Rat shows are beneficial for both breeders and pet homes, for a number of reasons. I will list the most beneficial reasons from my experience below.
Condition: Attending shows is a great way to get feedback on the condition of your rats from very experienced rat owners. This is something I believe is very beneficial to both breeders and pet homes. It can be difficult to notice a gradual decline in coat condition in our rats when we see them every day, so to get an honest opinion from an outside source is the best way to ensure we are on the right track with our diets, supplements and general care. For example, if I received in my judging critique that my rats had rusting and dry flakey skin - I would look at increasing their copper content and healthy oils to improve this.
Type: This is also beneficial to both breeders and pet homes. Judges are very experienced in identifying good type in rats. By type I mean muscle tone, even weight distribution, feeling solid and weighty but not fat. Bucks should be very obviously bucks and not mistaken for does, they should have broad shoulders, feel solid and muscular. Does shouldn't be mistaken for bucks, they should be racey, fit, athletic and not 'cobby'. Within the feedback on their type, the judge will also tell you if your rats are overweight or underweight. It can be difficult to notice our rats becoming a little overweight, particularly in our bucks. So this feedback is really beneficial in ensuring we are maintaining a healthy weight in our rats.
Head, eyes and ears: This feedback is particularly useful for breeders to ensure they are following the NFRS standards. It is also especially beneficial to ensure that a breeder is not heading away from the 'rat' appearance their rats should have. For example, we want to avoid dome skulls, fore-shortened heads, misplaced or small eyes. For dumbo breeders, this is especially beneficial as they should maintain the head shape of a standard top eared rat and not start to look like teddy bears. This feedback can be beneficial for breeders who are assessing their breeding plans and deciding which rats to breed from. What we love to see on critiques is 'very good head, lovely bold eye, very good ears'. This suggests that the rats are to standard and heading in the right direction. What we don't want to see is 'head a bit short, eyes a bit small, ears too low' etc.
Variety standard: This is very important feedback to ensure your rats are meeting the variety standard. There is a full list of what the varieties should be here: https://www.nfrs.org/breeding_varieties.html As an example of some feedback that may be received, judges may point out that some rats are lacking in vivid colours or they may have uneven demarcation, their coats may be too dark or too light, greying. Rexes may be lacking curl, Russians may have too much silvering. This is all extremely valuable feedback for breeders to ensure that their lines are heading in the right direction and are not steering away from the variety standards.
Pet judging: If showing in pets, you will get a lot of feedback on the rats temperaments. This can be great for both pet homes and breeders as it reassures you that your rats are well socialised, confident and happy to interact with humans. I have entered this category many times as a pet home and I have really enjoyed reading the feedback about my rats, it is lovely when the judges notice a personality quirk or remember something special about them. They can even give out special awards for things that really stand out. For example, we have won special awards for excellent coat condition and our doe Eevee won an award for doing a hilarious long ferret impression while being judged. It is a fun class and it really helps with socialising your rats with strangers. For those breeding for temperament, it is very helpful feedback to know that the rats aren't aggressive with strangers, that they aren't unsociable and that they are confident.
What if I am breeding rats that don't have a variety standard? How can I get feedback if I can't enter them in shows?
The great things about shows is there are a lot of experienced people in attendance and quite often there are other people exhibiting that are qualified as judges that will be more than happy to take a look at your rats and give you their opinion. You do need to inform the show secretary if you are planning on bringing any rats that aren't in the show.
Unless they are a banned variety (hairless or Manx) then you also have the option to still enter them in the pet variety. For example, we are breeding for Copper which does not yet have a standard, so we enter our rats in the pet class for now and a few times the judges have kindly provided feedback on their type and condition. I also have the option then of asking some other breeders to take a look at them while they are there.
Lastly, one of the most beneficial things about attending shows is the people. I have made some really good friends at rat shows and I really enjoy going along and talking about rats all day. There are very few places that we can express our love for rats all day without creeping anyone out or being annoying, but at rat shows we all love them and are passionate about them and it really is a place we can all feel welcome. If you are unsure about attending shows because you may be new to the fancy or you don't know anyone, I would like to reassure you that at every single show I have attended, there has been people attending for the first time or without knowing anyone. I attended my first show alone and I felt comfortable very quickly as people are extremely welcoming. If you ever attend a show that I am at, I am always happy to chat rats and share my experiences and make new friends, so do come and say hello :)
Upcoming NFRS rat shows: https://www.nfrs.org/shows/

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