Rachel BehrensWSRBA Queen
Hello! My name is Rachel Behrens, and I am your 2025 WSRBA Queen. I am 16 years old and in 10th grade. I live in Brooklyn, Wisconsin with my parents, Rob and Jenny Behrens, and my brother, Levi Behrens. I started my rabbit project in January of 2023. The breed that I raise is the Harlequin (Magpie group). Right now, I have 14 Harlequins. Also, I just started out with the New Zealand breed in the White variety. I have 2 New Zealands, a junior doe and an intermediate buck. I enjoy holding my rabbit kits, evaluating Harlequin markings, improving body type, and posing and grooming my rabbits. Some of my Harlequin rabbits’ wins include 4 BOB awards, 2 BOS awards, and 1st Senior Buck placing at 2023 Harlequin Nationals. One rabbit that I bred and raised myself and gave to a family member won 2 BOB awards and a BOS award. Some of my personal achievements include 2023 Harlequin Nationals Best Intermediate contest winner, 2024 Dane County Fair Showmanship Grand Champion Grades 7 & 8, 2024 WSRBA Limited Management winner, 2024 ARBA D3
Limited Management winner, 2024 ARBA 2nd Place Limited Management, and 2025 Dane County Fair Showmanship Grand Champion Grades 9+ with a perfect score. I have been involved with 4-H for 10 years and I show at the Dane County Fair every year. In addition to rabbits, I raise and show Pekin market ducks. Other than animal projects, some of my favorite project areas are archery, crocheting, and sewing. In my 4-H club, I am the secretary, and I enjoy making monthly agendas, taking roll call, writing meeting minutes, and keeping organized records. Outside of rabbits, I play viola and flute in a homeschool orchestra and band. In my free time, I enjoy reading, taking walks outside, learning German, and playing games with my family. I want to thank everybody who has helped me in my rabbit project. Thank you to my family for support and encouragement. Thank you to Rachel Zarse, Christine Bailey, Nickie Raines, Emery Bork, and Corbyn Giers for my Harlequins, and Mikayla Brey for my New Zealands. Thank you to Mikayla Brey for teaching me how to handle and tattoo my rabbits, and also how to sell market rabbits at the county fair. Thank you to everybody in the Badger RBA, especially Vic and Val Hasel, Jesse Wileman, and Andrea Smith for their support. Thank you to Jennifer Monarski for hosting educational 4-H club rabbit workshops. Thank you to Monica Spooner for welcoming my family at rabbit shows, and thank you to the judges that gave me helpful comments and feedback. Finally, thank you to everybody who organizes, leads, and scores the WSRBA youth contests. |
Owen YoungWSRBA King
Hi, my name is Owen Young, and I’m from Edgerton, Wisconsin. I am currently a junior at Edgerton High School. I am an active member of the Edgerton FFA and Fulton 4-H Club. Currently, I am the FFA Vice President of Agriculture Connections. My parents are Franklin and Sarah Young and I have one brother, Emmett. We raise corn, soybeans and tobacco on our farm in Rock County. I’ve been involved in the rabbit project since I was in 4th grade, starting with a Dwarf Hotot named Duck. Over the years, I’ve expanded to raise multiple breeds, including Satins, Mini Satins, and New Zealands. I am a youth rabbit leader for the Rock County rabbit project. At our county meetings, I present on different topics and answer questions, help with showmanship skills and helped organize a judging contest.
In 2024, I received a National FFA SAE grant for my rabbit project. I used the grant for additional equipment. Through this project, I’ve developed independence, responsibility, and strong communication skills. When I am not showing or taking care of rabbits, you can find me showing and taking care of pigs. I am an active member of the Wisconsin Show Pig Association, showing pigs at county, state and national shows. I’m also a member of the Rock County 4-H Livestock Judging team. My team participated at a regional state contest where I placed first senior individual and the team placed 3rd. We went on to be 3rd overall at the state competition and will be judging at the American Royal. I also raise fancy bantam and standard chickens. Some of my favorite accomplishments include winning Master Showman at the Rock County 4-H Fair in 2024 and at the Stoughton Fair in 2025, and winning showmanship at the 2024 Wisconsin State Rabbit Breeders Association State Convention. My future plans include attending a junior college and then a four-year university to study agriculture. |
Kaeyden StruthersWSRBA Duchess
I would like to thank Cherry Buddles, Amarah Thompson, and “Dream Team Polish” (which includes Jill Schmitt, Jessica and Deb Cotter) for all the wonderful help they have given me this year. I have achieved many awards with my rabbits in the few years I have been in the project. Counting all of the shows I have entered in my rabbit career, I have won eight different
showmanship competitions!! Showmanship is my favorite type of competition because the quality of the actual animal doesn’t matter. What matters is how your animal behaves and how much you know about your rabbit. I also enjoy getting to express how you feel about the rabbits in your own herd. My Polish have won two Best of Breeds and multiple Best of Variety awards in ARBA since 2022. We have also won multiple Best of Breeds at local 4-H shows and fairs. I was even honored with a Best in Show with my Polish, at a 4-H fun show in April I would also like to mention how proud I am of the accomplishments of four of my Polish rabbits in particular. With the awards they have won in the last year, I could “Grand” three of my Polish rabbits already. If I get one more leg with my other buck, then I can “Grand” him as well!! I have learned that this project actually includes a lot more work and responsibility than I originally thought. Between general care, breeding and raising litters, and showing, my rabbit project has helped me learn more responsibility, and better money and time management skills. I have also learned more carpentry skills since I helped my Dad build both of our barn sheds and many of our cages from scratch. Even with all that has happened through my three years in rabbits, my favorite accomplishment will always be that I found an awesome first bunny in my favorite breed... Polish and her name is Jellybean. |
Andrew HeriouxWSRBA Duke
I am honored to be your WSRBA Duke. My name is Andy Herioux. I have been the National Himalayan Prince and Duke, the WSRBA Lord, Prince and Duke, ACBA Prince, Superintendent of the Youth Benefit Show in 2025 and a member of the Wisconsin National teams since I was 6 years old. All of these achievements wouldn’t be possible without the support of my mom and dad, Tiffeny and Mark Herioux, my many rabbit friends, judges, and mentors. Special thank you to Ann Wimann, without her help and encouragement, I wouldn’t be able to pursue national youth contests and furthering my Himalayan herd. And Terry Kelman for mentoring me in cavy knowledge.
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Violet HeriouxWSRBA Princess
I am, Violet Herioux, I am honored to be the WSRBA 2025-26 Princess. In 2023 and 2024 I was part of the 3 rd place Quiz Bowl Team and Breed ID at ARBA Convention. I was awarded the runner up American Rabbit Breeders Association Lady at the ARBA Convention in 2022, I was proud because I had studied so hard and my parents had encouraged me to try it for the first time. Getting Reserve In Show with my lilac Himalayan junior doe at the Between the Lakes rabbit show this past July with Herioux’s Scottland. She is the 6 th generation from my original Himalayan doe Shine. All of these achievements wouldn’t be possible without the support of my mom and dad, Tiffeny and
Mark Herioux, my many rabbit friends, judges, and mentors. Special thank you to Ann Wimann, without her help and encouragement, I wouldn’t be able to pursue national youth contests, learn so much about cavies and furthering my Himalayan herd. I would also like to thank Terry Kelman for mentoring me as I continue to raise and show cavies. |
August JohnsonWSRBA Prince
Hi, my name is August Johnson. I am very honored to be your 2025 WSRBA Prince. I am 11 years old and I am in 6 th grade. I have two siblings. I have an older sister and a younger brother. This is my 5 th year raising rabbits. I raise Holland Lops. The name of my rabbitry is called, Providence Lane Rabbitry. I love learning about and showing rabbits. This past Spring I enjoyed showing in Columbus, OH at the Holland Lop Spring National Show, where I won “Best Display” with my Holland Lops. I also enjoy being a part of local and state clubs as well as specialty clubs. It has been an honor being the Wisconsin State Rabbit
Breeders Association Lord for 2021 & 2022 and Prince for 2023 & 2024, as well as being the American Rabbit Breeders Association Lord for 2022 and 2 nd Runner up Prince 2023 & 2024. Some other activities that I enjoy are: building Lego’s, Star wars, playing with Army men, Corn Hole, playing the piano, putting puzzles together, fishing, and collecting coins. I also enjoy going to Awana’s and Vacation Bible School. I would like to thank my very special friends, Mr. Kevin & Ms. Cherry, Ms. Charlotte, Ms. Mel, Ms. Angela, Mr. Terry, and all my special rabbit friends. I would also like to thank my Holland Lop Open & Youth breeder friends. I would like to say, “Thank you” to the WSRBA Youth rabbit Leaders for all they do to help the youth in our state. I’m Thankful to have the opportunity to compete in these youth contests and thank WSRBA for putting them on. |
Scarlet RedeckerWSRBA Lady
My name is Scarlett Redecker and I am your 2025 Wisconsin State Rabbit Breeders Association’s Lady. I am so excited to hold this title again! I am in the third grade and from Juneau, Wisconsin. I have been raising my Dutch rabbits for 3 years now. I only have grown my heard to 42 rabbits right now! I love spending time with my Dutch and they like when I take them out and brush them or give them treats. Besides rabbits, I also enjoy basketball, dancing, and volleyball. I have been enjoying
going to camps over summer and winter to learn more as I can play on my school teams now. My family also enjoys camping during the summer, hiking, fishing, and just the outdoors. My biggest achievements so far with my rabbits are winning Best of Breeds and Best Opposite of Breeds. One day I hope to be able to win a Best 4 Class and even a Best in Show! I am very thankful for the Zimdars family and Melody Stremkowski for helping me start with some really nice Dutch. I have also met many Dutch breeders from all over that have stepped up and helped me while I was at ARBA Convention last year. I am also happy my parents helped me meet these people to get a good start to showing. This was my second time trying the royalty contest. I wasn’t as scared as last year, just a little nervous, but I have learned a lot! |
Ezra JohnsonWSRBA Lord
Hi, My name is Ezra James Graham Johnson. I am 6 years old and I am going into 1 st grade. I got my 1 st rabbit when I turned 5 years old. I am so happy that I can show rabbits. I have American Fuzzy Lops, Dutch, and Holland Lop rabbits. My biggest achievement so far has been winning Best in Show with my American Fuzzy Lop named, “Little Pickle”. She is my favorite rabbit. When I am not showing my rabbit’s I like to play with Lego’s and ride my bike. I love to play baseball too! My favorite foods are pizza, sausages, and ice-cream. I like to go to Vacation Bible School and be in Awana’s at my church.
I would like to Thank my special friends for helping me get started in the project: My brother, August. He helps me a lot and teaches me about rabbits. My special friends, Ms. Mel, Mr. Kevin & Ms. Cherry, Ms. Charlotte, Ms. Angela, Ms. Rachel, Ms. Makayla, Andy, Violet, and Lily and all my other friends. Thank you also to the WSRBA youth leaders for all their help with the contests. I am so happy to be showing rabbits now that I am old enough. |