General Rules:
Rabbits
• Rabbits should be at least 5 months old.
• No rabbit with a physical disability that would significantly impair performance may participate. Overweight rabbits may be limited or disqualified at the judge’s discretion.
• Pregnant or nursing rabbits may not compete.
• Rabbits should be healthy and free of parasites such as ear mites, fleas, & fur mites & showing no signs of disease, such as snuffles, weepy eye, wry neck, vent disease, etc.
• Rabbits may be purebred or mixed breed, buck or doe.
• Rabbits that have been neutered or spayed may compete.
• Rabbits competing must have a clean appearance, clipped nails, and no dirty matter anywhere on the rabbit.
• Rabbits must be able to be handled.
• Rabbits outside of a carrier or cage must be with someone at all times and on leash unless competing in the competition area. A rabbit may not be tied up.
• Giant rabbits may only compete against other giants.
Handlers
• Handlers may not jump the jumps with their rabbits.
• Handlers must bring their own rabbit to the agility arena. Young children may have help.
• Handlers will not use the leash to hit a rabbit to get it moving or as a means of discipline.
• Poor sportsmanship will not be permitted. Any handler exhibiting poor sportsmanship such as hitting a rabbit, swearing, yelling at a rabbit, loud complaints, excessive arguing with a judge or fair official, etc will be eliminated.
Rabbit equipment
• If this is not a caged event (where cages are provided for your rabbits), rabbits must be brought in a carrier of some sort such as a cat, small dog or rabbit carrier. If the event is outside, do not leave a rabbit in a carrier or cage in direct sunlight.
• Harnesses must be plain, flat webbing, either an “H” harness (preferred), a yoke style harness, or a non-slip “figure 8” harness. No collars. The harness should not be able to slip on its own.
• Leashes must be between 4 and 6 feet long and be of the webbed/ material sort, not a chain.
• Leashes and harnesses not meeting safety standards for rabbits will not be allowed to be used on the rabbit.
The Course & Event
• Agility competitions will take place on a level, shock absorbent surface. Short grass or carpeting is ideal; dirt, sawdust or mats are also acceptable. The use of a fully fenced area is encouraged, but not required. If no fence is used, the agility arena must be in an escape free area, such as a building.
• The hosts of the event will state whether or not the event is held outdoors or indoors.
• The hosts of the event will have adequate cleaning & disinfecting supplies for soiled equipment.
• Equipment and area will be cleaned as needed between competitions and events
• A familiarization period will be allowed prior to the final course approval. Each rabbit may investigate each obstacle for a brief time. Three attempts may be made at any obstacle, but each obstacle may be taken only once. The order of obstacles shall not be the order used in competition. Familiarization will be supervised by the ring crew.
• A supervised warm-up area may be provided near the ring. It will include up to 2 jumps.
• Judges will inspect all equipment prior to the beginning of the show, and may modify the requirements to the extent needed to eliminate any unsafe equipment. All jumps must have displaceable bars or rails.
• Training aids or treats are not permitted on the official course, but are permitted in the warm-up area.
• The ideal run is where a rabbit navigates the course on its own with little to no handler intervention. The rabbit may be steered by the hand, but not be pulled or lifted by the leash. Penalties will occur for touching or lifting a rabbit by the hand or leading, lifting or tugging on the leash.
• All courses must have clearly defined starts and finishes. All obstacles must be clearly and sequentially numbered with cones or other movable numbering system.
• If entries warrant (more than 15 in a class suggested) classes may be split into 6 class and 4 class, or if further division is needed, Dwarf, Small, Medium, Large. Giants will be in a class of their own regardless of the number of rabbits entered.
• Leashes, when used, must be held at all times except when going through a tunnel or tire jump. After each tunnel or tire jump, the leash must be picked up before the next obstacle.
• The judge will penalize any handler receiving outside assistance. In severe cases, the handler will receive a white ribbon (in 4-H or youth county fair competition) or be disqualified (in open class at a county fair, or non-4-H or youth county fair events).
• A rabbit, which fails to complete the course, in 4H or youth county fair competition, will receive a white ribbon. In open class at a county fair, or other non-4-H or youth county fair event, the rabbit will be disqualified.
• A rabbit may have up to three tries at any obstacle, after which the judge will signal the exhibitor to go on.
Personnel for the agility event
Personnel needed for an agility event will be:
• Registrar(s) – registers in competitors. Also may keep an eye on crowd when registration is done.
• Ring Crew – to set up, reset poles, hold leashes, tear down, etc.
• Judge(s) – judge event.
• Clerk(s) – to help the judge by keeping track of what he/she says.
• Timer – times the competitor.
• Scorer- Writes in the official scores given by the judge or clerk.
• Warm Up Area Supervisor – Keeps an eye on competitors in the warm up ring.
Agility Classes
Novice: Easy Course
• This class is for all first and second time agility competition rabbits.
• Rabbits must be shown in a flat harness and leash.
• Obstacles may be placed in a straight line or a simple U shaped course. Obstacles must 6’ apart.
• There will be 6 to 12 obstacles
Novice A Maximum 4” jumps, 2 rails wide for spread jumps
Novice B Maximum 8”jumps, 2 rails wide for spread jumps
The following obstacles are used:
Pipe Tunnel
A-Frame
Spread jumps
Vertical jumps
Pause box and/ or table
Intermediate: Medium course
• This class is for rabbits who have completed the Novice class.
• Rabbits will be shown in a flat harness. Leashes are optional. There will be no penalty for the use, or lack of a leash.
• Obstacles may be placed in a straight line or a simple M or U shaped course. Obstacles must be 6’6” apart.
• There will be 8 to 14 obstacles.
Jumps Maximum of 12” high, 3 rails wide for spread jumps
The following obstacles are used:
Pipe Tunnel
A-Frame
Spread jumps
Vertical jumps
Pause box and/ or table
Bridge
Advanced: Difficult course
• This class is for rabbits who have completed the Intermediate class.
• Rabbits will be shown in a flat harness. Leashes are optional. There will be no penalty for the use, or lack of a leash.
• Obstacles may be placed in a straight line, U shape or variations of a figure 8. Obstacles must be at least 6’6” apart. There will be at least 1 change of direction.
• There will be 10 to 14 obstacles
Jumps may be a maximum of 16” high, 4 rails wide for spread jumps
The following obstacles are used:
Pipe Tunnel
A-Frame
Spread Jumps
Vertical Jumps
Tire Jump
Pause box and/ or table
Chute
Bridge
Teeter
Weave Poles
Elite: Challenging Course
• This class is for rabbits who have completed the Advanced class.
• Rabbits will be shown in a flat harness without a leash.
• Obstacles may be placed in a straight line, U shape or a slightly more difficult figure 8. There will be at least two changes of direction. Obstacles must be at least 7’ apart.
• There will be 12 to 16 obstacles.
Jumps have no maximum height or width requirements
The following obstacles are used:
Pipe Tunnel
A-Frame
Spread Jumps
Vertical Jumps
Tire Jump
Pause box and/ or table
Chute
Bridge
Teeter
Weave Poles
Water Jump (optional, if used, there may only be 1)
Obstacle Performance Requirements
A-Frame The rabbit must stay on the surface of the A-Frame, ascending the ramp, crossing the apex, and descending the ramp in the direction indicated by the judge. If there are contact zones, the rabbit must touch the contact zone with its front feet.
Pipe Tunnel The rabbit must enter the opening designated by the judge, and exit the opposite opening.
Vertical Jumps The rabbit must jump the vertical in the direction indicated by the judge, passing between the two uprights and over the rails without lowering the height of the jump.
Spread Jump The rabbit must jump the spread jump in the direction indicated by the judge, passing between the two uprights and over the rails without reducing the height or width of the jump.
Tire Jump The rabbit must jump through the tire in the direction indicated by the judge. There will be no penalty if the rabbit touches the tire.
Water Jump The rabbit must jump over the water pan in the direction indicated by the judge without touching it or landing in it, also passing between the uprights of the jump without reducing the height or width of the jump.
Bridge The rabbit must stay on the surface of the bridge, ascending the ramp in the direction indicated by the judge, crossing the cross plank, and descending the other ramp. If there are contact zones, the rabbit must touch the contact zone with its front feet.
Teeter The rabbit must stay on the surface of the teeter’s plank while ascending, cross the plank’s pivot point, causing the teeter to tilt to the ground on the other end before descending the remainder of the plank. The plank must touch the ground prior to the rabbit leaving the plank. If there are contact zones, the rabbit must touch the contact zone with its front feet.
Pause Box The rabbit must stay inside the pause box for a count of 5.
Pause Table The rabbit must stay on the pause table for a count of 5.
Chute The rabbit must enter the opening, and exit the draped end of the chute.
Weave Poles The Rabbit must enter the weave poles by passing between poles number 1 and number 2 from right to left. They must then pass from left to right through poles number 2 and number 3 and continue this weaving sequence until they pass between the last two poles. If the sequence is broken, the rabbit must restart the correct sequence, either at or anywhere before the location of the error.
Scoring
Standard Faults charged as 1 fault
• Displaced rail, bar, plank or surface on all jumps.
• Missed contact zones (if there are contact zones on equipment.)
• Any part of the rabbit that enters the water area of a water jump.
• Leaving the pause table or pause box before the five second count it is up.
• Where weave poles are used, a missed weave pole.
• Leash contact: any jerks, tugs, or guiding by the leash. 1 fault per occurrence.
• Handler contact
Major Faults Charged as 5 faults
• Omitting an Obstacle- Includes missing an obstacle, being told by the judge to go on after 3 refusals, or crossing the finish line without completing the last obstacle properly.
• Bailing off - Rabbit jumps off the A-Frame or Bridge over the side board or without descending the off ramp.
• Bailing off the Teeter- Rabbit jumps off before the teeter tips down and touches the ground with the far end.
• Outside assistance, any help, such as telling the handler which obstacle is next, cues to the rabbits, etc. depending on severity, 5 faults, up to elimination.
• Handler touching any obstacle for any reason.
Refusal Faults Charged as 5 faults
• Refusal at any obstacle
• Run-outs at any obstacle (a run-out is when the rabbit goes completely by the obstacle it is supposed to do in the order of the course instead of completing the obstacle) the rabbit must go back and do the obstacle.
• Exiting a contact obstacle prior to starting its descent on that obstacle.
• Where weave poles are used, failure to enter the weave poles properly.
Elimination
• 3 refusals and / or run-outs on a course.
• Running the wrong course.
• Constant tugging on the leash
• Rabbit refuses to move or leaves the ring
• Extreme amount of outside assistance
• Excessive touching of obstacles or rabbit
• Failure to complete the course. Completing the course means going in the appropriate directions for all obstacles, completing descents on obstacles, pausing on / in the pause table & pause box, and weaving through the weave poles (if used).
• Exceeding the fault limit – 20 faults
• Poor Sportsmanship in the form of physical or emotional abuse of others &/ or rabbit
• Rabbit abuse anywhere on the grounds
Time Faults
• Each course will have a standard course time maximum announced.
• Timer will time each run to .01 seconds.
• A fault will be calculated at .01 seconds for each infraction.
• Any time beyond the allotted time is considered a time fault and penalized at the rate of ¼ fault for each second or fraction of a second.
• There are no bonus points awarded for completing the course faster than the standard course time.
Final Score
• Course and time faults (.01 seconds for each infraction) are added together with the lowest score being the winner.
• If still tied, the course may be run again to break the tie.
Agility Equipment Standards for Competition:
Pipe Tunnel: The pipe tunnel should be made of a lightweight, water resistant material, supported so that the rabbit will not get tangled up inside or have open holes or spaces that the rabbit can escape from . It should be open at both ends. The diameter of the tunnel should be no less than 12” and the length should be 4 - 6’.
There should be at least two tunnels that can be switched out and cleaned in the case of defecation by a rabbit. The tunnel should be secured so that it cannot roll or move out of place.
A-Frame: The A-frame should be made of at least ½” plywood and sturdy so that the A-frame can support giant breeds. Each side should be 4’ in length, 18” – 24” wide and be free of splinters and other items that can penetrate a rabbit’s skin. The surface of the A-frame should be made of a non-slip material that will not damage or harm the rabbit in any way. It should also be able to be cleaned & disinfected, or replaced in the event of sudden illness of a rabbit or defecation. The A-Frame should have a secure adjustable chain that will allow it to rise to a height at the center of 24”
Vertical Jumps: Vertical jumps can be made of any type of standard. The rails should be made of ½” PVC pipe or wood slats, 24” -36” wide. The rails may be painted or taped with colored tape to make them stand out if desired. All rails must be able to be displaced from either side if a rabbit doesn’t make it over the jump. The rails should be placed so that they are 2-4” apart.
Spread Jumps: Spread jumps can be made of any type of standard. The rails should be made of ½” PVC pipe or wood slats, 24” – 36” wide. The rails may be painted or taped with colored tape to make them stand out if desired. All rails must be able to be displaced from either side if a rabbit doesn’t make it over the jump. Spread jumps can be one long jump or several vertical jumps placed together so that the distance is at least 2 rails wide.
Tire Jumps: Tire jump frames should be wide enough and tall enough to encircle and hold up a “tire”, that is 18” in diameter. The frame must be freestanding. The frame can be made of PVC pipe (1 ¼” is ideal). It is suggested that it be 36” tall x 36” wide. The “tire” should be made of a lightweight material like 2” or 4” drainpipe or vacuum hose and may be painted if desired. The height should be able to be adjusted.
Bridge: The bridge should be made of 1” x 12” planks. The bridge will consist of three sections. Two ramps and a crosswalk. Each ramp should be 1-2’ in length with the crosswalk in the center being 4’ long. Each section should be able to be connected to one another and can be hinged together to make travel easier. The surface of the bridge should be made of a non-slip material that will not damage or harm the rabbit in any way. It should also be able to be cleaned & disinfected, or replaced in the event of sudden illness of a rabbit or defecation. There should be no splinters or other items to cause injury to the rabbit. The supports of the bridge must be secure and sturdy. The height of the bridge should be 12”-18” . If the bridge is adjustable, it must not be able to slip, lowering the bridge while the rabbit is crossing it.
Pause Box: The pause box should be 24” x 24” and made of ¾ “ to 1 1/4” PVC pipe.
Pause Table: The top of the pause box should be made of at least ½” plywood, 24” x 24”, with the supports being 6” high and securely attached to the top. The surface of the pause box should be made of a non-slip material that will not damage or harm the rabbit in any way. It should also be able to be cleaned & disinfected, or replaced in the event of sudden illness of a rabbit or defecation. There should be no splinters or other items to cause injury to the rabbit.
Teeter: The teeter should be made of a 1” x 12” plank, 4’-6’ long. The surface of the teeter should be made of a non-slip material that will not damage or harm the rabbit in any way. It should also be able to be cleaned & disinfected, or replaced in the event of sudden illness of a rabbit or defecation. There should be no splinters or other items to cause injury to the rabbit. The base of the teeter should be 12” high. The base may be adjustable, but it must not be able to slip out of place during the event. The plank should be attached to the base so that it will tilt in the opposite direction easily as the rabbit crosses it.
Chute: The chute barrel may be made of a hard plastic barrel or waterproof, cleanable and supported material. It should be no less than 18” in diameter and exactly 24” long. The chute should be made of a waterproof, cleanable material 2’ - 3’ long. It should be detachable from the barrel, lightweight and be made so that the rabbit can’t get tangled up in it.
Weave Poles: The weave poles may be made of PVC Pipe, no more than 3/4” thick and set into a flat base or PVC base of the same thickness with legs for support. There should be 8 poles, and the space between the poles should be 8”-10” apart. The poles should be 24” High.
Water Jump: The water jump is to be made like the vertical jump or broad jump, only with the bottom rail(s) high enough to go over a pan of water. The suggested pan size should be at least 18” long and 18” wide and 2” deep. Water should be no deeper than 1”. The pan should be placed under the jump so that a portion of the pan (at least 9”) is able to be jumped over.
Acknowledgments:
These rules have been adapted by Dawn Nelsey from the book “Rabbit Agility, What’s That?” by Dell Robbins, the rules found on Rabbitagility.com, the Kansas 4-H Agility Dog Show Rule Book and AKC dog agility rules.
