Sara Mayer got her first rabbit when she was ten years old. Now, at sixteen, she has roughly fifty rabbits, which have developed since she began showing rabbits when she was thirteen years old.
She attended her first national American Rabbit Breeder Association (ARBA) convention at thirteen, but has since attended two more. Last year's convention was in Louisville, Kentucky. This year's rabbit convention is in Indianapolis. Sara brought eight rabbits to last year's convention, but this year she brought twelve rabbits.
The National ARBA convention allows people from all over the US to come to the designated location to show rabbits at a high level. The rabbits do not have to qualify to attend the National ARBA convention, but you do have to register them, which includes a $20 fee for each rabbit.
The conventions are held once a year in the fall, and typically last about a week, starting on Wednesday and ending on the following Tuesday.
Sara has invested a lot of time in her rabbits. Every morning before school, she tends to them, but after school is when she really puts in the work. After school, she cleans the pens, brushes each rabbit, and does an overall check to make sure each one is healthy.
Owning and caring for rabbits is not cheap; Saras' family built a small shed for the rabbits, which cost roughly $3,000. Equipment and supplies are often very expensive, but there are options to buy second-hand, which can be more cost-effective. The average cost of caring for a rabbit can vary from $20 to almost $500.
When competing at a convention, some winnings can be earned, such as trophies, blankets, plaques, and medals. Another form is something called “sweepstakes”; sweepstakes are points that you can gain every time you win or place. Points are often only awarded by the state or national rabbit association; all of your sweepstakes points are added to give you an overall standing. If you have a certain number of points, you qualify for winnings, which can vary from fun prizes to even possibly cash prizes.