Angora Rabbit Breeds

(This article is under construction. Published in it's early state to provide a quick reference guide.)

While there are a number of different angora rabbit breeds around the world, here in North America we have 5 distinct breeds of angora rabbits: German Angora, English Angora, French Angora, Giant Angora, and Satin Angora. Note that while there are other breeds which do produce a fuzzy or wool coat, those breeds are not classified as part of the angora family of breeds. Only breeds created and maintained specifically for fiber production are. While traditionally every ARBA recognized breed has it's own parent breed club, all of the ARBA recognized angora breeds are governed by a single parent club, the National Angora Rabbit Breeders Association or NARBA for short.  

GERMAN ANGORA

Photo credit: Bangor Daily News photo by Ardena Hamlin, previously published in the Weekly, shared from the IAGARB blog

Mature size: 5.5 - 12lbs

Distinguishing features: elongated body type, face furnishings and ear tassels

Recognized colors: IAGARB - multiple colors; DRCBA - REW only

Recognized patterns: solid only

Recognized by: IAGARB, DRCBA

In the early 1980s, angora breeders in Canada and US imported several commercial production angoras from Germany and later other parts of Europe. These animals were not of a single breed but shared the qualities of being bred specifically for high yield commercial wool production. These rabbits became the basis of what was presented in 1985 by Louise Walsh from Massachusetts to ARBA as a new breed called the Commercial Angora - German Type. Ultimately this new breed was denied recognition as it too closely resembled the already recognized Egnlish Angora. In 1987 the International Association of German Angora Rabbit Breeders or IAGARB was created in order to promote and protect this original strain which became known in North America as the German Angora breed. Louise Walsh went on to intermix her stock with other breeds to ultimately create the Giant Angora. A breed distinct enough that it was recognized by the ARBA. 

IAGARB not only protected this new breed but along with it the original German system by which these animals were judged. A system credited for being responsible in creating such an efficient and high performing animal in the first place. As part of their evaluation process, the German Angoras are shaved, and are judged based on the amount of wool they grow back in a set amount of time. A true performance based way to judge the animals.

The German Angoras are still well known for being the ultimate wool producing machine and prized by many fiber artists. Because in commercial settings, shearing is much faster than plucking, these rabbits were bred to have coats which would perform ideally for that purpose. They were bred specifically to grow and hold a coat of uniform length to match a set commercial shearing cycle. Some people refer to these rabbits as non-moulting, but that is incorrect and inaccurate. A properly bred German Angora should go through it's natural shedding cycle (aka moulting) in synchrony with it's shearing cycle. That is right after it's scheduled shearing. This makes the moulting unnoticeable, unless the animal is left unsheared. 

Even the bodies of  German Angoras have been selectively bred to be of a shape that makes it easier to quickly shear the animal. They are more tubular, rounded, and flatter in over all body shape compared to the North American Angora breeds which tend to have a pronounced arch. 

While the German Angoras are not recognized as a breed by ARBA, they are recognized by the Canadian Dominion Club and can be shown in the Dominion club rabbit shows. This breed has also been bred into the other Angora breeds and is still used by some to create wool producing mixed breeds. 

You will find a lot of information about this breed including their breed standard on the IAGARB website. 

ENGLISH ANGORA

Electric Uncle Buck

Mature size: 5 - 7.5lbs

Distinguishing features: Compact body type, abundant facial furnishings, the entire animal should be covered in a thick wool coat including belly, legs and feet. 

Recognized colors: REW (Ruby Eyed White), BEW (Blue Eyed White), Pointed (aka Himalayan) in Black/Blue/Chocolate/Lilac, Self in Black/Blue/Chocolate/Lilac, Tort in Black/Blue/Chocolate/Lilac, Agouti in Black/Blue/Chocolate/Lilac, Copper, Chinchilla in Black/Blue/Chocolate/Lilac, Pearl in Sable/Black/Blue/Chocolate/Lilac, Smoke Pearl, Sable, Seal, Red, Fawn, Cream.

Recognized patterns: ARBA - solid only, DRCBA - solid and broken

Recognized by: ARBA, DRCBA

The English Angora is the smallest of the Angora breeds in body only. They can grow massive coats making it appear as if the animal is much bigger than it actually is. They are the only Angora breed almost entirely covered in wool. While all Angoras have wool on their bodies, the English also have it on their entire legs and feet, and are required to have prominent wool furnishings on their cheeks, forehead, and ears. Their coats should be silky soft with delicate guard hairs. Their bodies are to be of compact type, same as the Mini Rex or Florida White rabbits. 

FRENCH ANGORA

Electric Tatiana

Mature size: 7.5 - 10.5lbs

Distinguishing features: Commercial body type, wool coat only on the body of the animal

Recognized colors: same as English Angora

Recognized patterns: solid and broken

Recognized by: ARBA, DRCBA

They are considered a dual purpose rabbit (wool and meat) and should have a well muscled commercial type body similar to the Californian and New Zealand rabbits. 

GIANT ANGORA

Photo Credit: NARBC Giant Angoras

Mature size: Minimum 9.5lbs

Distinguishing features: Commercial body type, prominent ear tassels, some facial furnishings, 3 distinct fiber types

Recognized colors: REW and Chestnut

Recognized patterns: solid only

Recognized by: ARBA, DRCBA (REW only)

Breeder Louis Walsh of Evergreen Farm in Massachusetts, a long time angora and fiber enthusiast is credited with the creation and acceptance into ARBA of the Giant Angora breed. Louise originally attempted to introduce to ARBA what we know now as the German Angora (read their section above for more details). ARBA denied the new proposed breed for too closely resembling the already recognized English Angora. Louise used these animals as the basis for creating a unique enough Angora breed and The Giant Angora was officially recognized by ARBA in 1988. As the purpose of this breed was to create an animal specifically for commercial wool production, only white (REW) animals were recognized as white wool can be mill dyed to reliably produce the exact same color of product, an important quality for commercial production. Louise used French Lops and Flemish Giant rabbits in order to create the Giant Angora. This resulted in the presence of colored "pure" Giant Angoras in the gene pool. They were simply unable to be shown due to their colors being unrecognized according to the accepted breed standard. 

Over the years, there were several failed COD presentations to officially recognized Black Giant Angoras. Chestnut Giant Angoras were first presented by Tammy Vaughn, Kevin Vaughn, and Karen McTeague in 2022. They passed their 2nd presentation and received official ARBA recognition in 2023. 

Giant Angoras are considered a dual purpose rabbit (wool and meat) and should have a well muscled commercial type body similar to New Zealand rabbits. They are the only angora breed to fall under the 6 class designation, meaning the breed is shown in 6 showroom classes: junior bucks, junior does, intermediate bucks, intermediate does, senior bucks, and senior does. They are also the only angora breed that must display 3 unique fiber types within their coat: underwool, awn fluff, and awn hair (guard hair). Awn fluff is the unique fiber type of this breed. It is described as being a stronger, and more wavy wool fiber when compared to the underwool, while also having a guard hair like tip. 

SATIN ANGORA

Electric Argentina

Mature size: 6.5 - 9.5lbs

Distinguishing features: Commercial body type, wool coat only on the body of the animal, has the Satin gene causing the entire coat to be satinized (extremely shiny and sparkly)

Recognized colors: same as English Angora

Recognized patterns: solid and broken 

Recognized by: ARBA, DRCBA

The Satin Angora has the softest and most delicate of the Angora coats but produce the least wool. It is also the only Angora breed with a satinized coat, the product of a gene which causes the hair shaft to be hollow and therefore refract light as it passes through each hair. The Satin Angora coats aren't just extra shiny, they should have a sparkling metallic effect. They are considered a dual purpose rabbit (wool and meat) and should have a well muscled commercial type body similar to the Californian and New Zealand rabbits. 

Satin Angoras are another relatively new breed and were originally created by a Canadian breeder in the 1980s.