13/09/2026
Canberra and District Rabbit Club — Judge’s Report
It has been about nine years since I last took up position behind the judging table. I did wonder whether the skills I had built over the years would return after such an absence. Thankfully, muscle memory kicked in. The hands knew what they had to do, and while the language took a little while to flow, fluent rabbit talk returned surprisingly quickly.
Exhibitors may have noticed that I was fairly brief with the commentary recorded by the book steward, but I hope I was generous in explaining my decisions and reasoning throughout the day.
One thing I had forgotten was the smell.
Why is it that, after being away from rabbits for so long, you suddenly question how you ever tolerated the ammonia when you bred them? I suppose I now understand why Josh would occasionally scream, “I can smell rabbits!” while I would argue that I had just finished cleaning them and he was imagining things.
Perhaps he wasn’t.
Fancy
The Fancy section was reasonably well supported, with a good line-up of Dutch to start the day.
The Dutch is a breed where the points really do revolve around detail, and the standard reflects that. Small blemishes in markings and irregularity in symmetry can cost you dearly. Coats were generally sound throughout the classes, although perfecting that crispness of coat condition will elevate an already well-marked exhibit.
A blue buck led the charge. He had good substance and markings, but to take the higher honours I would like to see a little more fullness over the rump. The breed as a whole has been plagued for quite some time by issues with muscle coverage. They can be heavy without necessarily being fit, and there is a difference.
Netherland Dwarfs
The Netherland Dwarfs were well supported, although a very varied bunch.
There were plenty of the individual ingredients on display, but only a couple of exhibits managed to combine everything required to create a truly balanced Netherland. This is a breed that requires construction with almost equal width, depth and length, so an unbalanced exhibit is very easy to identify.
Correct head mount, much like in the lops, is vital. The head needs to be well placed into the shoulder. A low head mount typically results in visible neck, creating a longer and flatter appearance.
The Best of Breed was an U5 and a stylish exhibit in beautiful condition. It went on to take Best U5 in Show, while a seal point kitten took Best Kitten in Show. Both were lovely exhibits displaying true breed character, and both caught my eye as soon as they hit the table.
You have to sparkle to impress a diva.
Polish
Polish were a small class but represented by multiple colours.
A few lacked some of the refinement for which the breed is known, being a little coarse in places and soft in condition.
The winning black otter, however, was a classy rabbit. Refined, elegant, sassy, with graceful lines and good balance. A ripper coat and good markings completed the package, and it took the Fancy section quite clearly.
Tans
It was lovely to see the Tans represented, although I was not surprised to find that the tail issue which plagued them many years ago is still appearing.
The tail is an extension of the spine, and tails that appear fused, misshapen or otherwise incorrect are certainly not ideal.
Colour and markings across the exhibits were generally sound. I suspect my comments about achieving a more consistent and uniform Rufus colour are already well known to breeders — but I have seen it achieved.
Think of Tan lines the way you would if you had been badly sunburnt while wearing your budgie smugglers. The lines need to have crispness and purpose.
Flemish Giants
The intermediate Flemish exhibits were well shown.
The buck was hormonal and the doe was ready to breed — or at least she thought she was.
She had a great coat, particularly underneath, and that sparkle you should expect when the colour is approaching ideal.
Lops
The lops were a mixed bunch.
It is hard to imagine a rabbit show where lops were not one of the largest sections in New South Wales, so the reduced numbers today were noticeable.
Dwarf Lops
Dwarf Lops were few in number but promising in quality.
A beautifully coloured sooty fawn was the standout of the section. This was a rabbit that was good in every area that needed to be assessed. The ears were wide, open and well carried, with a good crown. The body had substance — width, depth and height — and the coat and condition were very good.
But it was still missing that oomph I expect from an outstanding lop.
It is all there. I just want more of it.
More body. More bone. More skull.
I had called for my pump a few times during the day to pump up exhibits that simply needed more oomph. Later, in the Rex, I was considering whether I needed a pin to let a little oomph out.
Mini Lops
The Mini Lops were a bit of a crazy bunch, possibly led by a black who brought a healthy dose of chaos to the judging table and appeared determined to set everyone else off.
While he was stylish and certainly entertaining to wrestle with, he reminded me just how important temperament is.
If your aim is to breed exhibition animals, you want the animal you exhibit to be malleable for the judge. We need to be able to assess the rabbit properly. If we have to work too hard to get the animal into a position where it can be judged, you have already lost an opportunity.
Because I don’t back away easily, I persisted. The animal was of decent type and ultimately worth the effort, but I cannot deny that an animal like that would not have made a breeding program in my shed.
If my memory serves me correctly, it was a smoke pearl that took the breed, and it was a good Mini Lop. There were enough breed characteristics to give it that unmistakable Mini Lop look, with roundness throughout the features. It was soft coated and not in show condition, but certainly worth working on.
Cashmere Lops
A Cashmere Lop kitten was worth a mention.
There was plenty of guard hair and good texture developing, so I predict a promising coat will eventuate. Unfortunately, a slipped and narrow crown will always be an issue.
Fur
The Fur section was a surprising highlight, with a lovely class of both black and blue fox exhibiting genuine depth of quality.
The winning black was a very good animal. Beautifully conditioned, tidy and well presented, with a coat of good density and lovely texture.
While texture and density are more important than length, I still wanted just a touch more length to the coat — and, naturally, a little more oomph in the animal.
I just wanted more of it!
Satins
Satins were few in number but good in quality.
The winning animal was good in all regards.
But good doesn’t necessarily get the heart racing.
Smoke/Sable
There were a couple of smoke pearl and sable exhibits on show. Coat condition was not ideal, and this becomes particularly visible on a shaded animal.
The smoke kitten had a very promising coat, although I fear that even after the moult it may still be a touch dark to achieve the ideal exhibition shade.
Rex
The Rex were well supported — and the ermines certainly did not come to play.
They also haven’t missed too many meals in recent times, and I was certainly given a workout when it came to wading through both quality and quantity.
Rex hold a special place in my heart.
They were not my first love, but they were a breed I was once told that “real stockmen” focused on. So I always challenged myself with Rex and can confidently say that I produced some outstanding animals over the years.
Some influential mentors would occasionally remind a very full-of-himself Allan that Rex are a medium-boned, elegant rabbit. I would become furious when I saw what I considered “bathmat” exhibits being rewarded.
But when you break down the Rex standard, there are 20 points for type, 40 for colour and 40 for coat.
So it is entirely justifiable for a Rex to give a little away in type and still accumulate the numbers required to become supreme.
And today, for me, that is how the cards fell.
From the moment I spotted this beast of an ermine, I had the conversation in my head:
Is she too big? Is she past her prime?
I assessed the class and she had practically equal to the best coat in the section. She held herself beautifully and had an air of elegance and refinement.
Sarcastically, she reminded me of mine.
That X factor.
Was I being biased?
No way.
I took two points off for being big, two points off for the dewlap and another two for a little excess baggage — and she still came out on top.
Would somebody else have made a different decision?
Maybe.
But most of the people who trained me would have fallen under her spell too.
An honorable mention to some classy black otter Rex. Lovley coated animals. A bit dull in pattern and markings on the day. If I was being very critical I would like to see more rise of back to finish the type.
Final Thoughts
By the time the final decisions were made, the picture had largely worked itself out.
The final line-up was a good representation of the quality on the table and demonstrated something I have always believed about judging: quality shines through.
Judging is, of course, about applying the standard. But there is also a point where experience, observation and instinct have to come together. Sometimes you need that gut feeling to back up what the standard is telling you.
And on this day, the X factor won.
My parting advice to exhibitors is simple:
Condition is bred in, not always fed in.
And when breeding, breed more from less.
Good exhibits are not mistakes.
