INFORMATION AND DEFINITIONS F generations Purebred Hybrid

Lionhead on the left is a F2 hybrid

F1 is a purebred Lionhead crossed with a rabbit of a different breed. Mostly Netherland Dwarf, Polish, Britannia Petite (to enhance body stance and fur ), in addition some Florida Whites, Holland or Mini Lops and Mini Rex have been used. It is questionable if a Lionhead hybrid without a mane can be considered a F1 generation because - to be considered a generation the offspring must look like the breed, meeting basic breed requirements.

F2 is a F1 crossed to a Purebred Lionhead or another hybrid that is F1 or F2. It denotes another generation of Lionhead breeding.

F3 is a F2 bred to a purebred or a F3 or another F2. It denotes you now have three generations of Lionhead breeding before another bred shows on the pedigree.

F4 is the same as purebred.A F3 bred to another F3 or a purebred would produce bunnies with four generations of Lionhead on the pedigree. This is what is required by the ARBA (American Rabbit Breeders Association) to be considered registration as a PUREBRED if the Lionhead was a recognized breed.

* Some people denote their crosses with percentage number such as 1/2 Lionhead or 3/4 Lionhead but the F system is recognized but almost all animal breeding materials, and is the form most commonly used.

HYBRID is a Lionhead that has rabbits of a breed other then Lionhead showing on a four generation pedigree.
PUREBRED is a rabbit that meets specific breed requirements and has a four generation pedigree showing individual information on each rabbit on the pedigree.
* Currently Lionhead breeders also consider Lionheads imported form overseas as purebred even though most do not have a complete pedigree.

Open and Closed Stud books
In some animal organizations they have closed stud books which means that no animals other then those descending from animals registered in that organization's books can be recognized as purebred.

The American Rabbit breeders Association (ARBA) has open books. Which means you can continually create new generations of pedigree. They count generation one as any animal that fits the general description for the breed. Once you build 4 generation including the rabbit itself you have a purebred.

Since many breeds are still evolving there is currently hybridizing occurring in many ARAB recognized breeds.

RABBIT REGISTRATION

LIONHEADS RABBITS can not be registered with the American Rabbit Breeders Association. This will not be possible until they have reached breed status. They will reach breed status when a presenter has passed THREE PRESENTATIONS and the ARBA board supports the Standard Committee's recommendation that they become a breed. They then will be able to show at ARBA shows for legs and be allowed to show in Best in Show competition

At that point if the Lionhead has a complete four generation pedigree and the owner is a current ARBA member. It may be presented to an ARBA registrar for inspection. The rabbit must be Tattooed (import type leg bands are not acceptable) and if the rabbit is free of BREED DISQUALIFICATIONs and THE PAPERWORK IS IN ORDER it can be registered

A FOUR GENERATION PEDIGREE according to the ARBA is a pedigree showing the rabbit and three generations of ancestors. Each rabbit on the pedigree MUST HAVE
- a weight listed (they can be overweight for the breed but they must have a weight listed)
- a color listed (NOT a GROUP so Agouti would not qualify as Agouti is a Group. Chestnut Agouti is a color)
- a name or private ear number (simply listing a Rabbitry or breeder's last name such as Gibbons for multiple animals on a pedigree is not acceptable each one MUST have something that differentiates them from the other Lionheads on the pedigree)
NO ANIMALS ON THE PEDIGREE CAN BE A DIFFERENT BREED

It is important to remember that overseas pedigrees are not important like they are here in the USA. Often imported stock comes with no pedigrees or very limited pedigrees. I have two Chinchillas that are direct English imports, that have only their parents colors and names are on the pedigree. Even where I do have complete pedigrees on imported rabbits they often are not complete enough for the ARBA as they lack weights on some rabbits or ear/leg band numbers having only a general rabbitry name listed.

Hopefully this will be helpful to everyone

Page I2