Overview: The Cal State Royalty Contest acknowledges excellence among Cal State youth members in attendance at the annual Cal State Convention. The Royalty Contest allows youth to demonstrate their mastery of rabbit and cavy industry knowledge and skills. In addition, the Royalty Contest provides problem-solving, decision-making, and goal-setting activities for all participating youth. There are eight categories:

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• Lords and Ladies –  Ages 8 and Under  

• Princes and Princesses –  Ages 9 to 11  

• Dukes and Duchesses – Ages 12 to 14  

• Kings and Queens – Ages 15 to 18  

The competition consists of five parts: 

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1. Written application: When filling out the application, applicants must answer 16 questions, which ask about everything from what breeds the applicant raises, how the applicants care for their animals, what awards the applicant has won, and how the applicant has been a leader in their project.  Applications are typed, can be up to 7 pages long, and are submitted prior to Cal State Convention. 

2. Written Test: The written test consists of questions testing all areas of rabbit and cavy knowledge.  Most of the test content comes from the ARBA Standard of Perfection and the book Raising Domestic Rabbits and Cavies.  Contestants will take the test on the Saturday morning of the Convention.

3. Breed ID: The Breed ID contest requires contestants to identify the breed, showroom variety, registration variety, and number of classes the breed is shown in (4 or 6), for 25 animals. .

4. Judging or Showmanship/Handling: Contestants over the age of 11 participate in the judging contest, where they will place four classes, each consisting of four animals.  Contestants ages 9 to 11 will participate in showmanship, which can be done with a rabbit or a cavy. The ARBA Showmanship Scorecards will be used for this portion of the contest.  Contestants under the age of 9 will participate in handling, which requires them to demonstrate their ability to handle their rabbit or cavy. The handling portion is done at the same time as the interview portion of the contest.  For more information about the judging and showmanship contests, see the individual contest information below.  

5. Oral Interview: Each contestant will be interviewed by a panel of two or three volunteer judges.  The questions asked will be similar to the questions asked in the application. Contestants will be judged on the content of their answers, as well as their personal presentation.

Eligibility: All youth who are Cal State members are eligible to participate.  Only California residents are eligible. All contestants will receive a results packet with their scores from each part of the contest.

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Do I Have to Attend Convention to Participate?  Yes, in order to participate in Royalty, youth must be present at Cal State Convention on Saturday.  All parts of the Royalty contest (except the application) take place at Convention and awards are announced Saturday night at the banquet. 

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Awards: TBA

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How to Enter:  Closely follow the directions on the Cal State Royalty application form and make sure to submit all parts of the Royalty application.  This includes the entry form, a photo, the written application with answers to all 16 questions, and your written bio. All applications must be submitted online.

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Entry Deadline: Submitted by 11:59:59 PM PST on February 11, 2024 on the Youth Portal.

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