Franklin’s Conner Robinson wins grand champion rabbit market pen at the Illinois State Fair
By Ben Cox
Franklin High School started school on Wednesday, August 13. One student was missing from class as he was beginning his trek to become a grand champion at the Illinois State Fair.
Conner Robinson has been showing rabbits for seven years now. He’s won several awards, including Best of Breeds at local county fairs and some best of variety awards at the National Havana rabbit breed show in Sedalia, Missouri in 2019. He recently won the rabbit meat pen competition at the Morgan County Fair in July.
Robinson’s Morgan County Fair winning rabbits aged out of competition before the Illinois State Fair, so he had to put together a couple of new sets of rabbits to enter.
“A rabbit meat pen consists of three rabbits and they must be a commercial type breed that basically means they are suitable for meat production,”
Robinson explained, “They must meet the criteria set forth by the breed’s standard of perfection. Meat pens must be 70 days or less when shown and must weigh at least 3 1/2 pounds and no more than 5 1/2 pounds. They also cannot have any disqualifications like poor teeth, abscesses … [and must have] correct toe nail color and be free from any other defects. They are fed pellet feed and must have access to fresh clean water at all times. They are kept in cages with wire floors to keep them clean. The closer to show, they are weighed weekly, and then almost daily, to make sure the three rabbits are close in weight. It is very challenging to get three uniform rabbits in weight, body type, flesh condition and fur condition.”
One of the two sets that Robinson entered at the Illinois State Fair finished first in the California class while the other finished third. Robinson’s first-place group moved on to the Saturday evening judging for grand champion and won.
Robinson says the whole experience was overwhelming for him and his parents, “So many emotions, shocked and still trying to grasp it. There were a lot of great meat pens on the judging table. I am just honored to be able to experience this. After winning, I didn’t realize how many people from Morgan County and people I have shown rabbits with over the years that reached out to congratulate me and my family.”
Robinson had to spend time with his rabbits for 12 hours each day of the fair. On Wednesday, Gov. JB Pritzker toured the barns ahead of the Governor’s Sale of Champions. Robinson spent upwards of 20 minutes in conversation with the governor and got pictures.
Robinson’s rabbits earned $5,500 in the grand champion sale, going to AgriVest Farm Management, Field Level Agriculture, Edward Teefey and Farmers State Bank of Mt. Sterling, and Prairieland FS.
A portion of the proceeds will go to Robinson for use in continuing to raise rabbits or helping to pay for his college education. “I am really a history buff. I have thoughts about majoring in history and possibly teaching history after college,” Robinson says.
Robinson wasn’t the only local who took home a host of ribbons from the Illinois State Fair. Bryce Clayton of Scott County won grand champion market lamb, with the animal selling for $8,500 during the Grand Champions sale. Jones Meat & Locker of Jacksonville also won the competitions for champion bacon and champion beef jerky.
Robinson, who is entering his sophomore year at Franklin High School and is a member of Apple Creek Clovers 4-H and Franklin FFA, will certainly have plenty of stories to tell his friends as he returns to school.
