Event Rules

One thing about Rabbit Agility Wink The rules, because it is a new sport, will be different at individual events, the rules will be ever changing as the sport grows.

We are still working on rules, check back for tweeking often.

RABBIT AGILITY RULES

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You will find that in Rabbit Agility, being a new sport, that not only will the rules change from time to time they will also differ from one Rabbit Club host to another. Always ask for a complete copy of the current rules when signing up for competition. Read the rules and regulations and keep the rules and regulations with you during competition. If you do not understand a rule or regulation ask the Judge to clarify it for you before the competition begins.

You will find that the types and sizes of Rabbit Agility Equipment might differ from one competition to another. Again, as in Dog and other animal species Agility each club will have it's own ways and means of doing things. Just make sure that you understand the rules and regulations and have fun with new ideas. Don't push your rabbit to do an new piece of equipment that might be unsafe that your rabbit is unfamiliar with. Keep safety first and foremost.

Basically and to the point: Rabbits in a competition each run the exact same course of agility equipment. The rabbit that runs the course the fastest without upsetting any of the equipment and touching all areas of equipment that is suppose to be touched by the rabbit's feet....wins...

Rules and Regulations for the Sport

Only rabbits that are healthy, tame, clean and friendly are eligible for agility competition.*

A rabbit must be a minimum of 6 months old to participate in Rabbit Agility competition.

Rabbits that are 6 - 10 months old may only participate in Novice classes of Rabbit Agility.

Pregnant does shall not participate in Rabbit Agility.

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No Nursing Does shall participate in Rabbit Agility.

Rabbits should never be "pushed" to do a piece of or course full of agility equipment.

Human contestants, called handlers, must remain calm when working their rabbits at rabbit agility. No yelling, fast motion or unruly behavior.

Rabbits must be handled in a Humane way. Judges may ask anyone to step down from competition that is showing any type of cruelty to their animal(s).

It is important that your rabbit is well groomed before each competition. A dirty body and/or tail area can contaminate the Agility Equipment. Long nails could get hung up in or on the equipment causing injury to the rabbits foot. Long toenails may scratch the owner/handler Judges or others helping at the events.*

You alone are responsible for your own rabbit's as well as you own health and safety while participating in Agility events.

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Equipment as well as the agility course area shall be made as safe as possible for the competing rabbits.

A barrier, ie fencing, shall be set up around the agility equipment with room for the rabbits, handlers, Judges and contestants to move around freely. The barrier will be safe for all breeds of rabbits. The size of the webbing shall be small enough to contain the smallest of rabbit breeds. The barrier shall also be tall enough for the safety and containment of the largest of rabbit breeds.

All rabbits will use the same equipment and the equipment will be used in the same order each competing rabbit's "run" per an events run.

Items of equipment to be used in competition will be announced in the sign up sheet before the event and be announced by the Judge at the handlers meeting..

For Novice Rabbits there will be up to five pieces of agility equipment used in competition. They might be the Teeter Totter, the Hoop Jump as well as another lower type jump, balance item and straight open tunnel. The novice class will not use the Sea Saw, Long Jump, Closed Tunnel, Over Under, Weave Polls or any jumps over 6".

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For advanced Rabbits there will be up to eight pieces of agility equipment used in competition and will include the Open Tunnel and the Sea Saw. The Agility Hosts will choose what type of equipment is used and the course layout.

For super rabbits there will be up to twelve pieces of agility equipment used in competition and will include the Closed Tunnel, Sea Saw, and the Balance Beam. The Agility Hosts will choose what type of equipment is used and the course direction.

Agility hosts must bring cleaning fluids and paper towel for competitors to use if their rabbits would soil the equipment.

Owners must clean equipment and/or floor thoroughly if "nature called" while their rabbit was competing, however, they may wait to clean up til after their rabbit completes its "run".

In Novice group your rabbit will have XX minutes to complete the agility course.

In Advanced group your rabbit will have XX minutes to complete the agility course.

In the super rabbit group your rabbit will have XX minutes to complete the agility course.

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Only rabbits that are participating in the event are allowed in the Rabbit Agility ring.

If any rabbit leaves the course, does the wrong piece of equipment or gets off a piece of agility equipment before finishing the task correctly then that rabbit will need to be put back to the spot where it left the course and restart from there. Timing will continue and a five (5)second penalty added to the total time per each mistake the rabbit makes.

Only rabbits that are participating in the class that is going on in the ring are allowed in the Event Area.

Events committee hosting a Rabbit Agility event must have a place or area for people to wash their hands. If the event is held outdoors the events committee shall bring baby wipes and or hand sanitizer for hand cleansing.

Spectators must stand to one or two designated sides of the ring and back a minimum of 4' from the barrier.

Events committee will determine placement of the agility equipment in the ring and are responsible for having it set up in time for the handler's meeting before the event.

Spectators need to be quiet and stand still while rabbits are running the course.

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No food or drinks in the agility ring.

Small rabbit treats are allowed but must be given to the rabbit after it passes the finish line or in the rabbit's own cage so that crumbs will not be left on the competition ring thus distracting other contestants.

Events can and some will be held outdoors, it must be made extremely clear on the Event Invitation that it will be an outdoor event. Every safety measure shall be taken by the events committee for the safety of both the competing rabbits and their owners. Rain cancellation and/or rain dates must be posted on outdoor event invitations.

Parking at an event must be plentiful and within reasonable distance from the event.

Events committee shall make sure that there is a fishing type net brought to the event that is large enough to catch an escaped rabbit. However, it is completely up to the escaped rabbit's owner to ask for help and or the net to catch their animal.

Please do NOT bring unruly children to Rabbit Agility Events. Loud noises and fast motion made by people will not be tolerated. Anyone "acting out" will be asked to leave. Rabbit agility is about the rabbits. Anyone startling a rabbit or interrupting a rabbit's individual Agility Run will only be given one warning before being asked to leave the premises.

*If anyone notices an unhealthy rabbit at an agility event it is to be reported to the events committee and the event Judge. The Judge along with event committee shall look over the rabbit for signs of bad health...hard breathing, sneezing, runny eyes, signs of diarrhea, runny nose, excessive scratching, scabs, ext. If the health of the rabbit is found questionable the Judge and event committee have the right to remove the rabbit from the event and have it moved off the event property.
*Rabbits on any type of medication are not eligible to participate in Fancy Rabbit Agility.
*Judges may disqualify any rabbit that is found in the Judges opinion ungroomed or with excessive long toe nails or an especially dirty rabbit or rabbit tail.

The reason that rules that I wrote that are on this website are unfinished and remain unfinished is because I do not have enough rabbit owner interest at the time running the course to set up times and heights as well as I had wanted before making/finishing the rules. I think the bottom line on rules is that you have to have enough people interested in the sport and running rabbits through a set course/courses to know how to judge what is an average time for the course.
I am about sure that this is just what happened in the dog world. That is why there are so many different "clubs". The problem comes when interested people in the sport live so far away from one another with different types and sizes of equipment (not a bad thing, just an observation), setting courses at different lengths (and distances between pieces of equipment) and not knowing what the other is doing.

[center]Marna Kazmaier - marna@rabbitagility.com

Please visit often as this site, as well as www.theagilerat.com and www.marnasmenagerie.com, are STILL UNDER construction. Thanks for your visit!

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