The first rabbit jumping competitions were held in Sweden in the late 1970s, with rules originally inspired by horse show jumping. As the sport developed, the rules were adapted to better suit rabbits.

The Swedish Federation of Rabbit Jumping was established in 1994. Today, it has more than 1,100 members and 20 affiliated clubs across Sweden. National federations have also been established in Norway and Finland, while rabbit jumping is practiced in several other countries.

In rabbit jumping, the rabbit completes a course of jumps within a set time, usually around two minutes. The goal is to finish with as few faults as possible, with the fastest time deciding in case of a tie.

There are four types of rabbit jumping:

• Straight course

• Crooked course

• High jump

• Long jump

The most important part is that everything happens on the rabbit’s own terms. The rabbit should never be forced to jump, and the handler needs patience and persistence to build trust and confidence.

Straight and crooked courses have four official levels: Easy, Medium, Difficult and Elite. There are also Mini and Veteran classes.

As the level increases, the jumps become higher and longer and the courses become more challenging. Rabbits can earn promotion points in competitions and gradually move up through the levels.

In High Jump and Long Jump, rabbits compete to jump the highest or furthest. Each rabbit gets three attempts at each height or length.

The rabbit’s safety and wellbeing always come first. Jumps must be built so they can easily fall without hurting the rabbit, and rabbits must wear a suitable harness and leash.

All breeds and crossbreeds can participate as long as the rabbit is healthy. Handlers must be at least seven years old, and rabbits must be at least four months old to compete.