Once a year, almost everyone gains an interest in rabbits over the Easter holiday, but now, is the athletic bunny going to be in the news to stay? Rabbit jumping leapt to prominence in the 1980s in Sweden and is now bounding through the UK.

During the London Pet Show at Earls Court Two on 12-13 May, you can get a taste for the sport as the cream of Britain’s bunny show jumper crop tries to keep up with their Swedish counterparts in an encounter where the contestants will go at it like Olympians.

Similarities to Olympic showjumping

Much like show jumping, the rabbits go round a course with time penalties added for any obstacles dislodged. Jumps are miniature versions of the show jumping ones and incredibly more than three times the height of the rabbits. Unlike show jumping, there is also a penalty if the owner has to lift them over. The fastest time wins.

While British owners are taking up the pursuit in increasing numbers – their appearance at Earl’s Court comes off the back of a successful exhibition in front of an estimated 10,000 spectators at a show jumping race in Yorkshire UK, held earlier in the year.

And where will the sport end up?

Perhaps at the Olympic Games itself? If it can be done with horses, then why not with rabbits? There have been, and maybe still are sillier sports in the Games, and the sight of a rabbit leaping over three-times its height is actually pretty impressive. What do you think?

For the latest Olympic Games updates visit the 2012 London Prepares website www.londonprepares.com