English Angora Breed Standard
ENGLISH ANGORA BREED STANDARD
Weights:
Sr Bucks 5-7lbs
Sr Does 5-7.5lbs
Jr Bucks 2.75-5.5lbs
Jr Does 2.75-6lbs
Summary of points in order of importance:
25 - wool density
20 - wool texture
15 - body
12 - length of wool
5 - general condition
5 - head
5 - ears
5 - feet and legs
5 - color
2 - eyes
1 - tail
GENERAL TYPE
(Total of 33 points out of 100)
BODY - 15 POINTS
The body is to be short-coupled and compact, with a full chest and full round shoulders, to balance with the hips. Hips should be of good width, with only a very slight taper to the shoulders. Shoulders are to be of good depth. Top line should rise from behind the ears to a high point over the hips, then round down to the base of the tail. Flesh is to be firm. The animal should resemble a round ball of fluff when properly posed.
Faults: Long, rangy, or narrow body.
HEAD - 5 POINTS
The head is to be short, broad, and balanced with the body. It is to be close set to the body, with dense bangs and side trimmings. The head is to be wide and flat across the nostrils.
Faults: Long, narrow head, sparseness of bangs or side trimmings.
DQ: Complete absence of bangs or side trimmings.
EARS - 5 POINTS
Ears are to be relatively short, abundantly fringed, and tasseled. They are to be carried in a close "V" shape. Ears are to balance with the head and body.
Faults: Wide "V" shaped, spread ears, sparseness of fringes and tassels.
DQ: Complete absence of ear fringes or tassels.
EYES - 2 POINTS
The eyes are to be bold and bright.
FEET AND LEGS - 5 POINTS
Legs are to be medium fine in bone, and in proportion to size of the body. They are to be well covered with good quality wool, free from mats, extending well out to the extreme end of the toes. Back feet are to have a good fringe of wool. Toenails on colored and pointed white animals are to be colored and to match on the same foot and corresponding foot. Toenails on white animals are to be white.
DQ: Normal fur on either front or hind feet. Unmatched toenails on same foot or corresponding foot.
TAIL - 1 POINT
The tail is to be straight and well covered with wool, with length in proportion to size of the body.
WOOL
(Total of 57 points out of 100)
DENSITY - 25 POINTS
The greatest density possible is desired. Density is to be even all over the animal, including the back and belly. Density should be determined by feeling several places on the body: sides, rump, and chest, as well as blowing into the wool. The wool should separate all the way to the skin. Neither length of wool, nor webbed, matted, or felted wool, should be mistaken for density.
Faults: Wool that is lacking density, bare spots.
TEXTURE - 20 POINTS
The wool is to have a silky texture and should be alive, healthy, and fall free - not parting over the back displaying a "flat" appearance. Guard hairs are to be evident in separating and protecting the underwool. Underwool should be crimped.
Faults: Wool that is too soft or cottony. Wool that is hair like. Wool that parts over the back displaying a flat appearance.
DQ: Wool that is excessively coarse. Predominantly guard hair or wide diamater of guard hair and/or underwool.
Note: A junior may exhibit a softer coat than a senior, but should have guard hairs evident.
LENGTH - 12 POINTS
Length of wool is to be balanced over the entire body. Gradually blended length variation from the back and sides to the belly is permissible. Ideal length is 3.5 to 5 inches. Wool exceeding 5 inches in length is NOT to be given any advantage. Wool should not be so long as to spoil the English type appearance of a round ball of fluff. Evenness of growth of wool is desired - remembering that a gradual decrease in length will appear when looking at the underside of the animal.
Fault: Wool not balanced in length.
General Wool Faults: Webbed, matted, felted, lifeless, listless, soft, or packing.
DQ: Wool less than 2 inches.
COLOR
(Total of 5 points out of 100)
See the list of Recognized Angora Colors for descriptions.
The recognized colors are: Pointed White (Black, Blue, Chocolate, and Lilac), Blue Eyed White, Ruby Eyed White, Steel (Black, Blue, Chocolate, and Lilac), Agouti (Black, Blue, Chocolate, and Lilac), Copper, Chinchilla (Black, Blue, Chocolate, and Lilac), Red, Fawn, Cream, Self (Black, Blue, Chocolate, and Lilac), Pearl (Black, Blue, Chocolate, and Lilac), Sable Pearl, Smoke Pearl, Sable, Seal, and Tort (Black, Blue, Chocolate, and Lilac).
Faults: Uneven color, washed out, faded, or shallow color. Color not carried down to the skin (except in colors allowing white undercolor). Stained coat. Eyes that are pale in color.
DQ: Any color not in the list of Recognized Angora Colors. Eye color other than listed.
CONDITION
(Total of 5 points out of 100)
(see below)
ARBA CONDITION STANDARD
All animals are to have a definite appearance of health and vigor. They are to be bold and bright of eye. All animals are to have a good coat, firmly set in the pelt. They are to be firm in flesh covering, neither too fat, with soft, flabby flesh, not too thin in flesh, creating a body effect when examined. Flesh is to be deep and even over the entire body.
ARBA GENERAL FAULTS (ALL BREEDS)
Specimen that are in molt or otherwise out of condition (but not diseased). Hutch stains. Stray white hairs in colored fur. Poor tail carriage that is not permanently set to either side. Poor ear carriage. Poor eye color. Flabby or overly fat. Thin and extremely poor flesh condition.
ARBA DISQUALIFICATIONS FROM COMPETITION (ALL BREEDS)
Some of the following are considered judgmental in nature, and as such, are not subject to protest. These Disqualifications from Competition will be indicated by an asterisk (*). Note: All general faults and disqualifications from competition apply to each breed's standard, unless specifically exempted.
AILMENTS
ABNORMAL EYE DISCHARGE (*)
Must be noticeable and pronounced.
COLDS (*)
The animal must show a white purulent nasal discharge. A wetness around the nostrils or roughened fur on the inside of the foreleg is not sufficient evidence of a cold.
GENERAL (*)
Ear canker, slobbers, potbelly, vent disease, or abscesses. Many condition, with flakes resembling dandruff or scale on the skin, or at the base of the fur. Infestation by mites, fleas, or lice.
RUPTURE OR HERNIA (*)
Protrusion of abdominal viscera through the muscle in the abdominal cavity and collecting between the skin and muscle.
TUMOR OR ABNORMAL SWELLING (*)
A swollen or distended mass forming a lump.
GENERAL
ABNORMALITIES (*)
Any deviation from the normally accepted condition of the body structure. Indications of ill health, or other departures from generally accepted healthy condition.
GENITALIA
Split penis. Neutered animals.
OVERWEIGHT OR UNDERWEIGHT
Not within the minimum and maximum weight limits specified in the breed standard. The minimum junior weight will be at least 1⁄2 of the lowest top junior weight for the breed. If the breed does not have a top junior weight limit, the minimum junior weight will be 1⁄2 of the bottom senior weight for the breed.
PERMANENT EAR MARK (*)
Illegible tattoo, or tattoo not in the left ear. Tattoo obliterated by tattoo ink so as to be unreadable.
TESTICLES
All male animals, in the regular showroom classes, must show two normally descended testicles at the time of judging. Juniors and Pre-Juniors are exempted. Juniors and Pre-Juniors must show both or neither testicle. Those showing only one at time of judging are to be disqualified from Competition.
WRONG SEX, BREED, GROUP, OR VARIETY
Disqualification from competition suspends the rabbit from competing in fur and wool classes and changes the number in the class.
STRUCTURAL
BLINDNESS IN ONE OR BOTH EYES (*)
Usually indicated by a filming of the cornea, and obstructing the pupil.
CATARACT
Opaque or white lens in either or both eyes.
CONJUNCTIVITIS
An inflammation of the inner membrane of the eyelid and sometimes the portion of the membrane that covers the white of the eye.
CROOKED LEGS (*)
Bent, Bowed, or deformed legs, or cow hocks, if severe.
DEVIATED OR HOOKED SPINE
A deviation in the spine (vertebrae of the neck and back) whereby the normal alignment of the bones is replaced by deformed, misshapen, or misaligned vertebrae. The condition can often be detected by gentle palpation of the vertebrae along the top line of the rabbit (usually detected in the shoulder area).
DEWLAP (*)
Disqualify when noted in the breed standard.
EARS (*)
Ears carried below horizontal in regular eared breeds. Ears naturally carried above horizontal in lop eared breeds. Ears extending horizontally are guilty of poor ear carriage and should be faulted.
MALOCCLUSION
Buck or wolf teeth, which have the lower incisors extending in front of the upper incisors, sometimes curving to the sides, and usually long.
MARBLING
A mottling of eye color. Having two or more distinct pigment colors in the iris of the eye. Marbled eye color is acceptable ONLY in breeds/varieties when specified in the individual breed/variety description.
OFF COLORED EYES
Eyes other than called for in the breed standard.
PIGEON BREAST
A narrow chest with a prominent V protruding breastbone.
SIMPLE MALOCCLUSION/BUTTING TEETH/PEGGED TEETH (*)
When teeth meet head on, with no overlap of upper teeth over the lower teeth. Top incisor teeth must overlap the bottom incisor teeth to be acceptable.
SORE HOCKS (*)
The foot portion showing infection or bleeding, not merely bare.
SPOTS OR SPECKS ON EYE
Spots or specks in the iris or on the cornea.
TAIL (*)
Permanently set to either side or permanently out of line. The tail is to be considered as an on-line extension of the spine. Screw tail or bobtail. A portion missing, so as to be conspicuously out of proportion. A tail that is hard and brittle due to the loss of circulation is not a disqualification unless broken and out of alignment.
TEETH (*)
Missing or broken tooth or teeth. The normal bite of the rabbit’s teeth has the upper incisors overlapping the bottom incisors.
TOENAILS (*)
Missing toenail(s), including dewclaw. Toenail too short to determine coloration. A portion of the toenail missing, but allowing the determination of the pigmentation is acceptable. Unmatched toenail(s) on the same foot or corresponding foot, including the dewclaw. Toenails lighter than called for in the breed standard shall be considered a fault. White toenail(s) disqualify in all colored breeds and varieties, including Himalayans, Californians and Pointed Whites. Colored toenail(s) disqualify in white or marked breeds and varieties in combination with white, unless specifically exempted in the breed standard.
TORN EARS OR EARS WITH PORTION MISSING (*)
Must noticeably detract from the general appearance of the animal.
WALL EYE
Sometimes called moon eye. An eye with a whitish colored cornea, giving a milky appearance to the eye(s).
UNMATCHED EYES
Two eyes not of the same color.
COLOR
AGOUTI PATTERN
Lack of ring definition on Agouti Patterned animals. Allowances should be made for pre-juniors, juniors, and animals in heavy molt.
ALTERING APPEARANCE (*)
Any dying, plucking, trimming, or clipping so as to alter appearance. Coloring toenails. Any faking, including powdering and indiscriminate use of grooming preparations designed to alter the natural condition or appearance.
NOTE: Disqualification of any animal for altering of appearance may result in the disqualification of the exhibitor’s entire entry under ARBA Show Rules.
BROKEN COLOR (*)
Brokens with less than 10% coloration, in the judge’s opinion.
POINT COLOR
Californian, Himalayan, and Pointed White animals will often exhibit a dark sepia coloration, which appears almost black. This is normal, and rabbits should not be disqualified for the dark sepia, or for molting, frosting, or dilution, which makes the color indistinct. The darker the color, and the closer the color approach pure black, the more desirable it becomes.
SHADED VARIETIES
Complete lack of discernible shading on any Shaded animal.
SMUT
Smut on the usable portion of the pelt in Pointed White, Californian, or Himalayan marked breeds and varieties.
SPOTS (*)
Foreign colored spots in any animal. White spots in a colored animal. Colored spots in a white animal. All apply unless specifically exempted in the breed standard.
TAN PATTERN
Any Tan Pattern marking appearing in the marking pattern of Pointed White, Himalayan, or Californian marked breeds or varieties.
WHITE HAIR (*)
Excessive white hairs in colored section.
WRONG UNDERCOLOR
Color other than called for in the breed or variety standard. Shade variations are acceptable, but considered a fault.
UNWORTHY OF AN AWARD (*)
Any animal that has any deviation from the standard to such a degree that it is non representative of that breed’s requirements, shall not be placed and a notation shall be made by the judge, “Unworthy of An Award.” It shall be either worthy of a first place with only one in the class, or not placed with the above remark. It is possible that more than one rabbit competing in the same class may be determined to be “Unworthy of an Award.” The number in a class must be reduced for any animals excused for this reason. Judges may deem Unworthy of An Award any animal they feel is an obviously older animal shown down in a younger age classification.
REGISTRATION
If in a registrar’s opinion, the Animal should be “Unworthy of Registration,” it would not be eligible for registration. Animals applying for registration must meet all senior breed requirements. Animal must be at least six months old to register. For registration purposes, senior weight requirements shall apply to all breeds.
CHANGES IN THE NUMBER OF ANIMALS IN A CLASS
Any animal Disqualified from Competition for wrong sex, breed, group, variety, or deemed Unworthy of An Award must be subtracted from the official number shown in the class. All listed disqualifications render that animal ineligible for competition in any other recognized class.
VICIOUS ANIMAL (*)
Any animal exhibiting vicious or uncontrollable aggression, which endangers the safety of the judge, may be excused from the class. If at any time during judging, the animal becomes vicious or uncontrollable, it can be dismissed from the table and retain any placing previously awarded, but it will not be considered for further awards.