Come on Out to the 79th ARBA Convention, October 6-10th in Peoria, Illinois

Remember, this is a No Ear Number entry system and should have assisted in an 'easier decision' in the filing of your entries.  The entry system and reduction method (which was necessary in the open rabbit division) is explained elsewhere on this website. (The Entry System)  Should you have any questions, please feel free to email us at PEORIACONV@aol.com with your questions.

The Illinois Rabbit and Cavy Shows is again proud to have offered the “NO EAR NUMBER” entry system for our exhibitors. We feel this is an excellent way for you to bring the very best animals to the convention without having to withstand any additional substitution fees. The method works as such:

If you have 4 animals of the same showroom class in your rabbitry and wish to enter 2 of them in the convention, you simply record the breed, variety, class, and sex on the entry form for the 2 animals. There is no ear number required on the form. When you leave home for the convention, you simply bring the best 2 animals of the 4 you have to choose from. The ear numbers will be recorded at the time of check-in. The above method affords YOU the opportunity to show your best conditioned rabbits without having to make any substitutions from your original entry. ** YOU MAY NOT MODIFY ANY ENTRY BY CHANGING AN ANIMAL’S BREED, VARIETY, CLASS, OR SEX.

Should you wish to enter any animal in a fur class, it was necessary to designate an animal on your entry fee as entered in fur. This was/is for our data entry procedure. However, at the time of check-in, you have the option to change the original animal you  entered in fur to any other animal of that breed on your entry if desired.

It is realized entering animals in a fur class a month before the show is nearly impossible. The above allows you to designate how many animals in a breed that you will have in fur, but not be restricted to which ones are actually shown in the fur class until the time of entry. Again, a bonus for the exhibitor by allowing them to actually choose the animals for competition in the fur class at the last minute.

PLEASE CHECK YOUR ENTRY FORM PRIOR TO MAILING TO INSURE ALL DATA FOR EACH ANIMAL IS COMPLETE. BE SURE TO MARK YOUR ENTRY AS TO OPEN OR YOUTH, RABBIT, OR CAVY. MAKE SURE THE BREED, VARIETY, CLASS, AND SEX IS DESIGNATED FOR ALL ANIMALS. THIS WILL INSURE PROCESSING THE ENTRY WITH NO DELAY!  IF WE DID NOT RECEIVE THE MISSING INFORMATION FROM YOUR ENTRY PRIOR TO YOUR CONFIRMATION SHEET BEING ISSUED AND MAILED, WE WILL HAVE ENTERED AN ANIMAL OF CHOICE SIMPLY IN ORDER TO COMPLETE THIS PROCESS. 

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*All exhibitors are being sent a confirmation sheet now that all entries have been processed in our computer and the reduction process run. The confirmation sheet will list exhibitor data, whether open or youth, rabbit or cavy, the animals entered, and any additional events (banquet or tour). Please allow us ample time to process and return this information to you.  

*With an entry postmark deadline date of August 31st, and the Labor Day holiday weekend, flats of mail were being delivered here from September 3rd on. We were still signing for entries (certified mail) that carried a postmark of August 31st, and that only arrived here on September 11th.  Saturday, September 14th mail brought in 4 Convention entries that were postmarked August 30th and August 31st. With an approximate 19,000 total animals, along with all exhibitor data, to enter into the system,  it was difficult to have this completed as quickly as we would all prefer. 

*Due to the noted limited entry, and the number of entries we've received, it was necessary for us to utilize the entry reduction system that was posted on the website and within the show catalog. All of the animals were entered in the system, the computer entry reduction method was in place, and confirmation sheets will be arriving sometime during the week. Please keep a check on the website for the breed totals.  (There was no reduction process utilized in the youth division!)

*Your confirmation sheet will also include the number of animals that it may have been necessary to cut from your entry.  Once you have received this confirmation, IF there have been animals cut from your original entry, you must then notify us which animals you choose to remove from the number noted was necessary to cut. At that same time, you will also notify us IF there were any errors made by us from that which you originally submitted on your entry form.  Please contact us immediately with this information once your confirmation sheet(s) have been received by you!!

*Again, the best method of contact for this information and/or necessary corrections to your entry, is via email at the email address listed below, or by regular USPS "immediate return mail" to: 79th ARBA Convention  Attn: Norma Hart  190 North First Ave., Coal City, IL 60416.

Any verification of your entry confirmation sent to us via email  should be directed to the following email address:

Entry fees for any animals that had to be cut from your entry will be returned within your exhibitor package upon your check out. At that time, should you note any error with regard, it will be corrected immediately!  It is not at all feasible to return these fees prior to that time.  Not knowing if there would be the necessity of a cut until after all of the entries had been processed, and the fact that we were receiving entries postmarked on the 31st for as much as 2 weeks after, we must first be assured that those payments received here are honored by those accounts from which they were written.  Although unfortunate, there are often many checks returned the Convention sponsors unpaid for various reasons.  If we were to include payment returns before those fees paid were cleared through our bank, it is quite possible that we would be returning fees for animals and/or event registration to some who may not have paid us with a good check for these same areas.

Again, ALL funds due the exhibitor, (eg: entry refunds, and/or events funds should it become necessary to cancel, change or modify any event), will be returned to you immediately upon Convention checkout.  This is the same manner in which funds were returned from those reduced entries, events and parking fees (or other) in 1996 for the ARBA Convention sponsored by our group at that time, and it worked well.  

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Wood shavings will be furnished by the convention sponsor as bedding material in all coops 'with exception to the wool breeds.' NO STRAW OR GRASSY SUBSTANCE WILL BE PERMITTED AS BEDDING. The wool breeds may use paper for bedding if desired. ALL COOPS SHOULD BE CLEANED REGULARLY IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN A SANITARY CONDITION WITHIN THE SHOWROOM. ANY EXHIBITOR NOT PROPERLY CARING FOR THEIR ANIMALS WILL BE ASKED TO REMOVE SAME FROM THE SHOWROOM, AND ALL ENTRY FEES FORFEITED.

Flying Delta to Peoria, Chicago O'Hare or St Louis??  Here's the The Delta Number ~  
The number for Delta is 188133A. This number can be applied to your ticketing to Peoria, St Louis, and Chicago O'Hare.. Ticketing must be finalized at least 60 days prior to your flight date