by Amy Spang
Today I thought
I would try to answer the question of what a 'Grand Champion' is and
what significance should be attached to this title. I suppose this is
a topic that may be viewed as political and in some ways it certainly
is, but since there are many people who are new or looking to purchase
new stock for the first time in the rabbit world, it is important to
understand what 'titles' and 'legs' mean, and how important they are in
assessing the quality of a rabbit line.
First of all, a Grand Championship can only be earned when a rabbit has had 3 wins which have earned him/her 3 legs.
A 'win' qualifies as a 1st place in any class, or a 1st place out of
several classes combined, as in the case of BOV (Best of Variety), BOS
(Best Opposite Sex), and BOB (Best of Breed). A 'leg' can only be
earned toward the Grand Championship (GC) if there are at least 5
rabbits in any class being shown by at least 3 exhibitors. IF there
are less than this number being shown in a class OR in the whole show,
a rabbit can still be awarded 1st place or BOB and proceed to the Best
in Show table, but the win will not technically 'count' and the rabbit
will not be able to earn a leg towards the championship with it.
There are many
instances in which a GC may be earned or 'engineered' (for lack of a
better word), and it is very important to keep this possibility in mind
when looking at the pedigree of a prospective purchase. A GC is NOT
necessarily a superior rabbit, and a rabbit who readily earns a
championship in one area may not necessarily be able to accomplish the
same feat in a location with more competition or a higher level of
quality in the breed.
Since
Angoras are relatively uncommon in the US there will naturally be
certain areas where they are numerous, and other places where they are
practically non-existent on the local show circuit. The ethics of this
practice may be controversial, but there is no rule against entering
unregistered rabbits in a show under more than one name, so
'competition' can often be artifically created when 1 or more breeders
enter their animals in such a way as to qualify the winning rabbit for
a leg. I am not attempting to pass judgment on this practice, but
merely pointing out that it is certainly possible to manufacture
impressive pedigrees without actually showing an animal under rigorous
competition, so be sure to question breeders as to what the level of
competition is normally like at their shows, and whether or not there
were more than 3 exhibitors physically present at the shows where their
Champions were produced.
Indications of the true quality of a line can be observed in the following situations:
2-The breeder's animals regularly win or place in the top ranks of their classes at National shows, particularly the ARBA Convention.
3-The breeder occasionally or frequently wins Best in Show in the Open class (which is awarded out of every breed of rabbit in a show)
4-The breeder consistently shows quality stock and places well in stiff competition with different animals, not just the same rabbits week in and week out over several consecutive show seasons.
I don't want to insinuate that people who do NOT show in highly populated areas do not have animals of high quality, OR, that people who do not show or earn GCs at all are not raising excellent rabbits. Indeed, there are some breeders whose rabbits have never been shown, granded, or even registered who often have better stock than breeders who show every weekend and have very fancy pedigrees. It is purely a matter of preference whether a person chooses to submit their rabbits to showtable evaluation or not, and when push comes to shove the true measure of quality is the general reputation of the breeder and the quality of the animals they breed. A reputable breeder will always answer questions honestly and will never knowingly misrepresent their stock. For those who DO show, the good thing about winnings on a pedigree is that the buyer can use this information to dissect a line further and interpret the meanings of titles that were assigned.
In conclusion, there will always be honest breeders, and not so honest breeders:(. Research sources for stock by contacting breeders with good questions, speak to people who can refer you to reputable rabbit raisers, and use common sense when faced with a situation (or breeder) who does not seem altogether truthful. It is important to strive for as many GC quality animals as possible in your breeding program, but be aware--also--of what a title means and doesn't mean. Do not be fooled into thinking that a highly decorated animal is necessarily any better than the one who has rarely been shown or has never seen the outside of a barn. In the final reckoning it is the over all quality of a line that counts, not the number of awards or legs a certain rabbit has accumulated. EVERYTHING is relative, remember. Especially in the show world:^).