Great Scott's 4-H Rabbit and Cavy Club



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Show Catalog

Topsfield Fair 4H Show

Great Scott’s 4-H Rabbit & Cavy Club

June 4, 2023

Date: Sunday, June 4

Time: following ECR&CBA spring cavy show A and B, and Rabbit Show A (approximately 1:00 pm)

Check In: 7:30am-8:30 am for ECR&CBA show and judging begins at 9:00am. If you enter the 4H show you should only enter Show A rabbits for ECR&CBA. Check in for the 4H show begins at 12:00.

Where: Topsfield Fairgrounds, Topsfield, MA—Rabbit Barn

Judges:

Rabbit Judge ARBA: TBD

Pet Rabbit Judge: Alicia Trickett

Cavy Judge: Alan Oberle

Cloverbud Judge: Alicia Trickett

Showmanship: Rebecca Gosiewski, Andrea Osborne, TBD

Rabbit hopping judge: Rebecca Gosiewski

Show Chairperson:

Fred Gardner fcgardner@comcast.net

Assistant Show Chairperson:

Alison Turpel (Great Scott’s 4H leader) jaturpel@gmail.com

Show Secretaries:

Alea J.

Margaret T.

Show Superintendents:

Crystal G.

Jill M.

Cayla O.

Claire T.

Assistants to Show Secretaries, Superintendents, and score card writers:

Elsa B.

Camryn W.

Claire T.

Marlon S.

In addition to breed classes for rabbits and cavies, rabbit and cavy pet class, we will also have rabbit hopping.

Entry Deadlines:

All entries are due by Wednesday, May 31, 2023. Hopping entries are day of show only (see below.)

  1. Entries are $3.00 per animal shown. Entries and payment are online only. Late entries or day of entries are $6.00 per animal.

  2. Please correctly fill in all required fields on the entry form. If you have questions about how to fill out your entry form, please contact the Show Chairperson or the Assistant Show Chairperson.

Check In Information

  1. Check in will be Sunday, June 4 starting at 12:00-1:00 for the 4H show.

  2. All animals MUST be in the showroom by 12:00, or they will be considered scratched.

  3. This is a carrying cage show, so all animals must be transported in appropriate carriers with bottoms to catch urine/feces/hay.

  4. All animals attending shows at a 4H event must have an Official Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (OCVI) in 2023. This is a 4H rule.

Awards

  1. Trophies will be provided for Best of Breed and rosette ribbons will be provided for Best Opposite Sex of Breed.

  2. Cloverbuds will be presented with participation rosettes.

  3. Best in Show and 1st Runner Up Trophies will be provided for both rabbits and cavies.

  4. Placement ribbons will be available for places 1st through 5th.

Rules & Regulations

  1. All animals MUST have a current health certificate signed by a veterinarian (OCVI).

  2. All animals MUST be checked in on Sunday, June 4, 2023 between 12:00-1:00 pm. This is a carrying cage show, so all animals must be securely housed in appropriate travel cages (no full size cages, no baskets—secure cages only)

  3. Any animals showing any signs of disease or poor health (including but not limited to: nasal discharge, wet tail, impacted feces, mites, open sores, sore hocks, vent disease, diarrhea, or any other unhealthy/unclean condition) that is deemed unfit to be shown must be removed from the show room immediately. Contagious conditions subject your entire entry to review, and one or all may be sent home. If you have any questions as to the health of your animal, please leave it home!

  4. All decisions regarding the health and fitness of an animal to be shown will be reviewed by the Show Chairperson and/ more animals, please arrive before 12pm for check in.

  5. All animals must be in the showroom at time of show. Any disputes should be handled respectfully and calmly so a decision can be reached. The Show Chairperson and/or Assistant Show Chairperson have the final say in all decisions.

  6. Please make sure carriers, chairs, coolers, etc are secure and placed in designated areas. Keep walkways and aisles clear—for everyone’s safety.

  7. All animals must be the bona fide property of the exhibitor.

  8. Judging starts after ECR&CBA’s spring rabbit show A and cavy Show A and B. All animals and exhibitors must remain in the showroom and on the Fairgrounds until closing. No animals can leave the showroom before this time without prior permission from the Show Chairperson and/or Assistant Show Chairperson and awards will be subject to forfeit.

  9. All judging will be done according to ARBA/ACBA standards (excluding Pet & Cloverbud classes). Classes will be provided and awards will be given for all CURRENTLY RECOGNIZED breeds and varieties only. Working breeds and varieties that have a working standard (Lionheads, Velveteen Lops, etc) may be entered; however, the exhibitor must present a copy of the working standard at the time of entry. Per ARBA rules, animals shown under a working standard are only eligible to advance within their own breed class, and cannot compete for Best In Show.

  10. All rabbits MUST be tattooed in the left ear with black ink. All tattoos should be visible and easy to read. Illegible or unclear tattoos are subject to refusal. Rabbits in pet class may have an exemption to tattooing, but must be cleared with the show chair or assistant chair ahead of time.

  11. All cavies MUST be tagged in the left ear with a cavy tag. Cavies in pet class may have an exemption to tagging, but must be cleared with the show chair or assistant chair ahead of time.

  12. In accordance with government regulations, there will be a Cloverbud class for participants between the age of 5 and 7 years. In order to compete in regular breed classes, exhibitors must have turned 8 as of January 1st, 2023. There are no exceptions to this rule.

  13. There will be a pet class for all animals that are not eligible to compete in regular breed classes. ONLY PET ANIMALS CAN BE SHOWN IN PET CLASS. Animals shall be considered “pet quality” if they are one or more of the following: mixed breed, spayed or neutered, or have one or more major disqualifications. Unrecognized varieties (i.e. Harlequin Mini Lops or Mini Rexes, Broken colored White Cresteds etc.), off colored eyes (Vienna markings—colored rabbit with blue eyes), improper spotting/white coloration (Vienna markings- white nose, white feet, dutch markings on a non-dutch breed, etc) are all examples of purebred animals that qualify for pet class. On your entry form please indicate PET RABBIT or PET CAVY under variety, and be sure to include an ear number and sex.

  14. All animals must be carried to the show table by the exhibitor during check in and the show. Parents, siblings, or a fellow club member may assist the exhibitor to ensure child and/or animal safety. HOWEVER the child must be the one showing/checking in the animals. Junior leaders are always available to help younger members—if you’d like an older member to be assigned to help your child, please talk with the Show Secretary. 4H members are always willing to help.

  15. The exhibitor must be present at the time of judging. If the exhibitor is not present, animals will not be shown for them, and will be considered scratched from the show. Exhibitors will be given a maximum of 3 minutes to get their animals to the show table after the first call has been made.

  16. Great Scott’s 4-H Rabbit & Cavy Club and the Topsfield Fair cannot be held responsible for loss or injury to animals, persons, and/or property, however all reasonable and prudent measures will be taken to ensure everyone’s safety.

  17. As stated in the Great Scott’s 4-H Rabbit & Cavy Club Constitution, all children are the sole responsibility of their parent or guardian. The club asks that all children are supervised at all times while attending the show.

  18. Please do not speak to any members of the media. Direct them to the Show Chairperson and/or Assistant Show Chairperson.

  19. No animal under the age of 8 weeks is allowed on the Fairgrounds. Please leave babies and moms with babies home! It’s very stressful on the animals, and gives members of the public the wrong idea!

4-H Rabbit Hopping

  1. Rabbit hopping will be held after showmanship and the show has concluded.

  2. All rabbits (of any breed) are eligible to compete in Rabbit Hopping and do not need to be entered into the all breed show.

  3. Rabbits must be at least 4 months of age to compete in Rabbit Hopping.

  4. Does cannot compete in rabbit hopping while pregnant or nursing—any doe that has recently raised a litter should be no less than 8 weeks post delivery of kits.

  5. All rabbits entered must be healthy, free from injury, and not pregnant or nursing at the time of competition.

  6. Handlers cannot touch their animal with anything but their hand. Touching the animal with feet or any other object is not allowed and will result in disqualification.

  7. Handlers cannot go over the jumps behind the animal—they must walk on either side of the course.

  8. All animals MUST be presented to hop in an H-style harness. Other types of harness will not be allowed.

  9. Tugging, pulling, or lifting the animal by the harness is not allowed and will result in disqualification.

  10. Each animal will get to run the course three times in any direction. Each run will be scored for time and number of faults. Only the best run will be counted.

  11. If the animal or handler knocks down any part of one jump, it counts as a fault. If the animal refuses to jump and must be lifted over a fence, that counts as a fault.

  12. Reversal of direction at any point of the course will be considered a disqualification.

  13. A maximum time of 2 minutes per run will be enforced, meaning if it takes your rabbit more than 2 minutes to get through the course that run will not be counted.

  14. Handlers will be divided into classes based on age: Cloverbud 5-8, Junior 8-13, Senior 14 and up.

  15. Exhibitors can run the course with more than one animal—each animal counts as a single entry.

  16. An animal can only run the course in one class, handled by one exhibitor. Animals cannot be shared between handlers and re-run.

  17. Entry fees are $3.00 per animal and can be filled out and turned in the day of the show. Cash or check only. Checks are to be made out to Great Scott’s 4H Rabbit and Cavy Club.

How To Fill Out Your Entry Form

  1. Coop Number: Leave this blank

  2. Breed: Write in the breed of your rabbit or cavy—Mini Lop, Holland Lop, Mini Rex, Abyssinian, American, etc etc. Pet cavies—write Pet Cavy, pet rabbits-write Pet Rabbit. Cloverbuds- write Cloverbud

  3. Variety: This is where your write the animal’s color, or show classification. Each breed has different guidelines for varieties—for example, lops are shown as solid or broken without consideration to color. Netherland Dwarfs are shown by their individual colors, so please know your rabbit’s color. Cavies are shown by show classification. This information can be found in the Standard of Perfection, or you can contact the Assistant Show Chairperson if you have any questions. Pet animals and cloverbuds leave this field blank.

  4. Ear#: All animals must be tattooed or tagged in the left ear. Please write the number in this field.

  5. Sex: Male rabbit- buck, female rabbit- doe, female cavy-sow, male cavy-boar. Cloverbuds do not need to fill this out.

  6. Jr.: Check this box if your rabbit is under 6 months of age, or your cavy is under 4mths of age.

  7. Int.: If you have a large breed rabbit (Flemish Giant, Palomino, English Lop, etc.) and your animal is between the age of 6 and 8 months, check this box. If your cavy is between 4 and 6 months of age, check this box.

  8. Sr.: If you have a small breed rabbit (Mini Lop, Lionhead, Netherland Dwarf, Mini Rex, etc) and your rabbit is 6 months of age or older, check this box. If you have a large breed rabbit (Flemish Giant, Palomino, English Lop, etc.) that is over 8 months of age, check this box. If your cavy is over 6 months of age, check this box.

  9. Please fill out all of the information at the top and bottom of the entry form, including name, address, age as of January 1st, 2023, etc.

    If you have any questions, please contact either of the following:

Show Chairperson: Fred Gardner fcgardner@comcast.net 857-204-3501

Assistant show chair: Alison Turpel jaturpel@gmail.com 978-471-9517

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