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About the Breed
About the Breed
The first American rabbit breed to combine rex fur and lop ears, Velveteen Lop rabbits are enchanting creatures. Although bearing a close resemblance to their English Lop ancestors, Velveteen Lops are mid-sized. Weighing 5 to 7 pounds, they strike a balance between manageable size and sturdiness.
Known for their gentle, affectionate personalities, Velveteens are excellent companions for families as well as engaging animals to show. They come in a striking variety of colors and patterns -- there's something for everyone with a Velveteen Lop!
Breed Standard
Breed Standard
The Velveteen Lop breed standard is governed by ARBA guidelines and will be published in the official ARBA Standard of Perfection after breed recognition.
Velveteen Lops are undergoing the formal process of becoming recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA). Velveteen Lops show under an ARBA Certificate of Development (COD) and are evaluated with a Working Standard. Velveteens can be shown at ARBA events but are ineligible to compete with other breeds for Best in Show until they are recognized.
FFA and 4-H youth exhibitors should verify Velveteen Lop show status with their rabbit project leaders prior to choosing a Velveteen for county shows.
Basic Requirements
Basic Requirements
Seniors 6 months of age and over
Weight range: 5 - 7 lb*
Ear length: Minimum of 14 in, measured tip to tip
Juniors under 6 months of age
Weight range: 3.5 - 5.5 lb*
Ear length: Minimum of 11 in, measured tip to tip
*New in 2025 update to working standard
Acceptable Colors
Acceptable Colors
Velveteen Lops are shown in solid color varieties. Similar to other lop breeds, acceptable colors in Velveteen Lops include varieties in the Agouti, Self, Shaded, Non-Extension, Pointed White, Tan Pattern, and Ticked groups.
While the breed is under a Certificate of Development (COD), working toward recognition, broken (white spotted) examples of these varieties, as well as tricolors, may be shown. Once the breed is recognized, broken and tricolor varieties will require separate variety CODs to show.
Please note that white ear, Vienna-marked, Magpie, Harlequin, and lutino varieties cannot presently be shown.
Posing Semi-Arch Breeds
Posing Semi-Arch Breeds
Velveteen Lops have semi-arch body type. Properly posing rabbits is essential to evaluating their merits.
Velveteen Lop Junior Doe Posing
Velveteen Lop Junior Doe Posing
Young Velveteen Lops need practice and training to display their best traits. Here a young doe learns the ropes.
Standards Committee
Standards Committee
Chair – [Name]
Members – [Names]
Responsibilities include:
Reviewing proposals related to breed standard
Coordinating with ARBA as required
Communicating updates to membership
Members wishing to submit a proposal related to breed development or standard refinement should contact the Standards Committee Chair.
Breed History
Breed History
The Velveteen Lop rabbit breed, inspired by the beloved character in Margery Williams' novel The Velveteen Rabbit, boasts a heritage spanning four decades. These rabbits offer a unique combination of traits in a medium sized build. Their plush rex fur is an inheritance from Mini Rex and Rex rabbits. Their distinct semi-arch body shape and elongated ears hail from their English Lop ancestry. Today's Velveteen Lop resembles a miniature English Lop, weighing 5 -7 pounds.
The breed's journey towards formal recognition with the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA) began in the late-1980s. Initially conceived by Virginia Menden, a California breeder, the responsibility for formally developing the breed passed through the hands of several dedicated fanciers, including Mary Crawford and David Kabela of Texas. Despite achieving several successful breed presentations, hurdles in meeting specific elements of the working standard impeded the breed from achieving full ARBA recognition.
Presently, under the stewardship of Lana Westerfield and Chase Austin of Texas, Velveteen Lops are on track for their final breed presentation at the 2026 ARBA National Convention in Reno, Nevada. An updated breed standard was drafted with feedback from experienced judges and includes the first Velveteen Lop-specific guide to the wide array of colors within the breed.
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