home
our herd
for sale
contact / pricing
purchase vanodine
cages & supplies
breeder links
showing lionheads
become a breeder
lionhead colors
sold rabbits
growing up

Questions Regarding Showing Lionheads

If you want to learn more about general rabbit showing (rather than Lionhead specific) click here

The Lionhead breed has not passed certification Oct 07. Therefore Fawn is no longer one of the COD colors. Smoke Pearl and Himilayan ARE now COD colors. What does this mean?....

Where can I get a current Lionhead working standard?
http://www.lionhead.us/standard06ARBA7.htm Since Lionheads are not a fully recognized breed, You need to provide a current working standard to the judge when showing Lionheads. Only one needs to be presented. (So if multiple people bring a standard, try to decide on one for the judge to use).

What is a C.O.D. color?
There are 9 C.O.D. (certificate of development) colors. These colors are what will hopefully pass certification first. Therefore they will likely be the colors you can show first. Most shows currently allow all 9 C.O.D. colors to compete BUT they are not technically required to allow ANY Lionhead color at this time. Currently the COD colors are REW, Black, Blue, Tortoise, Chestnut, Siamese Sable, Sable Point, Smoke Pearl, Pointed White (Himilayan)

What is an A.O.V. color?
Any color which is not a C.O.D. is an A.O.V. (all other varieties). These colors are not usually allowed to compete for Best of Breed at shows. Often they are not allowed at a show. If the show secretary allows it, they compete in their own A.O.V. class for Best of Variety.

How do I enter my Lionhead into a show ?
Check out the local shows in your area on the national site http://www.arba.net. Then email/call the show secretary to get a show catalog. The show catalog will have an entry form. Most shows have a pre-entry deadline which will be listed on the catalog. Send in your entry form and money, then just show up at the show. All Lionhead exhibitors need to bring a copy of the current working standard for the judge. (The judge only needs one, but make sure you have one to give them in case no one has brought one).

What does the failure to pass certification, mean to those of us showing Lionheads?
1. Lionheads are certified by not a fully recognized breed the ARBA. Shows are not required to allow any Lionhead to show. Usually shows will allow the COD colors to compete but it is up to their discretion. You cannot register them through the ARBA, and you cannot receive Grand Champion or Best of Show. You can still win within your Lionhead class such as Best of Breed, Best of Variety etc. Showing other colors is up to the show's discretion. They might choose to show the other colors as 'exhibition'. But that is up to them.

So what happens next with the Lionhead certification process?
Next year (2008) Gail Gibbons will be given achance at ARBA nationals to pass certification for her COD colors. If she fails she will be given another chance in 2009.

What is a certification process?
Lionheads are not yet a recognized breed. Since the breed is new it must be developed and then presented to the ARBA. Only 1 presenter is allowed at a time and they must pass presentation 3 out of 5 years. The person with the first degree of certification (Gail Gibbons) will present at Nationals in 2008. She must pass certification 3 times in order to have the breed fully recognized by the ARBA. Therefore 2010 will be the soonest that the breed could be recognized (actually Feb 2011 when the Domestic Rabbit book is published). Depending on the pass/fail status of those years, it could stretch out past 2011.

Are the colors you can show right now limited to those in the 1st certificate (those listed on the top of the proposed working standard)? 
That is up to your particular show. They are not required to allow any colors, although they may choose to allow. This means you could compete for Best of Variety but not Best of Breed or Best Opposite Sex with colors other than COD.

If you can show colors which are not in the proposed working standard, does that mean you can still receive a dq for things like ear length which is also specified in the proposed standard?
 Yes, if you show a Lionhead with a general ARBA DQ or with a listed breed DQ your rabbit will be DQed even if you have a color standard for it.