srpreentry

Pre-Entry Shows

If you got a show catalog, make sure to read all of it. It has all the information on the show. Make sure to see when the deadline for the show entries is, and make sure your entry is out before that date. You mail it to who the catalog has listed as the show secretary. Sometimes there’s more than one secretary listed, as there’s more than one show. Make sure if you want to be in the youth show (for kids under 18) it goes to the youth show secretary. If you want to be in just Show A, or just Show B, be sure that they go to the right secretary. If you have questions about the catalog or show, call the secretary or the show superintendent with them.
Just to warn you, if you call or email your entry in, most shows charge extra for this, as much as they charge for late fees. Also, if you mail your entry in late, you will be charged late fees. These are usually $1 more than the regular entry.
For filling out the show entry click here.
Make sure to know what time the show starts. Most open shows start at 8:00 am, with youth starting at 9:00 am. Then calculate how long it'll take you to get there. I usually like to get to shows about an hour before it starts. This makes sure that you'll have a space for your rabbits (it can get really crowded in the showroom), get a parking spot close to the barn, if you get lost, it gives you time to find the showroom, ect.
If you emailed or called your entry in, you'll want to go over to the secretary's table to pay them for your entry. If you don't know where it is, then ask someone. The secretary's table is usually easy to spot out though.
At most open shows, they have papers for each person who entered, listing all their
rabbits they entered, which you can get at the secretary's table. Make sure to go over this
paper carefully, making sure each tattoo number, breed, variety, sex, and age is correct.
This is the only chance you'll get to change it if it's wrong. Once the rabbit is on the table,
you're not allowed to make any changes. If your rabbit is entered in any of those wrong
catergories, it will be disqualified from competion.
After this you just have to wait for when your rabbits are called to the show table. This is
when you groom your rabbits out and make sure they look good for the table. I always
clip my rabbits’ nails and groom them the day before the show, so the morning of the
show is just making sure they didn’t get dirty over night, ect.
On the judging tables, they usually have lists hanging from them or on the wall behind
them listing the order of breeds that judge would be doing. If you're in the youth show,
they'll have a table that says "youth" on it usually. Sometimes they do it differently, and
have all the youth breeds spread out, and being judged on the open tables. The open
judge will do the open Dutch, then the youth Dutch, and so on with all the other breeds.
So make sure you know what table your rabbit is on. Make sure to pay attention for when
your breed is called. They won't go hunting for you if you don't show up to the table. I
usually set my rabbits up near the table that the Dutch will be judged on, that way I won’t
miss when they’re called and it’s not as far to carry my rabbits.
Once your breed is called, depending on how many of that breed are showing, they might
call up one variety at a time, like say only Black Dutch. Then if the classes are really big,
they shorten it even more, by calling just Black senior bucks, or all Black bucks. On
smaller breeds like the Rhinelanders, they usually call all of them up to the table at the
same time, just because there aren't many of them.
When taking your rabbit up to the table, you go on the judge's side, but make sure to stay
out of the judges way.
They usually will have the comment cards lieing on the table. Find the one that is for
your rabbit, then you put your rabbit in that cage. Once your rabbit is in it's cage, flip the
card over. This is what the table writter will take notes on what the judge says on your
rabbit, and puts what your rabbit placed. When they’re done judging your rabbit they will
put the comment card on top of the cage for you to claim.
If they don’t have the comment cards lied out, the tables writter will show you where to
put your rabbit. At one end of the table they should have a stack of comment cards. Grab
enough for each of your rabbits that you are showing. You will have to write the
comments from the judge for your own rabbit if you want them. Make sure to put down
how your rabbit placed.
After you put your rabbit on the table, you then go to the other side of the table. The
judge will go through each of the rabbits on the table, placing them, and giving
comments on them. They will let you know when your rabbit can go back. Remember
you do not want the judge to know which rabbit is your own. Do not be asking other
people watching the rabbits being judged which rabbit is their’s. When I’m asked this I
usually tell them I do not know, even though I know exactly where my rabbits are.
After you're done showing, if your rabbits got between 1-3 place, take your comment
cards over to the secretary's table to claim your flat ribbons. Some shows have flat
ribbons placing up to 5th place, but it’s rare and usually only for the youth. If you got
Best of Breed or Best Opposite Sex, make sure to get you rosettes or what they’re
handing out for winning this (sometimes they’ll give out plaques instead, or plates with
rabbits painted on them, ect).
Once all your rabbits have been judged you can go home, unless your rabbit got Best of
Breed (BOB). If your rabbit got BOB, then you get to wait till the end of the show for
when they do Best in Show, where all the rabbits who've gotten BOB get to go up against
each other to be the best in the show. At some shows they every now and then do Best of
the Best Opposites, which is where all the rabbits who got Best Opposite Sex go up
against each other.
And that's how pre-entry open and youth rabbit shows go.

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