# Stock Show Bunnies



## Becknutt (Jan 27, 2008)

News>Local News 
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Sunday, Jan 27, 2008 

Posted on Sat, Jan. 26, 2008
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Admirers hop on over to see this year's bounty of bunnies
Rabbit fanciers get lots to awww them this weekend and next

By SHIRLEY JINKINS
Star-Telegram staff writer




STAR-TELEGRAM/JILL JOHNSON
A 1-month-old lionhead rabbit gets a lot of attention from a group of teenagers before the rabbit show Friday. 
FORT WORTH -- Back behind the Planet Agriculture exhibits is the cuddliest spot at the Stock Show.

Look just beyond the interactive displays of water trivia, sheep and goats in history, and the illustrated life cycle of cotton, and it's there.

Rabbits, dozens of them, began arriving Friday morning for this weekend's youth division shows, and though they may not have their own barn like the cattle and horses, the furry creatures attract plenty of admirers.

"They're all different, and they don't just sit in a corner," Sarah Bergs, 12, of Rowlett said as she attached a note to the cage of her lionhead rabbit, Beowulf. He is sweet, she said, but is known to nip.

Sarah and her mother, Deb Bergs, brought 17 lionheads to the show, including Comfy and her five babies born Christmas Day. The fuzzy-faced lionhead rabbit is a breed in development, meaning it has yet to be recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Association and cannot be considered for prizes outside its own breeders' organization.

Fanciers of more conventional breeds have plenty to see among the more than 900 youth-show rabbits being judged this weekend, and next weekend's 1,400-rabbit open show.

Rabbits on display range from the tiny 2 1/2 -pound Brittania petites to the intimidating Flemish giants, which tip the scales at 18 pounds and up.

Debbie Hill of Roanoke, a rabbit show superintendent, said only two of the relatively rare Brittania petites are being shown this year.

"They're the smallest breed and can be flighty," Hill said, pointing out a wary-looking white rabbit stretching with slender legs to the top of its cage.

On the other hand, Hill said, Flemish giants are usually docile and affectionate.

Most rabbit exhibitors show several animals at a time, and keeping rabbits is definitely an expanding industry.

"It's amazing how fast they grow," said Sarah Bergs, who is a seventh-grader at Coyle Middle School. "We went from three rabbits to 20-something in a year."

Maybe that's why the rabbit show's Rule No. 10 states, "No breeding will be allowed in the showroom."

[email protected]
SHIRLEY JINKINS, 817-548-5565


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## Leaf (Jan 27, 2008)

What a sweetie in the picture.



How does it work at rabbit shows, though? I know with kittens and pups too much handeling can be stressful and cause illnesses to occure - is it the same for rabbits?


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## Bo B Bunny (Jan 27, 2008)

It is cute! I love that color!


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## CorkysMom (Jan 27, 2008)

No way would I be lugging a 1 month old baby to the show, they s/n't even be away from mom yet...let alone put into that situation!


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## BlueGiants (Jan 28, 2008)

:yeahthat: Too much stress on a baby that small, not to mention all the things it would be exposed to. It's not old enough to deal with that much... potential parasites, gastric upset from stress, diseases, etc. Education is one thing, but that's not fair to the rabbit.


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## Tracey (Jan 28, 2008)

omg, that babe in the pic is aborable!


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## BlueCamasRabbitry (Jan 28, 2008)

Yeah I agree. That baby is too young to deal with all the stress/noise. I too wouldn't take a 1 month old to that big of a show; if it was like with 30 rabbits, maybe; if it was a small youth fair like my county has, thenmaybe; I know there are some doe and litter classes, but the babies have to be 6 weeks old, not just 4 weeks old. 

I would take a litter when it was 6 weeks, just to get it used to that, but it would be a small show; and there would be no one cuddling it/holding it. 

Emily


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## gentle giants (Jan 30, 2008)

:yeahthat: It looks stressed too, look at the expression on it's little face.


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## BlueCamasRabbitry (Jan 31, 2008)

*gentle giants wrote: *


> :yeahthat: It looks stressed too, look at the expression on it's little face.


Good point GG. Her face does look like she's stressed. Poor thing!


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