Does that mean it is handicapped?
No, your rabbit is definitely NOT handicapped if he or she has won a leg. On the contrary, your rabbit turned out better looking than a bunch of other rabbits! A "leg" is the first step to getting your rabbit a Grand Championship through the American Rabbit Breeders Association, otherwise known as ARBA. Basically it is the first "leg" in his/her journey to being a coveted Champion! A leg is basically like getting a ribbon, trophy or prize for winning! Winning a leg has absolutely NOTHING to do with 4-H. You will only win a leg if you go to a breeder show and win. You do NOT have to go to a breeder show if you do not want to. It is simply for fun and competition. In order to win a leg you must first go to a show, but not everyone who shows wins legs for their rabbits. There are groups of each different color and breed of rabbit, and in order to win a leg there need to be at least 5 rabbits and 3 different exhibitors in each color/variety and/or breed. If you have 5 rabbits and 2 exhibitors in a breed then there is no leg to be won, if there are 4 rabbits and 3 exhibitors then there is still no leg. You can win a leg if there are more than the minimum amount of rabbits/exhibitors, but 5 rabbits and 3 exhibitors is the absolute minimum. Legs are very important to anyone who wants to be known as a reputable breeder. It means that you can win, it means that you are dedicated and will show the rabbits, it means that you are willing to work to put your name out there. Through ARBA (the American Rabbit Breeders Association) there is a Grand Champion system. Each individual rabbit must win at least 3 legs in order to be a Grand Champion. They also must have a full pedigree (a family tree extending to the Great-Grandparents) and must be registered through ARBA. As you can see, there are lots of requirements, but winning is even nicer when you take a homebred (rabbit born in your rabbitry and raised by you) and win a leg! It's the best feeling in the world! All that hard work finally pays off and you win with the bunnies you have been watching and helping since day 1. I can't explain what this is like either than it's a wonderful thing and I love it! Seeing those little juniors hit the tables and get the best comments all day... yeah, that's amazing and wonderful. It's like "YES! I'm getting somewhere!!!" So next time your staring at your bunny wondering what he/she is made of.. Take them to a show! They might just surprise you. Oh, and don't forget to say Hello to me while you're at it! So when looking for a show animal, or even a pet or breeding animal; look around for someone who you see that their animals have multiple legs or wins! You know they are quality and reputable breeders and you know that they most likely know that they are doing, knows a show quality versus pet quality animal and will be honest about its quality. 'Back yard breeders' don't know the difference between qualities most of the time, so they overprice their rabbits and don't properly advertise their quality. PLUS they won't win as shows because of their quality. You will get the odd one win, but if you want a show animal that will do well, go to a breeder that you can see wins often! :) (courtesy of Mary Grace McNiel with revision by myself)
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