leadership - 4-H Ontario

in Region 4 and features numerous
opportunities to demonstrate 4-H
skills including: rabbit jeopardy,
rabbit quizzes, rabbit showing, rabbit
hopping, judging and project board
competitions. Fifty-five Members from
various Clubs across the province
came together to participate in this
exciting daylong event.
To prepare for Haldimand Rabbit Day,
Bennett and his Showing and Hopping
Club practiced every week for over
three months and competed at the
Rockton, Caledonia and Ancaster
fairs. The Rockton Fair was Bennett’s
very first time showing and it was here
that he really fell in love with the sport.
“At first I was really nervous but once I
got through I realized that it wasn’t that
hard and it was really fun!” Bennett
says excitedly.
Bennett notes that the hardest part
about rabbit showing is to remember
all the steps. When showing, Members
progress through a series of steps
to showcase their rabbit’s health.
Members first show the top of the
rabbit, and then flip it onto its backside
to show the underside of the rabbit.
There are over 17 steps in the entire
showing process, which leaves a lot of
room for error.
For a young 4-H’r who is under
pressure, this can be a tricky feat and
can leave them feeling discouraged
if they slip up. Luckily Bennett has
a great mentality around showing
because his Club Leader and fellow
Members have taught him it’s the
learning process that’s the most
important part, not the end result.
“You shouldn’t be scared because if
you make a mistake it doesn’t matter,
you just try your best,” says Bennett
knowingly.
Bennett is loving his 4-H experience
so far. “In 4-H I learn a lot of new
skills, I have lots of fun, and I learn
responsibility and how to take care of
animals,” Bennett explains. This young
4-H’r is excited to continue with Rabbit
Showing, Rabbit Hopping, and Drama
Clubs again next year, and if he can
squeeze it into his busy schedule,
Dairy Club and homemaking clubs
will also be in his future. Sounds like
Bennett has a very bright, and busy,
4-H future ahead.
Hamilton-Wentworth 4-H
Rabbit Hopping Club
Submitted by Aleta Alblas
“You want me to jump what I don’t
know if I can do that! I don’t think I could
jump that high, however, my trainer
thinks that I can, and is urging me to try.
Maybe, I will start out low and work my
way up. Wow! I’ve jumped one pole, two
poles, three poles, hey, this is fun!” This
is likely what my rabbit, Rio, was thinking
when I was training him to navigate the
agility course that we made in our Rabbit
Hopping Club.
This year in Rabbit Hopping Club we
first learned how to make rabbit jumps
and then how to train our rabbits to use
these jumps. Some of us spent more
time making extra jumps and other
pieces of equipment. When we put them
all together on a track, they made a
great Rabbit Hopping course. We started
training our rabbits in July and by the
third week in September we had our first
show at the Ancaster Fair. We also did
a show at the Rockton Fair, Caledonia
Fair, and had a demo at the Haldimand
Intercounty Rabbit Show. Rio had a
great time! Here’s what the experience
was like from his point of view.
“The trainers set the track up consisting
of jumps, a hoop, tunnels, an A-frame,
walkover, and a finish line. We are given
a chance to warm up by going around
the track with the jumps nice and low
before the show begins. The music
starts and we are off running as quickly
as we can! I like to start out slow and
gain speed going around. I cleared five
poles, sailed through the hoop, and dove
through the tunnel. And then there’s the
final jump. Oh no, my trainer has made it
18 inches high! Okay I’ll give it a try, here
it goes….up, up, up, and over I go. Wow
I made it! And I didn’t knock any poles
over. Yay, my trainer is thrilled with me!”
The Hamilton-Wentworth 4-H Rabbit Hopping Club from left to right; back row, Susan Dwyer,
Joanne Alblas, Chelsea Dwyer with Q-tip, Mary-Lynne Howell with Chester, Aleta Alblas with Rio,
Cindy Coverdale with Flower, Front row, Bennett Howell with Cinnamon , Bradley Howell with
Pepper, and Mikayla Ringelberg with Reese. Not present: Calista Loten with Mittens.
Leadership In Action • Winter 2011
By helping our rabbits navigate the
agility course, we learned that rabbits
are not always ready to hop when we
are, and, they are not always ready to
stop when we want them to. We also
learned how to be gentle and patient
with our rabbits as we coax them over
the jumps. Our rabbits have learned how
to cheat along the way when they know
we are not close by! We had a great time
this year and look forward to next year.
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