INDIANAPOLIS – Brooklyn Peterson, of Bedford, Ind., went out with a bang in her final year of eligibility in 4-H. Peterson, a 10-year member of the 4-H program in Lawrence County, garnered the show ring spotlight at this year’s Indiana State Fair.

Representing the Lawrence County 4-H Rabbit Club at this year’s fair, Peterson took Best of Breed and Best Opposite Sex with her Checkered Giants. She also received Best in Variety for her Blue Checkered Giant and Best in Variety for Black Checkered Giant. Peterson also won Best of Breed for her Thrianta.

And there’s more. In 2021, she received the Best of Breed award at the state fair with her Checkered Giants. Last year, she won Best of Breed with her rabbits. Contestants of the rabbit show ring are probably happy to see Peterson move on. After all, she has won Best of Breed at three of the past five Indiana State Fairs.

Peterson grew up on a small farm in Bedford and has been surrounded by animals of all kinds, especially rabbits. She currently has 21 rabbits back on the farm.

In addition to the rabbits, Peterson shows her horses and pigs, though the latter species she shows for fun.

“I didn’t take my pigs to the state fair,” Peterson said. “I just feel that since I show three species I obviously had to pick ones I’d be more dominant with. I’m just so busy throughout the year that I decided the pigs would be the ‘fun’ one. I enjoy being with the pigs and wasn’t as serious. With the horses and rabbits, I tend to get stressed a bit, but with the pigs it was more of a fun and relaxed environment.”

Peterson graduated from Mitchell High School in Mitchell, Ind., a school that doesn’t offer FFA classes.

“I missed out on not being involved with FFA and wish I could have,” she said, “but on the bright side I was a 10-year member of 4-H and concentrated on horse, pigs and rabbits. I’d say horses are my favorite animal, pigs are most relaxing and rabbits brought me the most success.”

Peterson was a member of the National Honor Society, finishing 13th in her senior class of 93. Peterson also had time to play a sport the loved – basketball. She played that sport from kindergarten to her senior year in high school. Now, she is a freshman at Indiana University, studying criminal justice and longing to be a detective.

“4-H has made a huge impact on my life,” she said. “It’s meant everything to me growing up and it’s where I’ve met some of my best friends. I love animals, so it means a lot to me to have been able to show them. I already miss 4-H very, very much. I plan to run for our county fair pageant next year and a representative from our county asked me to apply to be a volunteer to help out with all the other 4-H clubs at the fair.”

Peterson has been blessed with success and hopes others are able to succeed with their animals.

“I would advise other 4-Hers to try your best and also try to relax and enjoy the moment,” she said. “4-H kids oftentimes spend the entire year preparing for those few seconds in the show arena. I always tried to keep myself calm and collected, and kept reassuring myself that I worked hard and did the work, so that once I went into the arena everything would be OK.”

The Lawrence County 4-H Rabbit Club was well represented at the state fair. Isabelle Barker showed her Jersey Wooly rabbits and received a second-place and two third-place ribbons. For her Rhinelander, she placed third.

Barker’s rabbit posters from the country fair were selected to compete at the state level. She received an exceptional blue merit ribbon.

Four members of the club represented Lawrence County at the 2023 State Rabbit Ambassador contest. This contest is a comprehensive evaluation of a 4-H member’s knowledge and skills in the area of rabbits. Contestants had to win their age group at the county fair to advance to the state level. Advancing from Lawrence County were Heaven Cooper (senior division), Isabelle Barker (intermediate division), Andrew McKnight (junior division) and Wyatt Williams (novice division).