Ela Ripperdan, 11, took a deep breath as the judge took her Holland Lop rabbit, named Romeo, to examine him during the show portion of the 4-H rabbit competition at the Lake County Fair on Tuesday.
Ela, with her hair pulled back and wearing a white lab-style jacket, watched intently as Romeo flailed in the judge’s hands. Between examinations by the judge, Ela petted Romeo to help him calm down.
Then, the judge turned to Ela, said something and she smiled wide. She grabbed Romeo and left the competition area toward the handful of parents and grandparents sitting nearby on small bleachers.
“I got purple,” Ela told her grandmother excitedly. Romeo received a purple ribbon, which indicates an honorable mention in the contest.
As the judge looked at Romeo’s fur, ears and other bodily features, Ela said she felt anxious.
“He was squirming everywhere. I thought, ‘This isn’t going to be good.’ But then he said, ‘He’s really great. I’m going to give you purple’,” Ela said.
After Romeo, Ela showed her second Holland Lop rabbit named Dusk. Ela said she felt more confident showing Dusk because he was calmer than Romeo.
Ultimately, Ela made it to the top three with Dusk and also received a purple ribbon for him. The judge told her that while Dusk was a little young, he had nice ears and good bone structure.
“I was happy that I got in the top three,” Ela said. “I had a great time.”
The Poultry Rabbit Barn at the Lake County Fair had 129 cages with two birds per cage, for a total of 258 birds, said Patti Nichols, a member of the Lake County 4-H Board of Directors. In total, 27 4-H kids showed the birds, she said.
The barn held 196 bunnies with 31 kids showing, said Amanda Woodworth, a member of the Lake County 4-H Board of Directors.
“It’s been amazing. The kids did a great job at the show. They worked together. So far so good,” Nichols said.
Amy Ripperdan, Ela’s mother, said it was her first year of showing rabbits through 4-H. They live in Hebron, but Ela participates in the Lowell 4-H Club, her mother said.
This was their first year at the Lake County Fair, Amy Ripperdan said, and liked how family-oriented it was.
Ela said she joined 4-H this year through the arts and craft side. She likes molding and sculpting, anything from animals to cups and bowls, she said. Earlier this year, she won a purple ribbon for a floral wreath she made, Ela said.
“Whatever my resources are, I use them,” Ela said.
Ela said she enjoys learning about rabbits and training them. For her, it’s another way to let out her creativity, she said.
As she cares for the rabbits, Ela said she ensures they are healthy, get exercise, eat and drink. She also works with them to sit and pose for shows and to remain calm. Ultimately, her goal is to learn to train increasingly larger animals, with the biggest animal being cows.
“I want to train small and get bigger later on,” Ela said.
Outside the competition, Ela said she looked forward to walking the Fairgrounds and eating steak tacos. But, before she left, she would make sure to say bye to Romeo and Dusk.
“They may not understand me, but I understand them,” Ela said.
Leah Desforges, of Lowell, and her 5-year-old son fed the chickens in the Poultry Rabbit Barn Tuesday. Desforges said she has four children, and they are current and future members of the local 4-H club.
4-H has been a good way for the children to learn about responsibility and caring for animals, Desforges said.
Her family has loved the Lake County Fair, Desforges said, because it is big and offers a variety of food, rides and exhibits. The Lake County Fair runs through August 11, and Desforges encouraged people to attend.
“Especially if you don’t live on a farm, it’s fun for the kids to see the animals,” Desforges said.
