Rabbit Show Jumping

Just wondering what everyone thinks of bunny show jumping?

The Guardian posted an article on FB yesterday about the rabbit show jumping thats at the burgess small animal show and rather a lot of the comments were saying that it was extremely cruel / disgusting / unfair on the rabbits / causing stress to the rabbits.

Personally, as long as the rabbits are being looked after properly at home I don't think its a bad thing at all. I can't imagine any rabbit being forced into doing something like that if they weren't happy to do it. T freaks out when she's taken anywhere new. She just freezes won't move. There is absolutely no way she could be persuaded to go over a jump, let alone a whole series of jumps! Some of the rabbits are on harnesses, but the owners don't drag them, the most they do is put a rabbit in front of a jump and maybe touch its bum to encourage it to jump. Some of the rabbits aren't even on harnesses and they still go over the jumps.

I wonder if all these people who thinking that rabbit jumping is cruel see any issue with keeping rabbits in tiny cramped hutches, alone and mostly forgotten about down the bottom of peoples gardens.

Here is a link to the article, you can see all the comments as well

https://www.facebook.com/theguardian/posts/10153301288556323

Whenever i see the rabbits that stop, take a couple of bars off, then continue i think "that's what hector would do"

As long as the rabbits are well looked after both at home and at the shows, and aren't forced to do anything, i see no harm, seems like an excellent way to stimulate them. I feel like clapping/cheering/bright lights shouldn't be allowed at such an event though

I agree with Zo: lights, clapping/cheering and loudspeaker announcements should be kept to an absolute minimum. Otherwise it looks to be great fun for both bun and owner and certaily keeps the rabbits fit.
I don't believe any rabbit would jump like that if they didn't enjoy it. We all know what contrary little beasts they can be and that it's virtually impossible to get any rabbit to do something it hasn't a mind to do. I know no rabbit I've ever had would do something it wasn't happy with ... Henners certainly wouldn't.

I can only echo Zo and Dee - my feelings exactly

Me too, I think they enjoy the stimulation.

Hugs
Jo xx