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Bunny breeders from across the state will hop into Moonbi tomorrow for the 4th Country NSW Rabbit Club Show.
And if you thought rabbits were the sole domain of kids and cartoons, think again.
The show circuit is fiercely competitive, with the rarer breeds selling for up to $1000 a pop.
Competition is split into four categories – fancy, lops, fur and rex – and rabbits are judged on type, colour, size and coat.
Club president and Westdale resident Louise Frey said while it was still a boutique industry, rabbit breeding was fast moving into the mainstream.
“Because we can’t import rabbits into Australia, we work on a very small gene pool and it’s a real science crossing some breeds with others,” Ms Frey said.
Among her collection are a number of the Deilenaar breed, the only ones thought to exist in Australia.
She said despite popular belief, rabbits could be both intelligent and affectionate.
“Every breed has a different personality, just like dogs,” Ms Frey said.
“Some are quite smart and they learn to escape or to get into the fridge and raid the veggie crisper.
“They’re also great lawnmowers, are very affectionate, eco-friendly and very low maintenance.”
Hopping clubs in Europe and the US even had competitive jumping races, she said, with some breeds able to jump higher than a metre-and-a-half.
Tomorrow’s show will be held from 10am to 2pm at Moonbi Hall and it is open to the public at no cost.