Rabbit

2026 Johnson County Fair Rabbits

Superintendent: Stephanie Denton

To Register use this link: https://forms.gle/D7QetMS2WcXqfyeD8

General Rules:

  1. Youth Show Eligibility: This division is limited to students who are bona fide members of a Johnson County, Arkansas 4-H Club or Johnson County, Arkansas FFA Chapter, and are in good standing. Youth Exhibitors may exhibit in this show no later than the fall after graduating from high school.
    1. Youth can not show the same rabbit in both Youth and Open or Pet Rabbit shows.
    2. Youth Exhibitors MUST place their rabbits on the show table during the Youth Show, Meat Pen, and Single Fryer competitions. 
  2. Open Show Eligibility: Exhibitors eligible for this show are only those who cannot show in their respective age groups in the Youth Show (4-H and FFA).
  3. Pet Rabbit Show Eligibility: All mixed-breed rabbits will be judged in a single “pet” rabbit class and are NOT eligible for the Best in Show award.  An award will be given for the Best Pet and Reserve Best Pet Rabbit. The Pet Rabbits are NOT eligible for the Premium Auction.
  4. Ear Marks – All rabbits must have legible tattoos in the left ear. 
  5. Rabbits will be judged on Friday at 5pm.  All judging will be governed by the latest standards of the American Rabbit Breeders Association. However, this will NOT be an ARBA-sanctioned show. 

BREEDING RABBIT CLASSES FOR YOUTH AND OPEN SHOWS

ALL rabbits must be purebred in order to show in the Breeding Rabbit Classes. (Must conform to ARBA Standards of Perfection, but this is not an ARBA show.) All classes will be entered by WEIGHT and age according to ARBA Standards of Perfection.

4-Class Rabbits – Breeds that are (8) pounds and under are classed as follows: 

  1. Six (6) months and under, Junior Buck and Junior Doe. 
  2. Over six (6) months, Senior Buck and Senior Doe. 

Example Breeds:  Holland Lop, Netherland Dwarf, Jersey Woolly, Mini Rex, Mini Lop, Dwarf Hotot, Dutch, Himalayan, Polish, Florida White, Thrianta 

6-Class Rabbits – Breeds that are eight-and-one-half (8 1/2) pounds and over are classed as follows: 

  1. Six (6) months and under, Junior Buck and Junior Doe 
  2. Six to Eight (6-8) months, Intermediate Buck and Intermediate Doe 
  3. Six (6) months and over, Senior Buck and Senior Doe 

***If a 6-Class rabbit is 6-8 months old, you will place it in the Intermediate or Senior division based upon their weight as determined by ARBA.

Example Breeds:  Californian, New Zealand, Satin, Crème D’Argent, Champagne D’Argent, Cinnamon, Flemish Giant, English Lop, Palamino, Rex, Silver Martin 

AWARDS

  1. Premiums will be awarded by the Johnson County Fair Association, and ribbons will be awarded.
  2. From the breed winning rabbits, BEST IN SHOW and a RESERVE BEST IN SHOW will be awarded. 
  3. Best Pet Rabbit and the Reserve Best Rabbit will be awarded.
  4. Open Rabbit and Pet Rabbit are NOT eligible for Premium Auction.
  5. The Best in Show Rabbit from the youth division will be eligible for the Premium Auction.

MEAT PEN and SINGLE FRYER (Youth Only) 

A Meat Pen will consist of three (3) rabbits. Meat pen rabbits should be as identical as possible, especially in regard to weight and body type.  They also must conform to ARBA Standards of Perfection, but this is not an ARBA show.

A Single Fryer is an individual rabbit. They also must conform to ARBA Standards of Perfection, but this is not an ARBA show.

  1. Rabbits must weigh no more than five and one-half (5.5) pounds and no less than three and one-half (3.5) pounds per rabbit at the time of the fair. 
  2. Rabbits must be no more than 10 weeks of age at fair time. 
  3. Meat Pen and Single Fryer rabbits must be in the possession of the bona fide owner no later than August 1. 
  4. Meat Pen and Single Fryer rabbits must be registered online no later than July 10th, 2026.  

AWARDS

  1. Premiums will be awarded by the Johnson County Fair Association, and ribbons will be awarded.
  2. Grand and Reserve Meat Pen and Grand and Reserve Single Fryer will receive a sponsored prize. 
  3. Grand and Reserve Meat Pens and Grand and Reserve Single Fryers are eligible for the Premium Auction.

Breeding Rabbit Show Classes

Here would be the hierarchy that I would sort in an Excel sheet for the show for the judge:

  1. 4 or 6 Class: Determined by breed.
  2. Breed
  3. Variety
  4. Sex
  5. Age? This one causes a little confusion because depending on if it is a 4 class or a 6 class rabbit, the age ranges are a little different and 6 class adds the intermediate.

6 Class Breed: New Zealand
Variety:  ChocolateVariety:  Red
BuckDoeBuckDoe
JrSrJrSrJrIntSrJrIntSr
2AJ6SA

*** This would tell me that this person is entering 2 rabbits.

They have a chocolate Mini Rex Jr. buck with the tattoo 2AJ and a red New Zealand Intermediate buck with the tattoo 6SA.

I’m not exactly sure how that would look in a hierarchy of questions in a Google Form, but I think this is how I would look at going from the least specific to the most specific information needed.

Even though we are not an ARBA-sanctioned show, here are the ARBA show rules that might help: https://arba.net/official-arba-show-rules-2/ 

ARBA recognized breeds: https://arba.net/official-arba-show-rules-2/

ARBA recognized breeds with class and variety:  https://arba.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Breed-ID-Guide-Updated-January-2023.pdf