American Rabbit Breeders' Association
Encyclopedia
The American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA) is a national club
for domestic rabbit
and cavy breeder
s. The ARBA is headquartered in Bloomington, Illinois
in the United States
. Its membership is composed of rabbit and cavy breeders throughout, fanciers, and pet owners in North America and many countries throughout the world.
The ARBA serves to promote the domestic rabbit and cavy fancy, as well as commercial rabbit production. The American Rabbit Breeders Association sets official breed standard
s for recognized rabbit breeds and cavy breeds. Every five years the ARBA publishes a detailed guide entitled Standard of Perfection. This guide is beneficial to rabbit and cavy (guinea pig
) breeders, providing a reference to those interested in understanding the conformation standard for the variety of breeds recognized by the ARBA. As of fall 2006, the ARBA recognizes 47 breeds of rabbit and 13 cavy breeds
.
throughout the year, all over the USA and Canada. These shows, sponsored by local clubs, fairs, and show circuits, give rabbit and cavy fanciers the chance to have their animals examined by educated judges and compared to other breeders' animals and the standard. The ARBA holds a large national convention show once a year, which draws in fanciers from across the country and around the world. The 2005 ARBA convention was documented in the film Rabbit Fever
. The 2006 ARBA Convention was held in Ft. Worth, Texas, the 2007 ARBA Convention was held in Grand Rapids, Michigan
, 2008 in Louisville, Kentucky
, 2009 in San Diego, California
, 2010 in Minneapolis, Minnesota
, and 2011 in Indianapolis, Indiana
.
participants to fanciers, pet owners to commercial producers. The ARBA also produces educational materials such as a guide book, 'Raising Better Rabbits & Cavies', a poster with photographs of the recognized breeds of rabbits and cavies, and rabbit registrar and judge training materials. The judges education program is an ongoing program for established judges.
houses the world's largest single repository of books and writings on domestic rabbits. There are over 10,000 items/pieces, which are housed in the collection, and it continues to constantly grow. The next largest collection of similar note; is located in Maryland at the United States National Agricultural Library which houses just over 1,300 pieces. The British National Library, London also has an extensive collection.
The Library is an archival library and not a lending library. Access to the Library for research by members is available by appointment only.
Club
A club is an association of two or more people united by a common interest or goal. A service club, for example, exists for voluntary or charitable activities; there are clubs devoted to hobbies and sports, social activities clubs, political and religious clubs, and so forth.- History...
for domestic rabbit
Domestic rabbit
A domestic rabbit, or more commonly known as simply the rabbit, is any of the several varieties of European rabbit that have been domesticated....
and cavy breeder
Breeder
A breeder is a person who practices the vocation of mating carefully selected specimens of the same breed to reproduce specific, consistently replicable qualities and characteristics....
s. The ARBA is headquartered in Bloomington, Illinois
Bloomington, Illinois
Bloomington is a city in McLean County, Illinois, United States and the county seat. It is adjacent to Normal, Illinois, and is the more populous of the two principal municipalities of the Bloomington-Normal metropolitan area...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Its membership is composed of rabbit and cavy breeders throughout, fanciers, and pet owners in North America and many countries throughout the world.
The ARBA serves to promote the domestic rabbit and cavy fancy, as well as commercial rabbit production. The American Rabbit Breeders Association sets official breed standard
Breed standard
A breed standard in animal fancy and animal husbandry is a set of guidelines which is used to ensure that the animals produced by a breeder or breeding facility conform to the specifics of the breed....
s for recognized rabbit breeds and cavy breeds. Every five years the ARBA publishes a detailed guide entitled Standard of Perfection. This guide is beneficial to rabbit and cavy (guinea pig
Guinea pig
The guinea pig , also called the cavy, is a species of rodent belonging to the family Caviidae and the genus Cavia. Despite their common name, these animals are not in the pig family, nor are they from Guinea...
) breeders, providing a reference to those interested in understanding the conformation standard for the variety of breeds recognized by the ARBA. As of fall 2006, the ARBA recognizes 47 breeds of rabbit and 13 cavy breeds
Domestic varieties of guinea pigs
There are many breeds of Guinea pig which have been developed since its domestication ca. 5000 BC. Breeds vary widely in appearance and purpose, ranging from show breeds with long, flowing hair to those in use as model organisms by science. From ca...
.
Rabbit shows
The ARBA sanctions rabbit showsShow (animal)
A show is a judged event or display in the hobby of animal fancy or in the occupation of animal husbandry.Shows usually feature the best specimens of purebred animals in a locality or country...
throughout the year, all over the USA and Canada. These shows, sponsored by local clubs, fairs, and show circuits, give rabbit and cavy fanciers the chance to have their animals examined by educated judges and compared to other breeders' animals and the standard. The ARBA holds a large national convention show once a year, which draws in fanciers from across the country and around the world. The 2005 ARBA convention was documented in the film Rabbit Fever
Rabbit Fever (2009 film)
Rabbit Fever is a 2009 feature-length documentary film directed by Amy Do, about the competition at the 2005 National Convention of the American Rabbit Breeders' Association , the largest assemblage of rabbits in the world....
. The 2006 ARBA Convention was held in Ft. Worth, Texas, the 2007 ARBA Convention was held in Grand Rapids, Michigan
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Grand Rapids is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The city is located on the Grand River about 40 miles east of Lake Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 188,040. In 2010, the Grand Rapids metropolitan area had a population of 774,160 and a combined statistical area, Grand...
, 2008 in Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
, 2009 in San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
, 2010 in Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...
, and 2011 in Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
.
Rabbit raising education
This organization helps all levels of rabbit keepers and breeders, including 4-H4-H
4-H in the United States is a youth organization administered by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture of the United States Department of Agriculture , with the mission of "engaging youth to reach their fullest potential while advancing the field of youth development." The name represents...
participants to fanciers, pet owners to commercial producers. The ARBA also produces educational materials such as a guide book, 'Raising Better Rabbits & Cavies', a poster with photographs of the recognized breeds of rabbits and cavies, and rabbit registrar and judge training materials. The judges education program is an ongoing program for established judges.
Unified judging and registration system
The ARBA has a standardized judging system in which Rabbits are judged against the respective breed standard published in the Standard of Perfection. It is a book detailing all of the recognized breeds in the United States and their attributes. The Association has licensed Judges since the early 1900s who may Judge at sanctioned shows and fairs. The registration system maintains records on all rabbits which past a registration examination to ensure animal are healthy and meet the ARBA Standard for the rabbit's breed. ARBA licensed registrars conduct the examination. Registrations are ranked Red; White; or Red, White, and Blue to distinguish how many ancestors of the subject rabbit have been previously registered.ARBA Library and Hall of Fame
The ARBA Library, located at the headquarters in Bloomington, IllinoisIllinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
houses the world's largest single repository of books and writings on domestic rabbits. There are over 10,000 items/pieces, which are housed in the collection, and it continues to constantly grow. The next largest collection of similar note; is located in Maryland at the United States National Agricultural Library which houses just over 1,300 pieces. The British National Library, London also has an extensive collection.
The Library is an archival library and not a lending library. Access to the Library for research by members is available by appointment only.