Rabbit show jumping

{{Short description|Animal sport}}{{More citations needed|date=October 2025}} {{Infobox sport|name=Rabbit show jumping|image=File:Rabbit jumping over a fence at Rabbit Show Jumping.jpg|first=1970s, Sweden|equipment=Hurdles|contact=No|category=Outdoor|olympic=No|region=Worldwide|nicknames=Rabbit hopping, rabbit agility}} thumb|Rabbit jumping over a fence at a Rabbit Show Jumping Competition

'''Rabbit show jumping''' ({{Langx|sv|Kaninhoppning}}<ref>{{cite book|last=Williams|first=Victoria|title=Weird sports and wacky games around the world: from Buzkashi to Zorbing|publisher=Greenwood|location=Santa Barbara, CA|page=132|year=2015|isbn=9781610696395|lccn=2014040274|url={{Google books|lpDdBwAAQBAJ|page=132|plainurl=yes}}|access-date=1 April 2016}}</ref>), also known as '''rabbit agility'''<ref name="RSPCA" /> or '''rabbit hopping''',<ref name="AHARC" /> is an animal sport wherein domestic rabbits are led through a course by their owners,<ref name="nbc" /> modelled after horse show jumping.<ref name="topend" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Rabbit Show Jumping |url=https://newsforkids.net/articles/2019/08/22/rabbit-show-jumping/ |date=22 August 2019 |access-date=2022-08-11 |website=News For Kids |language=en-US}}</ref> It is typically conducted in a closed, indoor arena, with obstacles scaled to suit the rabbits. Competitions have been held in the United States<ref name="AHARC" /> and several European countries.<ref name="RSPCA" /> As rabbits are common domestic pets, some owners train their pet rabbits for this sport.<ref name="RSPCA">{{cite web|title=Rabbit Agility |url=https://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/rabbits/behaviour/agility|website=RSPCA - Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals|access-date=26 January 2018}}</ref>

== History == Rabbit jumping started in Sweden in the 1970s,<ref>{{cite web |title=Rabbit Agility Factsheet |url=https://www.rspca.org.uk/documents/1494939/7712578/Rabbit+Agility+Factsheet+%28PDF+183+KB%29.pdf/c4fce540-5ca8-c5c4-13d4-4ff872422d71?t=1559139037526 |publisher=RSPCA |access-date=24 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221124171539/https://www.rspca.org.uk/documents/1494939/7712578/Rabbit+Agility+Factsheet+%28PDF+183+KB%29.pdf/c4fce540-5ca8-c5c4-13d4-4ff872422d71?t=1559139037526 |archive-date=24 November 2022 |language=en-UK |format=PDF |url-status=live}}</ref> when the first rabbit club started to arrange rabbit jumping competitions.<ref name="topend">{{Cite web |title=About Kaninhop - Rabbit Show Jumping |url=https://www.topendsports.com/sport/unusual/kaninhop.htm |access-date=2022-08-11 |website=Topend Sports}}</ref>

At that time, the rules were based on the rules from horse jumping, but were later reformed to be better-suited for rabbits. The sport grew throughout Sweden and several rabbit jumping clubs were formed to support the growing interest. In the early 1990s, Norway joined in with rabbit jumping activities, developing new clubs and joining Sweden in rabbit jumping competitions.<ref name="topend" /> The {{Lang|sv|Sveriges Kaninhoppares Riksförbund}} (Swedish Federation of Rabbit Jumping) was established on September 3, 1994. Rabbit show jumping became popular in all parts of Sweden.<ref name=":1" />

The sport reached the United States in the 1980s.<ref name="nbc">{{cite news |last1=Baczewski |first1=Matt |title=Rabbit Hopping Competitions Jump in Popularity |url=https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/rabbit-hopping-competitions-jump-in-popularity/150438/ |access-date=24 November 2022 |work=NBC10 Philadelphia |date=6 April 2015}}</ref> The Rabbit Hopping Organization of America (RHOA) was founded in 2001.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |title=History of Rabbit Hopping |url=https://www.rabbithoppingsocietyofaustralia.com/history-of-rabbit-hopping.html |access-date=16 August 2022 |website=Rabbit Hopping Society of Australia |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Rabbits |url=https://www.myfarmtales.com |access-date=14 May 2023}}</ref> The rules and guidelines for rabbit hopping were established for the club with the help of the judges' committee in Denmark and with personal assistance from judge Aase Bjerner.<ref name=":3" />

The American Hopping Association for Rabbits and Cavies (AHARC) was chartered with the American Rabbit Breeders Association in 2013. The rules and guidelines for this association were moulded after RHOA and Denmark clubs. The AHARC held the very first official national competition in the United States during the 2011 ARBA Convention in Indianapolis, IN. The performance competition for rabbits during the 2013 ARBA convention in Harrisburg, PA was a Mid Atlantic Rabbit and Cavy event. AHARC had the first national performance event for cavies during the 2014 ARBA TX convention.<ref name="AHARC">{{cite web|title=American Hopping Association for Rabbits and Cavies|url=https://sites.google.com/site/americanhoppingassociation/home|website=AHARC.com|publisher=Google Sites|access-date=26 January 2018|url-access=registration}}</ref> A rabbit hopping competition was held during the 2017 North Carolina State Fair.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Stancill |first1=Jane |title=A big hit at the NC State Fair: hopping rabbits |url=https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/article179075491.html |access-date=24 November 2022 |work=The News & Observer |date=16 October 2017 |location=Raleigh |language=en-US}}</ref> The Rabbit Hopping Society of Australia was founded in 2013, also with the assistance of Aase and Rasmus Bjerner.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Sheil |first1=Donal |title=Competitive rabbit hopping aims for new heights in international competition |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-07-13/competitive-rabbit-hopping/11302844 |access-date=24 November 2022 |work=ABC News (Australia) |date=12 July 2019 |language=en-AU}}</ref>

In 2015 Freya Pocock Johansson founded Rabbit Hopping New Zealand.<ref>{{cite web |title=Home |url=https://rabbithoppingnz.wixsite.com/rabbithoppingnz |website=Rabbit Hopping NZ}}</ref>

== Record jumps == The world record for the highest rabbit jump is {{convert|107|cm|in|1|abbr=on}}, and was achieved in March 2023 by Holloway GtCh Tennessine, owned by Marie Kozubková from Czech Republic.<ref>{{Cite web |date=May 14, 2023 |title=Králičí hop - Rekordy |url=https://kralicihop.eu/rekordy/}}</ref> As of June 2019, Miss Pinky's Grand Champion Harajuku "Dobby", owned by Julia Samson from Sweden, holds the world record for longest jump, at {{convert|301|cm|ft|2|abbr=on}}, achieved in August 2017.<ref>{{cite web |title=Rekord |url=http://skhrf.se/rekord/ |website=Sveriges Kaninhoppares Riksförbund |access-date=24 November 2022 |language=sv}}</ref>

== Courses == thumb Official rabbit hopping competitions consist of a straight course, a crooked course, high jump, and long jump. In a straight course, all the obstacles are placed in a straight line and have to be jumped in succession. In a crooked course, the obstacles are placed in an interloping path in which the obstacles must be jumped in the correct order.

Straight and crooked courses are divided into 5 levels.<ref name=":1">{{cite web |url=http://skhrf.se/english/ |title = Rabbit Jumping |website=Sveriges Kaninhoppares Riksförbund |access-date=24 November 2022 |language=en}}</ref> The measurements are slightly different in different countries. *'''Mini:''' Max {{convert|26|cm|in|abbr=on}} high, {{convert|30|cm|in|abbr=on}} long (6-8 obstacles) *'''Easy:''' Max {{convert|30|cm|in|abbr=on}} high, {{convert|45|cm|in|abbr=on}} long (8 obstacles) *'''Medium:''' Max {{convert|38|cm|in|abbr=on}} high, {{convert|65|cm|in|abbr=on}} long (10 obstacles) *'''Advanced:''' Max {{convert|45|cm|in|abbr=on}} high, {{convert|75|cm|in|abbr=on}} long (10 obstacles) *'''Elite:''' Max {{convert|50|cm|in|abbr=on}} high, {{convert|80|cm|in|abbr=on}} long (12 obstacles)<ref name="topend" />

The mini-course is an introductory course. In order to progress from easy to medium, etc. a rabbit has to earn promotion points. Rabbits are placed according to the number of faults they have (such as knocking a rail down). Time only comes into play if 2 placing rabbits have tied for the same placing.

A rabbit has a set time (usually 60 minutes) to complete the course. If the time runs out before the course is completed, the rabbit is disqualified.

== Breeds == thumb|Rabbit jumping over an obstacle at Rabbit Show Jumping All breeds are allowed to compete; however, there may be problems with smaller and larger breeds. Dwarf rabbits are smaller than {{convert|2|kg}} and giants bigger than {{convert|5|kg}}.

The ideal jumping rabbit has long legs and a medium-long back, which will help it correctly judge the height and length of obstacles. In the case of slender bone structures, such as the Belgian Hare, the legs should be strong and muscular so high jumps will not hurt them. In Scandinavia, where rabbit show jumping has a strong base, most are crossbreeds, bred with good jumpers as parents, similar to the method of breeding lurchers, deliberately crossbred racing dogs. Scandinavian Jumping Rabbits can be regarded as their own breed, with well-kept pedigrees.{{Citation needed|date=August 2022}}

== See also == * Rabbit show * Rat agility * Dog agility * Cat agility * Behavioral enrichment

==References==  {{Reflist}}

==External links== {{Commons category|Rabbit show jumping}} *[http://www.skhrf.se/english/ Rabbit Hopping in Sweden] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20190204170206/http://canadianrabbithoppingclub.com/ Canadian Rabbit Hopping Club] *[https://aharc.net/home/ American Hopping Association ] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20181208045251/http://www.rjuk.moonfruit.com/ Rabbit Hopping UK] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20220914194940/http://www.kaninhop.dk/uk/ Rabbit Hopping in Denmark] *[https://www.kaninhoppere.no/ Rabbit Hopping in Norway] *[https://www.rabbithoppingsocietyofaustralia.com/ Rabbit Hopping in Australia] *[http://vancouverrabbitagilityclub.com/ Vancouver Rabbit Agility Club] *[https://rabbithoppingnz.wix.com/rabbithoppingnz Rabbit Hopping New Zealand]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rabbit Show Jumping}} Category:Animals in sport show jumping