Remember When: Angora Standard in 1970s

 

 

 

 

This is an official publication of the ARBA but it is not the Standard of Perfection per se. In addition to listing the essence of the standard of each breed, the book also gives advises of how to raise rabbits.

 

 

 

This particular edition was published in 1976, before most of our readers started raising rabbits.



 

There were only two breeds of Angora: English Angora and French Angora.   The English Angora then was a lot bigger and heavier by reading the weight limits.   The weight limits for senior bucks are 5-1/2 to 7-1/2 pounds and the senior does are 5-1/2 to 8-1/2 pounds.   

The current senior weight limits for the bucks are 5 to 7 pounds and the does are 5 to 7-1/2 pounds.    The biggest difference is on the does, the upper limit is one whole pound less than in the old days.



 



The French Angora did not have an upper weight limit in the 70s; the wordings seem to suggest that the bigger the better.   To some degree this old standard makes a lot of sense since the French Angora is commercial type and considered dual purpose of wool and meat. 

The current standard lists the French Angora weight limits as 7-1/2 to 10-1/2 pounds for both bucks and does.   




These two photos have been used for many years before and after, when Betty entered into the wonderful world of Angora in 1981, these were the same two photos used in the Standard of Perfection.

 the English and French Angoras don't seem to be that different in appearance.   Prior to 1939, there was only one breed of Angora: Angora Woolers, then in 1939-1944 Standard of Perfection the Angora Woolers were separated into English Type and French Type.   The official names of English Angora and French Angora were adopted in the 1944-1947 Standard of Perfection.