Welcome to IAGARB! In order to help you learn our systems and have the best experience, we have assembled the short answers to common questions. There are links that will direct you to more information. We will continue to develop this page with your help. If you have questions, please direct them to the Secretary, Erin Maclean: secretary [at] iagarb [dot] com
Topics Include:
1. Benefits of IAGARB membership
2. How to join the IAGARB Yahoo Group
3. How to subscribe to the IAGARB Facebook page
4. Member Identification Number–its importance and where to find yours if you’ve forgotten it
5. Membership Directory–where to find it and the information members may choose to list
6. Navigating the IAGARB website–articles, information regarding breed standard, registration, synchronicity, yarn runs, etc.
7. How to place a listing on the Breeders’ pages
8. Rabbit Registration Questions and Answers
1. BENEFITS OF MEMBERSHIP
Gatherings:
The best part of any organization is meeting other people with similar interests. We hold an annual meeting, regional meetings and shearing parties.
Shearing Parties:
Shearing Parties are a great opportunity to Clip and Visit. Members are invited to meet, usually at someone’s home. At the party, owners shear their rabbits. The date of the shearing is witnessed and certified by other members.
Registration Meetings:
Three months after the shearing party, the local group meets again to witness the official judging and shearing test of each rabbit under consideration. To be registered, the rabbit must be judged against our standard and pass a wool performance test of at least 325 grams.
IAGARB registration is based on proven individual merit.
IAGARB organizes commercial milling of our wool into yarn:
IAGARB believes in the power of cooperation. We pool our high quality German wool into large commercial yarn runs.
Many of us are backyard producers who would have to wait a very long time to have enough wool to send to a mill for processing. If we work together, we can combine production and have our fiber spun more frequently and at a lower cost than any of us would be able to do individually.
When we cooperate, we control a system where the mill works for us and we are able to set our prices directly to the retail customer. That is Fair Trade for domestic producers.
Other Benefits of Membership include listing as a breeder on the website Breeders Page and Yarn Available Page. See below (#7.) for more information.
2. HOW TO JOIN THE IAGARB YAHOO GROUP
When you join IAGARB, you will receive an invitation to join the IAGARB Yahoo Group. It’s not only a chat list, but you will have access to files that contain all Newsletters, archived and recent, Membership List, Articles, Blank Pedigrees and shearing certificates and other valuable information. Because this list is open to public viewing, we do not allow sales on this forum.
If you do not receive an invitation and would like to join, please contact the Secretary to ask to join. You will need to include the email address that you use for Yahoo Groups.
3. HOW TO JOIN THE IAGARB FACEBOOK GROUP
IAGARB also has a Facebook group for those who would like to post information, sales of rabbits and chat. To join, go to: https://www.facebook.com/groups/iagarb/
and ask to join as it is a closed group open to members only.
4. MEMBER IDENTIFICATION NUMBER: its importance and where to find yours if you’ve forgotten it
Every new member is assigned a member or breeder ID number when you join. You will find it on your Membership Card and the email message you receive when you join. It will also be shown on the Membership List. This is your number to use while you are a member. While it is permanently assigned to you, you may only use it while you are a current IAGARB member. This is the number you will use to tattoo your rabbit (right ear–see Tattoo Policies). This number is required when you submit your form for any IAGARB Yarn Runs. It’s the number you will use to certify and register your rabbits.
Each number is unique and will have the state you live in followed by a number. If you move to another state, your number will not change. It is permanently assigned to you.
If you lose your number or have forgotten it, check the above locations or contact the IAGARB Secretary.
5. MEMBERSHIP DIRECTORY
The Membership Directory is posted once a year in Files in Yahoo Groups. Members can view it there and print it out if they wish to have a hard copy. You may designate what information you wish to have posted by indicating that on the Membership Application or by contacting the Secretary. The Membership List is for member viewing and personal use only and is not available to public.
6. NAVIGATING THE IAGARB WEBSITE–Articles, information regarding breed standard, synchronicity, yarn runs, etc.
The IAGARB website: www.iagarb.com is loaded with valuable information. Since it is a public site, personal contact information is not included other than Officers and Breeders Listings.
Articles are categorized by subject and provide valuable information for new members and seasoned breeders alike. While much of the current information regarding timing of yarn runs is conveyed on Yahoo Groups and Facebook, the information regarding how to participate in a yarn run is on the website. Just follow the links for Yarn Coop Participation Requirements. There are drop down links under most of the categories with more specific information. Just click!
It’s a great place to explore.
7. HOW TO PLACE A LISTING ON THE BREEDER’S PAGE
The Breeders Listing is a privilege of membership. If you would like to be listed as a Breeder, you can contact the Secretary with the information you would like posted. Please take a look at the format, which is shown on the pages. Rules are simple: Name and or Farm name, website, general information of what you breed and sell, contact information (email and/or phone number), general location of where you are located. Please be concise. We reserve the right to edit lengthy or inappropriate language.
The website also has a listing for those members who sell IAGARB Yarns. You are welcome to add your name if you choose. Contact the Secretary to be listed.
8. QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT IAGARB RABBIT REGISTRATION:
Q 1. How do I register my rabbits with IAGARB?
- Registration is a benefit of current IAGARB membership.
- Check the IAGARB web site ‘Calendar’ to find the date of the next Registration event and its corresponding Certification date.
- Review the Certification page and print the forms
- Paperwork (Copies of Pedigree and Shearing Certificate) must be sent to the Registrar, Erin Maclean, no later than 10 days after the rabbit has been certified as shorn.
- Please remember the shearing for certification must be witnessed. Either in person or through Skype or FaceTime
- Notify / RSVP the IAGARB member hosting the registration event that you plan to attend and how many rabbits you hope to bring.
- Learn more
Q 2. What do I do at the Registration?
- Greet the judge / secretary and hand in your paperwork, which will include the original pedigree(s) and the Shearing Certification. Pay your testing fee of $8.00 per rabbit before the judging begins.
- There are two phases of IAGARB judging. The first one is the evaluation by the judge. The second part is shearing by the owner.
- The judge will tell you when it is time for you to carry your rabbit to the judging table. While we encourage a relaxed and friendly atmosphere, during an evaluation, the judge must devote total attention to the task at hand. Silence is golden.
- After evaluating the rabbit, the judge will release the rabbit back to you for shearing. After the wool has been shorn, your grading will be checked. The wool will be weighed and recorded on the testing sheet.
Q 3. Why do I need to bring my original pedigree?
If your rabbit passes registration, the judge will send the original pedigree to the Registrar. She will sign it and mail it back to you. The pedigree copy you sent to the Registrar when the rabbit was certified will be kept on file.
Q 4. Who is responsible for my rabbits at a registration event?
- You will be 100% responsible for the transport, care, safety, cleaning, feeding, watering, handling and shearing of your rabbit(s). If the weather is hot, keep your rabbit cool. If the weather is cold, bring rabbit coats.
- Here is the coat pattern:
- Coop your rabbits in your own comfortable cages. Bring extra food, water from home, treats and litter if the trays need cleaning
Q 5. Will there be a rabbit health check at the registration?
Absolutely. Any clinical sign of respiratory disease or evidence of ear or fur mites will cause the rabbit to be immediately excluded from the registration facility.
Q 6. If the parents of my bunny are registered, is my bunny registered?
No. IAGARB registration is based on individual merit. Each rabbit must be tested to earn registration.
Q 7. Can I lose at an IAGARB registration?
This is not possible. The IAGARB system follows systems in use in Europe. Each rabbit is evaluated against the standard.
Q 8. Why does IAGARB use Metric instead of the Old English Imperial system to weigh wool?
Metric grams are far more precise than are ounces as units of measurement. There are 28.46 grams in 1 ounce. If you round that off to 30, then grams are more accurate by a ratio of nearly 30 to 1. Weighing in ounces and then converting to grams does not work because ounce scales are not as precise as those measuring in grams.
The rest of the world uses the Metric system. Scientists and doctors use Metric. Even the English have upgraded to Metric.
Q 9. Can I register outside my district?
Yes. It is a great way to meet other like-minded people.
Q 10. Can I have my rabbit tested more than once?
You are allowed two tries, provided the rabbit has not been disqualified in its first test. The results of the second test will stand.
Q 11. How can I tell if my rabbit’s wool is synchronized?
Please read over the “German Wool” and Synchronized pages. You will find a clear description, drawings and photographs.
Q 12. When was the IAGARB standard changed to include Synchronization?
The IAGARB Standard was not changed. The IAGARB Standard has always contained a 15-point category for Uniformity. In 2012, at the 25th IAGARB AGM in Boise, members present devoted considerable discussion to come to a consensus for a clear definition of IAGARB’s policy regarding non-synchronized coat growth. They unanimously agreed that in order to be registered, a rabbit’s coat must hold for 90 days. They unanimously adopted the language of “zero tolerance” for non-synchronized coats during registration.
Q 13. How does non-synchronization happen?
Breeding with angoras that have non-synchronized coats or breeding short-haired rabbits most often results in a coat with several growth stages. With respect to German angoras, this is like going backwards in development. It will take many generations to correct. Gradually weeding this characteristic out of your lines may take 10 generations or more.
When you are considering adding new breeding stock to your rabbitry, carefully examine the wool for the correct coat growth. If you find non-synchronous growth, recognize that this is a flaw, which will cost much time and money to correct. No matter how “rare” a color supposedly is, angoras with uneven coats will be disqualified on the judging table.
Q 14. Are there “rare” colors in angoras?
Not really, no. All of the colors have been seen before in English, French and Satin angoras and, of course, short-haired rabbits. What is worthy of pursuit are strongly colored rabbits with synchronized coats, wool performance that exceeds 1300 grams per annum, and proper German body type.
