Lionhead Proposed Working Standard
Theresa Mueller (Activated January 2010)
Mueller Varieties: Black, Blue, Ruby-Eyed White, Tort- Black
Other CODS:  Blue-Eyed White, Blue Point, Chestnut Agouti, Chocolate Agouti, Chocolate, 
Chinchilla, Lilac, Opal, Orange, Otter, Pointed White, Red, Sable Marten, Seal, 
Siamese Sable, Silver Marten, Smoke Pearl, Squirrel, Tort-Chocolate, & Tort-Lilac

SCHEDULE OF POINTS
 GENERAL TYPE.........................................................................40
Body...............................................25
Head...............................................10
Ears..................................................5
 FUR ...........................................................................................45
Mane.............................................. 35
Coat............................................... 10
COLOR.......................................................................................10
CONDITION...................................................................................5
TOTAL...................................................................................................100
 
SHOWROOM CLASSES & WEIGHTS
Senior Buck & Does - 6 months of age and over, not over 3 3/4 pounds.
Junior Bucks & Does- Under 6 months of age, not over 3 1/2 pounds. Minimum weight 1 pound 10 oz.
Note: Juniors which exceed the maximum weight limit may be shown in higher age classifications.
No animal may be shown in a lower age classification than its true age.
 
Each variety is to be exhibited individually.
 
Note: Lionheads should be posed with front feet resting lightly on the table.  
When viewed from the front, the stance is high enough to show full chest 
and mane.  In order to correctly evaluate head mount and stance, the head
should not be pushed or forced down.  Image at right shows correct stance.  
 
GENERAL TYPE
BODY - Points 25: The body is to be short, compact and well rounded. The shoulders and chest are to be broad and well filled, with shoulders matching hindquarters. The depth at the shoulders should be deep enough to allow the animal to show full chest and then round back to hindquarters of slightly less depth.  The hindquarters are to be broad, deep and well rounded. The lower hips should be well filled.  Legs should be of medium length and medium bone, relative to the size of the animal.
Faults: Long, narrow body; flatness over shoulders or hips; chopped off, pinched, or undercut hindquarters; any specimen that shows raciness.
 
HEAD - Points 10: The head should be bold. It should have a good width and a slight roundness between the eyes, but should not be round from all directions. The muzzle should be well filled. The head should be attached to the body with a high head mount and no visible neck. Eyes should be bright and bold. Eye color to be as described in the individual variety.
Faults: A long, narrow head; pointed or narrow muzzle; low headset; head that is round from all directions.
 
EARS - Points 5: Ears are to be erect and well set, but not necessarily touching. When relaxed, ears will be carried in a slight “V".  They should be well furred, of good substance, and slightly rounded at the tips.  Ears should balance with the head and body.
Faults: Ears that are pointed, lack furring, or do not balance with the body. Heavy wool more than halfway up the ear.
Disqualification from Competition:   Ears that exceed 3-1/2 inches in length.
 
 
FUR & WOOL
MANE - Points 35: The mane is comprised of wool which is strong and full of life with a medium soft texture and an evident crimp.  Softer wool on juniors is permissible.  Guard hairs may be present, but should not create a coarse feeling to the wool.  The mane should be at least 2 inches in length and form a full circle around the head which may extend into a “V” at the back of the neck.  The wool of the mane should be dense enough to make the mane full and prominent.  The greatest density possible is desired.  The mane may form a wool cap across the brow, which should enhance the prominence of the mane.  The center of the foreface below the wool cap may have transition wool up to 1” in length.  The cheeks extending into the whisker bed may be heavily trimmed.  The side trimmings and chest wool may be noticeably longer in length.
Faults:  A mane that lacks density or balance; wool that is too cottony or prone to felting on seniors.
Disqualifications from Competition:  
*Lack of any mane, or a mane that is of such poor quality that it shows open areas with no wool. 
*Mane that is less than 2 inches in length.
*Transition Wool longer than 1 inch on the face below the wool cap.
 
Note:  Only the quality of the wool of the mane is used when judging Lionhead wool.  The quality of the transition wool, found on the lower sides and rump, is never taken into consideration.
 
COAT (Rollback) - Points 10:  The fur should be soft, dense, of medium length, and prime. It should show lots of life and glossiness.  Ideally, the saddle, flanks, and rump of the animal should be clean of wool. Transition wool is allowed on the flanks and lower hips.  Transition wool is defined as significantly shorter wool on the hips or face of the Lionhead rabbit.  Transition wool is not to exceed 2 inches on the hips and 1 inch on the face.
Faults: Fur that is long, thin, or poor in texture; transition wool on the flanks of seniors.
Disqualifications from Competition: 
*Wool in the saddle area.
*Lack of a break between the wool of the mane and any transition wool on the flanks & hips. The break between the mane and transition wool should be clear and distinct, easily seen when the animal is posed. If there is a question, simply lift the longer mane wool up, which should reveal the break of normal fur between the mane wool and any transition wool on the flanks and hips. Junior animals tend to carry more transition wool and should be given more leniencies as long as the side break is clearly evident.
*Transition wool over 2 inches in length on the flanks and lower hips or over 1 inch on the face.
 
COLOR – Points 10: The fur, wool, and eye color is to be as described under each variety.
 
CONDITION – Points 5: As per ARBA definition
 
COLOR DESCRIPTIONS:
When judging color on the Lionhead it is important to remember that the wooled areas may be more diffused in color. 
 
BLACK: The surface color is to be rich, jet black over the entire animal and extending well down the hair shaft.  The undercolor is to be a dark slate-blue.  Eyes - Brown.  
Faults: Fault animals for having faded color, scattered white hairs or light undercolor. 
 
BLUE: The surface color is to be dark blue over the entire animal, extending well down the hair shaft with a lighter blue undercolor.  Eyes - Blue-Grey 
Faults: Fault animals for having faded color, scattered white hairs, or a light undercolor.  
 
BLUE-EYED WHITE (BEW):  The surface color is to be pure white and uniform throughout. Eyes – Blue
Faults: Fault animals with a creamy, yellow, or stained fur.
 
BLUE POINT:  The points (nose, ears, feet, & tail) are to be a medium bluish-gray color.  The point color fades to a light creamy white body free from smut or dark shading, to contrast with the darker points.  Undercolor should be a creamy white.  Darker shading it permissible around the eyes.  Eyes:  Blue-Gray.  
Faults:  Streaks, blotches, or smut on the body; brown (sepia) tinge to points; points too light to contrast well with the body color; scattered white hairs.  
Disqualifications from Competition:  White on the underside of the tail; any marten type markings.  
 
CHESTNUT AGOUTI:  Body and tail are to be a rich chestnut shade with black ticking over an intermediate orange band and a dark slate undercolor. Ears are to be laced in black.  Eye circles and underside of the tail are to be white.  Belly is to be white with slate blue undercolor.  Transitional and mane wool may affect the ring pattern and is to be taken into consideration when judging the animal.  Eyes - Brown. 
Faults:  Indistinct or faded orange band; too light or dark in surface color.
 
CHOCOLATE AGOUTI:  The surface color on the top and sides of the body is to be a rich chestnut brown, ticked with chocolate tipped guard hairs.  The intermediate band is to be tan over a dove gray undercolor.  The chest is to be a light brown over a dove gray undercolor.  The top of the tail is to be chocolate, sparsely ticked with tan, over a dove gray undercolor.  The nape of the neck is to be tan, with the ears laced in chocolate.  Toenails to be uniform and dark.  An allowance is to be made for distortion of ring color in mane and transitional wool areas.  Eyes - Brown   
Faults:  Fault animals that are too light or too dark in surface color, or too light in the color of the intermediary band or undercolor. 
 
CHOCOLATE:  The surface color is to be a rich dark chocolate brown over the entire animal and extending well down the hair shaft.  The undercolor is to be a dove-gray.  Toenails to be a uniform dark brown.  Eyes - Brown.  Ruby cast permissible but not desirable.  
Faults:  Faded, rusty, or "yellowed" color; scattered white hairs; light undercolor.
 
CHINCHILLA:  The surface and sides of the body is to be pearl white ticked with jet black.  The intermediary band is to be a well defined pearl white over a dark slate-blue undercolor.  The chest is to be a pearl white over a slate-blue undercolor.  The undercolor of the belly is to be a slate blue.  The top of the tails is to be black, sparsely ticked with white, over a dark slate-blue undercolor.  The nape of the neck is to be white with the ears laced in black.  Toenails to be uniform and dark.  An allowance is to be made for distortion of the ring color in the mane and transitional wool areas.  Eyes - Brown. 
Faults:  Fault animals that are too light or too dark in surface color, or too light in the color of the intermediary band or undercolor.  Brown patches or brownish intermediary bands are undesireable.  
Disqualifications from Competition:  Disqualify animals with extreme dark or light color, brown patches of color, or extreme brownish tinge in ring color.  Animals without black lacing on ears are to be disqualified.
 
LILAC:  The surface color is to be dove-gray with a pinkish tint over the entire animal and extending well down the hair shaft.  The undercolor is to be a pale dove-gray.  Toenails may be light but not white and must be uniform.  Eyes - Blue-Gray.  Ruby cast permissible but not desirable.  
Faults:  Faded or rusty color or scattered white hairs.  
 
OPAL:  The surface color on the top and sides of the body is to be medium blue mingled with fawn and is to carry as uniformly as possible down the sides of the body.  The intermediary band on the hair shaft of the surface color is to be fawn over a medium slate-blue undercolor.  The head, ears, legs, and feet, are to match the surface color of the body.  The chest is to be fawn over a medium slate-blue undercolor.  The underside of the tail and around the vent are white to the skin.  The foot pads, around the nostrils, eyes, and inner surface of the ears are to be white.  The top of the tail is to be a medium blue, sparsely ticked with fawn, over a medium slate-blue undercolor.  The nape of the neck is to be fawn.  The belly is to have a white surface color (except where lap spots appear), back of forelegs, inside of hind legs, top of hind feet, and underside of lower jaw.  The undercolor of the belly is to be slate-blue.  Toenails to be medium to dark and must be uniform.  Eyes - Blue-gray.  
Faults:  Light surface color, light color in the intermediary band, or light in undercolor.  
Disqualifications from Competition:  White undercolor. 
(An allowance is to be made for color band distortion in the mane and transitional wool areas)  
 
ORANGE:  Surface color is to be a bright golden color, extending well down the hair shaft and carried evenly over the head, outer ear, front of foreleg, outside of the hind legs, and top of tail.  Chest color is to be consistant with the body surface color.   Belly, back of forelegs, inside of hind legs, top of hind feet, and underside of lower jaw is to be white with an off-white undercolor.  Lap spots should be present.  Underside of the tail and vent area, inside of ear, eye circles, and under nostrils should be white.  Eyes - Brown.  
Faults:  Fault severely for smut or ticking on body or lacing on ears, lack of lap spots, color faded or washed out in appearance.
 
OTTER:  Black, Blue, Chocolate and Lilac compete together.  Otters should not be judged as a marked variety.  Markings are to be the final consideration after type, fur and body color. Surface & Under Color:  The  surface & under color of the head outside of the ears, front of the fore feet, outside of the hind feet, and the top and sides of the body are to be as described in the respective self varieties. Markings:  Black and Chocolate animals will have orange to creamy orange marking color, while Blue and Lilac animals will have fawn markings and ticking color.  The belly nostrils, eye circles, jowls, underside of the tail, inside of the ears, back of the fore feet and the inside of the hind feet and legs are to be creamy white, highlighted by an orange or fawn marking as it meets the self color of the body.  The border color between the belly and flanks shall continue down to the hind feet as it meets the color of the body.  The undercolor of the belly is to be as described in the respective self varieties.  The triangle and collar are to be orange to creamy white.  No ticking is preferred.  The eye color is to be as described in the respective self varieties.
Faults:  Brown or rusty tinge on body color; orange to creamy orange hairs in areas other than the patterned areas; mealiness on the ears, head, muzzle; faded or indistinct markings.  Scattered white hairs over the body.
 
POINTED WHITE:  Body color is to be pure white.  Markings may be Black, Blue, Chocolate, or Lilac, and must be present on the nose, ears, feet, & tail.  Allowances should be made for developing color on juniors.  Toenails must show color.  Eyes - Pink.  
Faults:  Markings extremely faded, frosted appearance to the marking color.  
Disqualifications from Competition:  Any Tan Pattern marking appearing in the marking pattern.  
 
RED:  Color to be a brilliant red, carried as uniformly over the body as possible. Color to be carried well down the hair shaft to the skin, The wool will soften or diffuse color in the mane area of the coat and transitional wool in Juniors so that it may appear lighter than the body color and must be taken into consideration when judging. Belly color may vary from body color (preferred) to a dark cream. Underside of tail and eye circles may also be a lighter shade of red to cream. Eyes - Dark Brown. 
Faults: Lack of intensity and brilliance. Color dark and muddy or too light. Extremely light belly color. Light toenails. Smut on body. Ear lacing.    
Disqualification from Competition:  Heavy smut or ear lacing. White belly color or white underside of tail. White toenails 
 
RUBY-EYED WHITE (REW):  Color is to be pure white and uniform throughout.  Eyes - Pink.
 
SABLE MARTEN: The surface color of the head, outside of the ears, back, outside of the legs, and the top of the tail is to be a rich sepia brown with a slightly lighter undercolor. The surface color will fade to a lighter sepia on the sides and chest. All blending of color is to be gradual and free from blotches and streaks. The nostrils, eye circles, jowls, inside of ears, triangle, collar, back of fore feet, inside of hind legs, belly and the underside of the tail are to be a silver-white in color. Prominent silver-white guard hairs are to be evenly distributed around the chest, sides, and lowers hindquarters. Eyes- Brown.
 
SEAL:  Color is to be a rich sepia brown (bordering on black) on the saddle from the nape of the neck to the tail, shading to a just slightly lighter tint on the flank, chest, and belly.  Color is to carry well down the hair shaft with undercolor to match shadings throughout.  Toenails must be a uniform dark brown.  Eyes - Brown.  Ruby cast permissible, but not desirable. 
Faults:  Faded, "sunburned" or rusty tinge, too dark to show contrast in shadings, body color too light.
 
SIAMESE SABLE:  The surface color is to be a rich sepia brown on the head, ears, back, outside of legs, and top of the tail.  The surface color will fade to a lighter sepia on the sides, chest, belly, inside of legs, and underside of tail.  Dark face color is to fade from eyes to the jaws and all blending of the color is to be gradual and free of blotches or streaks.  The under color will be slightly lighter than the surface color.  Eyes - Brown.  
Faults:  Animal with streaks, blotched, poor color blending.  Scattered white hair, or lack of darker color in the loin area.  
Disqualifications from competition:  White underside on the tail, martenized markings  
 
SILVER MARTEN (Black, Blue, Chocolate, & Lilac):  The surface color of the head, outside of the ears, front of fore feet, outside of the hind feet, and the top and sides of the body are to be the surface and undercolor as described in the respective self varieties. The nostrils, eye circles, jowls, inside of the ears, triangle, collar, back of the fore feet, inside of the hind feet and legs, belly, and underside of the tail are to be silver-white in color. The triangle and the collar may white and may be slightly soften or diffuse color due to the wool of the mane. Prominent silver-white guard hairs are to be evenly distributed around the sides and chest. Eyes - The eye color is to be as described in the respective self-varieties.
Faults:  Fault animals with mealiness on the ears, head, or body. Scattered white hairs or indistinct markings.
 
SMOKE PEARL:  Color is to be a rich smoke gray on the face, ears, saddle, outside of legs, and top of the tail. Saddle color is to shade off gradually to a soft pearl gray on the flanks, chest and belly, inside of legs and underside of the tail. All blending of color is to be gradual and free from blotches or streaks. The under color will be slightly lighter than the surface color.
Eyes- Blue-Gray. Ruby cast permissible.  
Faults: Blotchy shading, animals that are too dark or too light to show a contrast of shading.
 
SQUIRREL: The surface color on the top and sides of the body is to be blue mingled with white. The intermediary band is to be white over a medium slate-blue undercolor. The chest is to be a light pearl over a medium slate-blue undercolor. The undercolor of the belly is to be slate blue. The top of the tail is to be blue, sparsely ticked with white, over a medium slate-blue undercolor. The nape of the neck is to be white. Toenails to be uniform and dark. An allowance is to be made for distortion of ring color in mane and transitional wool areas. Eyes - Blue-gray.
Faults:  Fault animals that are too light or too dark in surface color. Brown patches or brownish intermediary bands are undesirable.
Disqualifications from Competition:  Disqualify animals with extreme light or dark color, brown patches of color, or extreme bluish tinge in ring color. Animals without blue lacing on ears are to be disqualified.
 
TORTOISE (Black): The surface of the body is to be a rusty orange color on the loin, blending with a gray-black on the sides, rump, belly, head, feet, and tail. The color is to extend well down the hair shaft to an off white under color. Eyes - Brown.
Faults:  Stray White Hairs;  Underside of tail light in color.
 
TORTOISE (Chocolate):   The surface of the body is to be a rusty orange color, blending with a light to medium chocolate "shading" on the sides, rump, belly, head, ears, feet and tail. The color is to extend well down the hair shaft to an off-white undercolor. Toenails to be uniform and may be medium to dark brown. Eyes - Brown. Ruby cast permissible but not desirable.
Faults:  Surface color too light or too dark, smut over the back, scattered white hairs. Light color on the underside of the tail is undesirable
 
TORTOISE (LILAC):  Surface color on muzzle, ears, feet and tail to be lilac. Saddle and belly to be a medium creamy beige or almond that carries well down the hair shaft with an off-white undercolor. Saddle color to blend to a light dove-gray lilac shading on the lower rump and haunches. Toenails may be light but not white and must be uniform. May show lap spots on belly Eyes: Lilacs will show a ruby cast.
Faults: Orange or rusty surface color, Body color that lacks beige or almond so it looks almost white. 
Disqualification from Competition: White underside of tail, shading that is black, chocolate, or blue.