Aubrey Schwartz, 16, was named Overall Rabbit Showman at the Fayette County Junior Fair Rabbit Showmanship competition on Monday.
Schwartz is a member of the Crazy Critters 4-H club and has been involved with 4-H for eight years. She said she raises rabbits all year long and even breeds and sells them to other 4-H participants.
Schwartz, who scored 100 percent on the knowledge portion of the show, said rabbit showmanship takes a lot of practice. She showed a Junior Black Dutch Rabbit that she calls “Mike.”
In second place was Courtney Dodds, 17. Dodds is a member of the Funny Farmers 4-H club and has been involved with 4-H for eight years. Third place went to Kandice Mathews, 14, fourth place to Abi Mick, 9, and fifth place to Sophia Parsons, 13.
The overall showman is selected from among the winners of each class. This year, there were 13 classes.
In addition to those already mentioned as placing within the top five overall, class winners included: Katelyn Bock, Leah Marine, Abby McMahon, Alyvia Atkinson, Morgan Cartwright, Benjamin Mathews, Morgo Funderburg, and MacKenna Leasure.
Judge Danny Long said he selected winners based on their ability to handle their rabbits and their answers to his questions.
On Tuesday, the junior fair rabbit mean pen show will begin at 8:30 a.m. at the small animal barn. The junior fair rabbit breed show will begin at 10:30 a.m.
More rabbits are being shown this year at the Fayette County Fair than any other animal. As of Monday, 282 market rabbits were checked in and 165 breeding rabbits were checked in, according to fair officials.
