FARMINGTON — The first North Western Maine Rabbit and Cavy Fanciers Sandy River Show will be held at 9 a.m. Saturday, June 3, at the Farmington Fairgrounds.

The show will be held in the Starbird building. There will be adult and youth divisions.

Polly Chasse of Hartford, club secretary/treasurer, said there will be two shows, with a rabbit and cavy (guinea pig) live auction in between.

“It’s our first show. We don’t really know what to expect but we’re hoping for a good turnout,” she said.

In the morning show, rabbits will be shown by breed, with each winner later competing for best of show. A similar format will follow for the second show but with a different judge. There will be separate but similar shows for cavies. Exhibitors can enter their animals in either or both shows.

“This is a good opportunity for kids, anyone, to see what a rabbit show is like and learn more about the hobby of raising and showing rabbits,” Chasse said.

There will be 10 rabbit breeds and cavies shown in the adult or open division, and seven breeds in the youth category. Three judges will examine the animals to compare their conformation to the ideal for that breed before selecting the winners.

“Showing rabbits and cavies is a wonderful family sport,” wrote cavy breeder Jan Silva in an email. “In a world where competitive livestock exhibitions can incur huge expenses, the average entry at an American Rabbit Breeders Association show is three to five dollars, making it an extremely affordable hobby.”

Supper on the Table, a local 4-H Club with a focus on marketing, will sell food during the shows. This new club, led by Lilly Bagley and Sarah Rowe, has 11 members.

There will be a potluck after.

Chasse said there are six rabbit and cavy fancier clubs in Maine. 

“We started the club as there was nothing in this area. We either had to go to Bangor or Portland,” Chasse said.

The group has about 20 members, who come from all across Maine and out of state. New members are always welcome, Chasse said. 

Chasse said the group has reserved the site for shows on the first Saturday in June for 2018 and 2019. Judges have also been secured.

For more information, email Chasse at weeacremicrofarm@gmail.com.

pharnden@sunmediagroup.net 

Several rabbit breeds will be shown at the Sandy River Show at 9 a.m. Saturday, June 3, at the Farmington Fairgrounds. The show is organized by the North Western Maine Rabbit and Cavy Fanciers.

Several cavies, or guinea pigs, will be display at the North Western Maine Rabbit and Cavy Fanciers Sandy River Show at 9 a.m. Saturday, June 3, at the Farmington Fairgrounds. An unidentified judge examines a cavy.

Cavies can have short coats, as seen here, or extremely long ones. Sheen and the presence of rosettes are other ways of determining a specific breed. Several cavies will be on display at the first North Western Maine Rabbit and Cavy Fanciers Sandy River Show at 9 a.m. Saturday, June 3, at the Farmington Fairgrounds.

Cavy breeds are determined by coat forms and come in many colors. The public will have an opportunity to learn more about cavy breeds at the first North Western Maine Rabbit and Cavy Fanciers Sandy River Show at 9 a.m. Saturday, June 3, at the Farmington Fairgrounds.

Ribbons and trophies, similar to ones seen here, will be given out at the first North Western Maine Rabbit and Cavy Fanciers Sandy River Show at 9 a.m. Saturday, June 3, at the Farmington Fairgrounds.

Farmington Fairgrounds will be the site of the first North Western Maine Rabbit and Cavy Fanciers Sandy River Show at 9 a.m. Saturday, June 3. Shown here is a scene from another rabbit show.