Miniature Show Donkeys

srpwildrose · Jun 4, 2004

I want to show my mini donkeys at the local State Fair......I don't know the "standards" for the miniatures. I have been to the ADMS web site, but haven't come up with anything.

Do they need to be shaved???? What grooming is required????

THANKS

minimule · Jun 4, 2004

Hi,

Good Luck! Hope you do good. I show my Jack all the time. He has been Grand Champion 2x and Reserve Champion 1x (out of 3 shows!)

Here, you do not have to body clip. Most people do though just so you can see their body better.

What the judge looks for is a straight topline, straight legs, how the neck ties into the body, proportion overall. Typically the same things they look for in a horse only donkey style.

I know at our shows, an intact jack must have 2 handlers no matter what size he is. One year we used the Oregon Mr. Longears rule book then made our own rules using those as guidelines the following year.

This is my jack the first show he ever went to and took Grand Champ over full size donkeys.

Short Assets Kilroy, 3 yrs old

srpwildrose · Jun 5, 2004

What a beautiful---handsome Jack. So, the 2 handler thing.......is there 2 lead ropes, one person on each side???

Do they check the bite on donkeys too????? And what about the hoofs???? On miniature horses, they are cut at a short angle, what about the donkeys???? So you polish/paint them too????

Thanks in advance

minimule · Jun 5, 2004

Thanks!

They do not check teeth, I don't think I'd want to try.

The hooves should be trimmed like a donkey hoof. They are trimmed a little different angle than horses, more straight.

The 2 handler rule: There are 2 leads, one person on each side. The 2nd handler does not "show" they are merely a safety precaution, should the jack get crazy. When the judge is looking at your donkey, the 2nd handler steps to the side with you so that the judge can have a full view.

Yes, I polish Kilroy. His coat has a natural sheen though. I have some photos of him that he looks fake he is so shiny. Maybe good diet and lots of love.

The 2nd year we showed Kilroy, there were a lot more jacks at the show. Whenever one would go off, it was a challenge to all the others. My husband was bringing Kilroy, by himself, to the arena because I was showing my baby mule. Kilroy decided he needed to show off a bit. He bit Dave's arm and caused this HUGE bump, broke his leather halter in 3 places. Luckily Dave had the intuition to wrap the lead around Kilroy's neck. If he hadn't done that, it could have been really ugly.

He asked my friend to hold Kilroy while he went to get his gun. My friend said "Ok", then realized what he had said. He was half way kidding but............

That year, we NEEDED the 2nd handler. Kilroy, even though he is mini, drug us both all over the place. That was the year we got Reserve Champ. The mammoth that beat us was calm inside the ring.