be ten or more animals judged before a sponsoring club is required to honor the minimum awards required by specialty clubs. If the sponsoring club had the award donated, then the award is given regardless of the number of animals judged. Nothing prevents a club from making the award if they choose, however.
   
3. Section 10: It is mandatory to select a Best In Show. It is not mandatory to select a Best Reserve. [However, some specialty clubs award quality points for BRIS, so a club would be foolish, in my opinion, not to. You do not get a leg for BRIS, which is generally not an issue with Hollands since the leg is almost always won already.]
   
4. Section 11: Yes, choosing Best Junior, Best Intermediate, and Best Senior are real awards recognized by ARBA. If there is more than one variety, then the best opposites of these can also be selected.
   
5. Section 23: Substitutions can no longer be made once judging for that breed commences.
   
6. Section 26 (a): Rabbits with illegible tattoos must be disqualified. However, the judge gets to determine what illegible is.
   
7. Section 27: Show management is responsible for removing diseased and unsightly specimens from the show room. [If you see a diseased rabbit, go to the show superintendent and not the judge. It is a judge's responsibility to DQ what they observe, not to police the showroom.]
   
8. Section 30: All animals must be the bona fide property of the exhibitor prior to entry. Even if they bought the rabbit at 8:00 a.m. that morning (before entry), they may be considered to be the bona fide owner. It must be entered under each owner's name. A rabbitry name may be listed in addition to the owners' names.
   
9. Section 47: A judge may disqualify the rabbit or the entire entry at his or her discretion. What that means is that your entire entry is at risk if you are discovered to be faking. [It is in your best interest to respond politely to the judge, who may be taking your attitude into account when deciding whether it should be the rabbit or the entry that goes.]
   
10. Section 48: False. Only certain things are protestable. There is a long list of items that are considered to be left to the judge's discretion. There are only 3 categories of protestable reasons. If a judge placed a DQ'd rabbit, you may protest. If you feel that the judge has been fraudulent, you may protest. You may also protest if a rabbit has been wrongfully disqualified. That's where we run into the long list of disqualifications that are not protestable. Check out page 24 of your Standard of Perfection. You cannot protest for general ailments such as slobbers or pot belly, colds, tumors, swellings, hernias, eye discharge, abnormalities, tattoos, blindness, dewlaps, crooked legs, ear carriage, torn ears, simple malocclusion, sore hocks, broken or missing teeth, screw tail or bobtail, missing toenails, excessive white hairs, foreign spots, unworthy of award, and more.
    
    Note that you must file your protest within two hours!

There are many other interesting show rules. Do you know what happens if a rabbit dies on the show table? How about an injury that occurs at the show? What does the standard say about molesting judges?

Take some time to read and find out!

¶ 10:02 AM