Waukesha County Rabbit Hopping Agility
Event Objective
The handler and rabbit are considered a TEAM.
The ideal run that a judge will want to see is when the handler and rabbit work as a team.
The rabbit will freely run the course without any encouragement from the handler.
A clean run is one without any corrections or faults in the fastest time.
Each team will run the course 2 times, both scores of faults, corrections and time will be added together.
The winner will be determined by which team has the fastest time after faults and corrections have been added.
There is a 2 minute time limit for each run.
The handler should be keeping pace along side the rabbit off the course and not walking over any of the jumps or touching any obstacles .
General Rules and Guidelines
1. Rabbit does not need to be pedigreed and can be a mixed breed.
2. All rabbits must be at least 5 months of age to compete.
3.All varieties of rabbits are allowed to compete. Types of rabbits that might have a problem with hopping, possibly creating injury and/or leg injury, are the giant or
heavy breeds. Over weight, pregnant or nursing does are not allowed to jump.
4. Rabbits must be healthy and free of any disease or parasites. Any animals found to be in poor health must be removed from the event area immediately.
5. Handlers are responsible for the training of their rabbit. Persons with disabilities may appoint an animal handler for a competition.
6. The rabbit does not wear a harness or lead for Agility. A harness is permitted if it is easier to handle the rabbit .
7. The rabbit and handler are considered a team. You may not hand your rabbit over to anyone else during competition to compete in other events.
8. Any mistreatment of a rabbit will not be tolerated. Never lift the rabbit by the skin at the back of the neck or by the ears.
9. Handlers will not be allowed to use their feet or other objects to get the rabbit moving or as a means of discipline.
10. The rabbit must never be left unattended in the competition area.
11. Animal handlers must always embody good sportsmanship.
Competition Rules
1. Only one rabbit on the course at a time.
2. Handlers are not permitted to step over the jumps or on any of the obstacles. They may step on or across the mats between the jumps and obstacles if need be.
3. Any rabbit stepping off the mats will be faulted.
4. A DQ will be given if the handlers steps on or moves any obstacles.
5. Rabbit will be faulted if an obstacle is touched by the handler
6. Rabbits will begin on the start platform and finish on the same platform .
7. Rabbits must clear all jumps. Each rail and side posts that falls will be faulted.
8. If a rabbit skips an obstacle it will be faulted
9. Rabbits must hop through the course by their own free will. The handler may guide the rabbit forward by using a gentle touch on the back or a tickle in the rib area. Each time the handler bends over to touch the rabbit, it will be counted as a correction. You get 5. corrections before it becomes a fault.
10. Using your feet to guide, push or move the rabbit is not allowed.
11. The jumps and obstacles must be hopped in the correct order, otherwise a “wrong way” judgment shall be declared, and disqualification shall be issued. All four paws must be on the obstacle before it is considered a" wrong way" DQ.
12. Rabbit can not be slid along the mats to move it forward.
13. Each rabbit will get three attempts at each obstacle before the judge will wave you on to the next . That obstacle will then be counted as a missed or skipped obstacle.
14.Once the rabbit has all four feet off the start platform the time is started.
15. Once the rabbit has touched all four feet back on the start platform, the course is considered complete and the time is stopped.
16. A handler and rabbit may not advance to the next required class division until all necessary points are earned. Team will receive one point for every clean run ( No faults). Team needs 2 points to advance to the next level
17. Prevent stress to the rabbit from loud noises when going through the course. The rabbit must not be forced to hop by the handler from yelling or stomping of their feet.
18. Animal handlers will be responsible for cleaning up any debris their animal leaves on the competition course during the competition and in the warm up area. Scoring the Agility course Each rabbit will run the course two times.
Each rabbit has a time limit of 2 minutes to complete the course. After the two minutes there will be one fault added for each 15 seconds up to three minutes.
Corrections- 5 corrections equal one fault -. Encouraging the rabbit to move forward by bending at the waist and knees touching the rabbit. - Tapping the rabbit or tickling the rabbit on all three sides is allowed and is only counted as one correction until the handler stands up again. - Each time the handler bends at the waist it will be counted as a correction. -Excessive tapping and tickling will be up the judge whether they will counted it as multiple corrections during one bend of the waist or knees.
Faults- One fault equals one second added to the time .
One fault for each rail and side post that falls on jumps .
One fault for not having all four feet touching the carpet on the obstacles.
One fault for lifting the rabbit off the ground.
One fault for sliding the rabbit 12 inches on the mat to move it forward.
One fault for touching an obstacle
Two faults for rabbit leaping off an obstacle, not finishing ,( A- Frame, Bridge, and Teeter) forwards or off the side.
Three faults for each time the rabbit steps off the mats
DQ'S- DQ disqualifies that run and no corrections, faults or time is counted.
Second run is counted not DQed but it will score below the others with two non DQed runs
Rabbit will be DQed if it turns around and places all 4 feet on the obstacle it just finished.
Rabbit will be DQed if the handler uses his feet to move or push the rabbit.
Rabbit will be DQed if it leaves the course off the mats 6 feet or more.
Rabbit is DQed if it jumps obstacles out of order.
Rabbit is DQed if the handler steps on or moves any of the obstacles
Time - Time will be added together from both runs. -
Faults will be added together from both runs.
Each fault equals one second added to the time.
Fastest time is the winner.
Ties are broken by number of corrections.
Obstacle Performance Requirements
1. Jumps - Rabbit must clear all jumps over the rails between the posts in the direction indicated by the judge without knocking down any rails or poles.
2. A- Frame -The rabbit must stay on the carpet going up the ramp, cross the apex, and moving down the ramp with all four feet touching the carpet in the direction indicated by the judge. Rabbit should not leap off the top of the A- frame.
3. Tunnel- The rabbit must enter the open end in the direction indicated by the judge and exit the opposite end.
4. Tire Jump- The rabbit must jump through the tire opening in the direction indicated by the judge. There is no penalty if the rabbit touches the tire.
5. Bridge- The rabbits need to stay on the carpeted part of bridge. All four feet must touch all sides of the bridge. Walking up the ramp , across the bridge and down the other side. The rabbit should not jump off from the top of the bridge and skip the down ramp.
6. Start Platform-All four feet of the rabbit need to be on the start platform before it can start and the timer will not stop till all four feet are back on the platform at the end of the course.
7. Teeter- The rabbit must stay on the carpeted surface of the teeter while stepping on to the plank. As the rabbit is moving across the plank to the pivot point causing the teeter to tilt the rabbit must stay on the carpet and have all four paws on the plank as it descends to the ground. The plank must touch the ground before the rabbit can leave the plank.