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Meatball Monday
With Easter around the corner, here’s a new twist to the “Easter Bunny” for those so inclined to enjoy the day’s event’s.
This week’s Meatball Monday is new to our liking and I can’t say that I have even competed in such a competition, nor would I try.
It is modeled or the idea evolves from horse show jumping – but this involved rabbit show jumping or Kaninhop.
It is a competition that involves bunnies bouncing their way around courses consisting of several small jumps of different heights, sizes and designs.
Most competitions are held around European countries and with a Swedish background, it’s ironic that it was discovered in Sweden during the 1980s.
It was a rabbit club (never heard of such a thing) started to arrange a rabbit jumping competition and the first ever National Championship was in held 1987 in Stockholm.
Following the (apparent) success of this competition, other areas in Europe started forming rabbit jumping clubs.
In the 1990s, Norway joined the bob-tailed activities and competition, and developed new clubs.
September 3rd, 1994 the Swedish Federation of Rabbit Jumping was established and still runs to this day.
In 2001, the Rabbit Hopping Organization of America was held with guidance and judges that came from Denmark. They followed the same rules and regulations for rabbit hopping from Europe.
The first ever American Hopping Association for Rabbits and Cavies held the very first national competition in the US by 2011 together with the American Rabbit Breeders association. It was held in ARBA Convention in Indianapolis.
Australia started The Rabbit Hopping Society of Australia in 2013 with the help of Rasmus Bjerner, a judge from Denmark who helped the Rabbit Hopping Organization of America in 2001.
Sounds strange but this sport has specified requirements so as to attend and compete.
They are quite simple if you think of it and include agility, courage and determination.
Breeders train their bunnies eight weeks before the show-jumping competition by walking them on a harness and encourage them by talking to them the entire training and during events.
These rabbits must first take part in four different rounds that includes different types of barricades, rails, jumps while these bob-tailed competitors are attached to a lead.
Other courses also include a crooked course, straight course, a long-jump and high-jump challenge. These are divided into 5 levels – 20 cm *mini* — 28 cm *easy* — 35 cm *medium* — 45 cm *difficult* and 50 cm *elite*.
All rabbit breeds are allowed to compete but competing with small or large breeds can cause problems for the event.
They include if rabbits that are less than 2 kg like (Polish and Netherland Dwarfs) have difficulties jumping due to their size.
Large rabbits (Flemish Giant and French Lop) will have injuries after landing from their jump in high obstacles because of their weight.
For your rabbit to be perfect to the competition it must have long legs and a long back so it would help over long obstacles, also, should be strong and muscular so their high jumps will not hurt them.
The world record is 99.5 cm while the best distance is 3 meters.
Although this competition has already become such a popular event, animal rights activists have disapproved of the use of leashes in Kaninhop competitions.
