PURPOSE

To acknowledge excellence among  youth rabbit hobbyists in conjunction with the 2020 National Rabbit Expo; To allow these members to demonstrate a working knowledge of the rabbit and cavy industry; To explore critical thinking skills, demonstrate personal initiative and provide problem-solving, decision-making and goal-setting activities for these individuals.

 

RULES

1 Any rabbit or cavy youth hobbyist is eligible to compete.

2 Applications are to be composed and completed by the contestant.

3 Up to five pages and less than 4500 words, printed on one side only, may be submitted by the applicant.

4 Include your name at the top of each page of information submitted.

5 Submit a photo. This photo is part of your application and will be used for promotional purposes if you are a Royalty winner. The best photo would be head and shoulders or waist up. You may be with your animal, but remember that you are the center of attention.

6 If entering online, you may upload your application and picture.

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CATEGORIES

Divisions are: 

King (Boys, Ages 15-18 years) Queen (Girls, Ages 15-18 years)

Duke (Boys, Ages 12-14 years) Duchess (Girls, Ages 12-14 years) Prince (Boys, Ages 9-11 years) Princess (Girls, Ages 9-11 years)

Lord (Boys, Ages 5-8 years) Lady (Girls, Ages 5-8 years)

Age is determined by the age on October 20, 2020. 

 

CONTEST SCORING

Final Scores for the Royalty Contests will be the sum of the scores for each of the five components of the contest. The components are: Application (200 points), Written Examination (200 points), Oral Interview (200 points), Breed Identification (200 points), and the age-appropriate Individual Contest (200 points).

 

CONTEST COMPONENTS

Pre-Exposition

Applications will be judged on the following criteria: Size and Scope of Project (30 points); Purpose, Goals & Plans for the Future (30 points); Management (30 points); Achievement (40 points); Leadership (40 points); Clarity & Thoroughness of Answers & Neatness of Application (30 points). Applications that do not follow the rules listed above will be assessed a penalty of 10 points per infraction, with the exception of late applications which will be assessed a penalty of 20 points for up to one week late and disqualification for later than one week.

October 10-11, October 17 and 18:

Each Royalty contestant will compete in the Individual Contest that is age-appropriate, except for Lord and Lady Contestants. Prince and Princess Contestants will participate in the Showmanship Contest (please see the individual contest rules for more information). Contestants will be scored on their ability to handle and evaluate an animal. A sample score sheet is available at https://www.marcsconventions.com/youth-contests. Duke, Duchess, King and Queen Candidates will participate in the Judging Contest (please see the individual contest rules for more information). Each contestant will judge four classes of four animals. This is a timed event of 7 minutes per class. Placements will be made on special forms provided. The use of the ARBA Standard of Perfection is encouraged. 

Each Royalty contestant will compete in the Breed Identification Contest (please see the individual contest rules for more information). Contestant will be required to identify 25 animals, both rabbits and cavies, listing the complete breed name as printed in the ARBA Standard of Perfection. They will also identify the showroom variety, whether a 4 class or 6 class breed, and the registration variety of each of the 25 animals. No abbreviations are accepted.

October 17: 

All contestants will take a Written Examination. Lord, Lady, Prince and Princess candidates will take their test over Zoom using a proctor. Duke, Duchess, King and Queen will take a timed test. The older divisions can request a proctor if needed. The questions for this test will be taken from

the ARBA Official Guidebook, the ARBA Yearbook, the ARBA Standard of Perfection, the ARBA Domestic Rabbit Guide, issues of Domestic Rabbits from Jan/Feb, 2015 to present, and the ARBA Web Site.

October 18:

Selected contestants will participate in an Oral Interview. By 4:00 p.m. on examination day, the order of oral interviews will be posted at https://www.marcsconventions.com/youth-contests. Contestants for interviews should be in proper showroom attire with a show coat, apron with long sleeved shirt or, at minimum, a long sleeve white shirt. If the Youth Committee determines that it is not feasible to interview every contestant in a category, the total points received for the other four components will be used to determine those contestants that will be interviewed.

October 20:

Results will be announced at the Virtual Youth Banquet. Results packets will be emailed following the awards presentations.

 

ENTRY PROCEDURES

Entry must be made online at https://www.marcsconventions.com/youth-contests. NO EMAIL ENTRIES WILL BE ACCEPTED.

All online entries, including the uploading of completed forms must be completed by 11:59:59 p.m. Eastern Daylight

Time on September 1, 2020.  

 

QUESTIONS

1 When did you join a national rabbit club and how many consecutive years have you belonged?

2 How and when did you get started in your project? Include names of those who have helped you the most.

3 List your memberships in rabbit and/or cavy related organizations. Include the name of each club (no abbreviations) and the number of years you have been a member.

4 What offices or committees have you served on in local, state, or national rabbit or cavy clubs?

5 How have you been a leader in your project?

6 Name the breed(s) you raise and how many animals you have in each breed. Include breed(s) you have raised in the past and why you no longer raise them.

7 What have you done to promote your breed(s) and make others aware of your project?

8 Describe the records you keep and how you keep them.

9 What are your goals for this project?

10 Describe the housing & equipment for your animals, be very specific.

11 What specifically do you do to help with the care and upkeep of your project?

12 List outstanding awards and achievements your animals have earned. Pick the two most important to you from your list and describe the circumstances and why it is important to you. 

13 List outstanding awards and achievements you have earned in this project. Pick the two most important to you from your list and describe the circumstances and why it is important to you.

14 How do you feel your project will help you in your future endeavors?

15 What would you like us to know that has not been asked?

16 If you win this award, a short description of your achievements will be used for promotional purposes . Write what you would like to be printed in 300 to 600 words. Please Note: This is a separate page and does not count toward the word count or the page count. Failure to include this question will result in a 20 point deduction.