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While visiting an auction with her husband Steve, Stacy Hyatt fell in love with a little, tan bunny. For $2.50, the couple became first-time rabbit owners.
“I was amazed at the fact that it had a personality,” Stacy said. “I thought a bunny was a cute little quiet thing that just sat there. This one actually played with our dog; it knew its name; it came to us when we wanted it.”
She thought the bunny needed a companion, so she and Steve looked for one, this time with floppy ears. They found and quickly became friends with a Holland Lop breeder, who suggested showing their new, purebred pet. After her Holland Lop placed at a show in Opelousas, Stacy saw the fun and camaraderie that came with having rabbits.
“I had never been so excited for a little bunny in my life,” she recalled. “It was a hoot.”
About 10 years ago, the couple joined the Louisiana Rabbit Breeders Association, and this year Steve is president. The organization hosts the Cajun Classic rabbit show Memorial Day weekend to remember deceased competitors. Stacy is superintendent for the event, which also includes a cavy, or Guinea pig, show. Steve said the small critters’ recent popularity influenced the LRBA’s decision to educate people and demonstrate different breeds.
The LRBA works with local youth organizations, such as 4-H, and has a division for competitors under 18 to present their animals. At the Cajun Classic, youth learn rabbit care, showmanship and breed identification.
Before owning one, “I knew nothing about rabbits other than the unfortunate fact that I hunted them,” Steve said. “I can’t do that to my little bunnies I have now, for sure.”
Along with Dwarf Hotots, the Hyatts raise Palominos – a rare breed Stacy favors for their curious, lively nature – and Steve’s preference, Holland and French Lops.
“They’re so docile and just a sweet, gentle rabbit,” he said. “They’re kind of like a
basset hound. … They don’t move around; they just want to be held.”
The LRBA’s parent club, the American Rabbit Breeders Association, has established standards for each breed. For example, a Holland Lop must have a large, round head and ‘spoon-shaped’ ears, while Palominos should be muscular and smooth. The former is classified as solid (one color) or broken (white with another color), and the latter comes in golden or beige, known as lynx.
Of the 48 rabbit breeds the ARBA recognizes, about half are sanctioned for the Cajun Classic. Steve said this is because event organizers know which breeds are typically shown in Louisiana and which can be expected at this show. Judges from around the country review the animals, and each rabbit or cavy deemed the best of its breed competes for best in show.
The Hyatts’ rabbits hold many titles, including best of breed, runner-up and best in show. They have also won best opposite, awarded to a rabbit of the opposite sex from the best of breed.
“It’s really nice when your rabbit wins if it’s a rabbit that you bought; that’s really cool,” Stacy said. “But if it’s a rabbit that you’ve made, that you’ve bred yourself, that is a total different feeling. … Everybody loves a homegrown win.”
ARBA members may register their rabbits or cavies for $6, provided the animals are pedigreed and have three show titles, but anyone can enter the show. Early entries are $3, while same-day entries are $4. Vendors offer concessions, crafts and pet supplies, and rabbits are available for sale and public viewing. The event also includes a raffle and an art contest.
Through the LRBA, the Hyatts have gotten “a lot of good advice on how to raise rabbits and taking care of rabbits,” said Steve. “It’s just a real good organization (with) a lot of people that you can network with that have been doing this for many more years than I’ve been alive.”
Stacy even credits rabbits with improving her and Steve’s marriage.
“Not that it was terrible, but before we showed rabbits my husband and I did not have a hobby that we did together,” she explained. “Now, we do. We travel around together, and we’ve met the most wonderful people.”
When their exchange student was stranded in Houston after losing her passport, Stacy
knew just who to call. Friends she had made through showing rabbits picked the student up and gave her a place to stay until the Hyatts arrived.
The Hyatts have come a long way since that first rabbit – their stock is now 40-strong. They sell some but focus mainly on the show ring.
“We try to work on the breed, develop it and come as close to the standards of perfection that ARBA’s set,” said Steve. “That’s the whole idea of showing the rabbits and being a part of this: to make a better animal.”
The Cajun Classic begins at 7 p.m. May 23 at the Evergreen Cajun Center in Houma and continues May 24, starting at 8 a.m. For more information, visit louisianarba.net or call 318-641-6778.
Judge Mary Jo Terry of Texas and youth exhibitor Chase Herman of Alabama pose with his Holland Lops, which won best of breed and best opposite.
