Judging Flemish Giants
By Allen Bush
My name
is Allen Bush. I am the breed secretary for the National Federation of
Flemish Giant Rabbit Breeders. I have raised Flemish for several years
with my wife Tammy. I am also a very competitive exhibitor of Flemish
Giants. I would like to take a minute or two and go over some of my
beliefs on how to best judge our wonderful breed.
The first
recommendation to a person judging Flemish is to go over our standard
and how many points are distributed when doing the Flemish. General
Type is worth 55 points and 45 points is given to fur, color and
condition. To me, this means the animal that is the best balanced
should prevail when comparing Flemish. This is a very simple concept
for all judges. You should look for a Flemish that can win Best in
Show. It has to look appealing to the eye and feel good to the touch.
Posing
Flemish seems to be very difficult for judges with less experience in
Flemish Giants. The most common mistake for newer Flemish judges is to
tuck the animal very similar to a Californian, Florida White, or New
Zealand. The Flemish should pose naturally. For the most part, I like
to let the animal pose itself. You do not want to stretch it too much,
or tuck it. I suggest watching one of our more experienced judges in
how they pose the Flemish. The most successful judges can make the
Flemish sit and actually not have their hands on the rabbit when
checking its type and other attributes. It takes a lot of practice, but
it makes it easier to check the rabbit for faults that may not be seen
from very close up.
Letting
the Flemish hop up and down the table is a very popular way for many
judges to see the balance of a Flemish. You can see how well the rabbit
tracks and whether it is pinched or hops with its feet two close
together. However, I would not waste time, letting every Flemish hop up
and down the table. I would only take time doing this if you feel the
rabbit can place in the top five in its class. Please remember that our
standard does not require the animal to hop up and down the table. You
can still do an excellent job of placing the animals without letting
them hop. It is a way to help show some differences in animals that may
be very close in competition.
In
summary, judging Flemish is not easy. It is obvious to an experienced
exhibitor when a judge is not comfortable or does not enjoy drawing
Flemish in an assignment. I strongly recommend asking Flemish
exhibitors for feedback on how you did when the competition is over. I
know that most Flemish exhibitors are not bashful when it comes to
giving advice in picking the best Flemish. Please stop by the Flemish
judging at a show near you. Watching Flemish being judged is the best
way to become an expert. This is how all Flemish exhibitors became
experts. Just kidding, a couple of us have a few things to learn also.
