Bedwell earns best-of-show rabbit honors for second consecutive year

She claimed the best-of-show award at the rabbit and cavy show at the Warren County Fair on Saturday, repeating a win from last year.

That came on the heels of earning top honors at the goat show on Thursday for best breeding meat goat and champion meat goat.

Bedwell hails from New Virginia and shows as part of the Virginia Boosters 4-H Club and Interstate-35 High School FFA. Her parents are Don and Tahra Bedwell.

Her entry at the rabbit show was a “pretty tame and friendly” Mini Rex named Strawberry. She kept with a fruit theme for naming all her animals at this year’s fair, she explained.

Rabbits are especially “fun to have,” said Bedwell. “They’re really soft.” In fact, Strawberry’s coat is so plush that the judge at the show even mused about her setup at home. Perhaps the bunny lives in a cooled room like a thick-coated show steer?

“He said he thought she lived in a cooler because her hair so nice,” she recounted. “It’s just extra nice.”

Bedwell explained that a judge at a rabbit show has certain criteria in mind when considering entries.

“Each breed has their own standard. The judge is looking for the rabbit that meets their standard the best,” she said.

In Strawberry’s case, according to the American Rabbit Breeders Association, she needed to be “plush coated” and weigh no more than 4.5 pounds. A “relatively new breed,” the Mini Rex was developed in Texas in 1984, became a nationally recognized breed in 1988 and can sport a variety of colors.

As for Strawberry, she wows with an ultra-thick black and white mottled coat. As little as she is, she continued the hefty life lesson that Bedwell has learned from all her animals.

“You learn responsibility and hard work,” she said. “You have to take care of them every day.”

A recent high school graduate, Bedwell may be closing the chapter on her grand finishes at the fair, but she’s hardly done with agriculture. She’s heading to Iowa State University this fall to study agriculture, life sciences and education.

RABBIT/CAVY SHOW RESULTS

Californian, best of breed — Merci Scholten

Best opposite — Merci Scholten

Champagne D’Argent, best of breed — Matthew Sonnenburg

Flemish Giant, best of breed — Autumn Ackerson

Best opposite — Ethan Cross

Best commercial rabbit — Owen Scott

Reserve commercial rabbit — Autumn Ackerson

Fancy Dutch best of breed — Kaylee Dykstra

Best opposite — Lex Marshall

Fancy Holland Lop best of breed — Jason Carter Scholten

Best opposite — Merci Scholten

Fancy Mini Lop best of breed — Leah Barry

Best opposite — Emma Lucas

Mini Rex best of breed — Hanna Bedwell

Best opposite — Hanna Bedwell

Netherland Dwarf best of breed — Kate Baker

Best opposite — Peyton McDonald

Rex best of breed — Graci Bedwell

Best opposite — Graci Bedwell

Best fancy rabbit — Hanna Bedwell

Reserve fancy rabbit — Phoenix Ackerson

Best meat rabbit — Santiago Barrenechea

Reserve meat rabbit — Santiago Barrenechea

Best in show — Hanna Bedwell

Reserve best in show — Phoenix Ackerson

Cavy best of breed — Anita Scholten

Best of show — Katie Marshall

Reserve best of show — Jenna Thraen

Pet best in class — Kaylyn Holmes

Pet reserve best in class — Santiago Barrenechea

Novice showman — Anita Scholten

Junior showman — Kaylee Dykstra

Intermediate showman — Olivia Welch

Senior showman — Kate Baker

Overall showman — Kate Baker

Cavy showman — Carter Scholten