Alex Stepnoski

     My name is Alex Stepnoski.  I am 16 years old.  I currently attend Central Bucks East High School, where I consistently receive honor roll.  I am a member of Delta Epsilon Phi, which is a National German Honors Society.  I have been involved in 4-H for nine years but I have been in the Little Rascals 4-H club for five years.  I raise English Angora rabbits.  Even though English Angoras are difficult to groom and take care of, I still enjoy keeping them.  In my spare time I like to listen to rock and techno music, hang out with my friends, play guitar, build robot models and model rockets, knit and of course, show rabbits.  I like to meet ne people and learn about their culture.  In the summer, I enjoy participating in State Achievement Days, which is a gathering of teens throughout the state competing for a certain event.  I participate in the Rabbit and Cavy quiz bowl.  I also like being one of the counselors at Camp Shehaqua, which is a 4-H summer camp.  I enjoy 4-H summer events because I have a chance to make new friends and see my old friends.  Through my regular 4-H club, I am involved in a lot of community service projects.  I sing Christmas Carols to a local nursing home, make soup for Meals on Wheels, make gift bags for "Wrapping Prescence" ("Wrapping Prescence" is an organization that helps give nursing home residents get into the spirit of Christmas by participating in a Secret Shop), hold a car wash for Hurricane Katrina victims and for the Heifer Project, donate socks to the Needlework Guild, make donations to organizations in need of money, plat flowers at a local park, and lots more.  Out of the county, our club has received first place for outstanding community service efforts.  I have participated in a wide variety of projects with this club that include pet care, photography, computers, woodworking, rocketry, tractor safety, cake decorating, pottery, candy making I & II, knitting, Vet Science I & II, and plenty more.  I have been involved in my county's Teen Council for four years.  I hope to be a delegate of the State Council and eventually represent Bucks County at 4-H National Congress.

Richard Vaerewyck

     I am really proud to be the PaSRBA 2008 King.  My name is Richard Vaerewyck and I live in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania.  I have a registered caviary, Richard's Pigpen, which is one of the few caviaries in Western Pennsylvania. 

     This was my eighth time competing for royalty at any level.  I competed in Wisconsin last year for the ACBA Prince.  I am very active in 4-H where I am the only cavy breeder in my club.  I raise Abyssinians and Hotots.  The Abyssinians have always been my favorite.  I love the way they jump around, bounce and squeak.  I have other animals including cats, hamsters, chickens and ducks and a skink, but none of them are as personable or interactive as an Abyssinian.

     I'm a sophomore at St. Joseph's High School where I occasionally make the honor roll.  It is a small school with only 300 students in ninth through twelfth grade.  It's a great school and the principal encourages me to do well and allows me to be absent from school to attend rabbit and cavy competitions.  I won first place in the Pittsburgh Regional Science fair this year for my project on Vitamin C Levels in Guinea Pig Feed.  I can tell you, if you raise cavies, don't buy your feed at the grocery store, buy it from a good feed store.

     I have had to do lots of studying and spent a lot of time to achieve the position of King.  I would encourage anyone to try for a royalty position because you meet lots of new people, learn a lot and have fun.  I have friends in every state now.  It also gave me a better understanding of how shows are run and judged, whcih made them much more enjoyable.  I now understand what judges are looking for and why they choose one animal over another.

     I like to do a lot of other activities as well.  I am active in the Boy Scouts and I have my Eagle, I scuba dive and whenever I visit my grandparents in Colorado, I volunteer at the Pueblo Raptor Center.  Since I have lots of experience with small furry things, the center usually has me take care of the mice and rats.  I love going into the cages and interacting with the raptors, particularly, Hurly, a vulture and Libby and Griffin, who are Kestrels.

     I want to thank my 4-H leaders, Kathy Kummer and Karen Cain, who have been great leaders and have helped me, encouraged me and put up with me at every turn.  I also want to thank our teen leaders, Jessie and Randi Kummer, Joey and Marnie Cain, Steve Allaman and Josh Epps, for being so active with the younger members of our club, teaching us and being patient.  We are fortunate to have Jessie Kummer, the Former Pennsylvania State Rabbit Queen in our club.  She is a great inspiration and makes sure I am at royalty events and always bugs me to wear my sash.

     I received my registrar's license last spring and have judged a couple of shows.  I hope to raise rabbits and cavies for many years to come because it's just so much fun.  One peice of advice, alsywas give your piggies a hug every day, it's good for you and it's food for them.

Danette Moore

     Hi, my name is Danette Moore.  I am in the ninth grade at Cedar Crest High School.  I am a very active student in both my school and my community.  In school I am in French, German and Key Club.  I have two honors courses, two college prep, and two languages (French and German.)  I play spring and winter soccer for the girl's high/middle school soccer team.  I am also in the Marching Band, Concert Band, and Chorus.  Outside of school I participate in other various soccer teams, youth group at my church, and two 4-H clubs.  My two 4-H clubs are the Backyard Poultry 4-H club and Lebanon County Rabbit and Cavy 4-H Club.  I am president of both of these clubs and are on many committees within the clubs as well.  I raise two breeds of rabbits, American Sable and Dutch.  I raise the black and tortoise varieties in the Dutch and Standard in the American Sable.  I have been raising Dutch for about the last three years and American Sables for about the last two years.  I love raising Dutch for the competition, because the Dutch are so particular about their markings and the point value is so high, it makes the Dutch a very hard breed to raise.  The American Sables I love because they are different and not many people have them.  I use my American Sables not only for show but also for my meat pens as well.  I received the special privilege of going out to ARBA this year and being on the Intermediate A team for both team Judging and Breed ID.  That was probably my most exciting memory of this past year.  We all had a lot of fun and enjoyed each others company.  I encourage all of you to go if you have not been to an ARBA Convention.  It is without a doubt an experience of a life time.  Thank you all very much for giving me this opportunity to be the 2008 PaSRBA Duchess.

Duke

Devon Turner

      Hi, my name is Devon Turner and I am proud to be your 2008 PaSRBA Duke!  I am 14 years old and attend Pa Cyber Charter School.  I am in the 9th grade and also take a few 10th grade classes.  I live in Philipsburg, PA in the central area of the state.  I have been in 4-h for 7 years now and I am always very active in activities.  I served as President of my 4-H club last year and am currently serving as Treasurer.  I have been breeding and raising rabbits for 8 years now and my first rabbit was an oversized pet Netherland Dwarf named Snowball.

      My sister got into Dwarf Hotots a little while after and I started to raise those also.  A few years later a freind of mine gave me a pair of mini rex, then I bred those and began to get some pretty good wins.  A year ago one of our friends was getting out of rabbits and he raised Californians and we bought 4 of them.  Later that year I bought a pair from a Maryland breeder and then we started to breed a lot.

     I am a member of ARBA, PaSRBA and the clubs of my breeds (Californian, Mini Rex, and Dwarf Hotots).  I competed on teams for the first time at Indy in 2005, and them we went to Michigan in 2007 and I competed on both the Breed ID and the Judging Teams.  I competed at the farm show in January since 2005 in showmanship.  I ahve also competed at state days for the first time this past year, and my throuwn together at last minute team placed 4th overall.

     I have been an active 4-H member since I have joined my moms club, Thundering Hoofbeats.  I started with horses and showing our mule Lightning, and then our other horse Easter Bars Zigmont, and I have been to states once with my mini horse Olde Pine Tress Sunny Day, also know as Sonny, and I have placed 3rd.  I also started my rabbit project in 4-H and I have been competing in public speaking and have given many presentations about rabbits and horses to our community.

     In 2005 my family decided to go to a national convention, and my sister and I competed on the Pa Intermediate Breed ID team and Judging Teams, and then again we went in 2007 to Grand Rapids, Michigan and I competed on the Intermediate Breed ID and Judging Teams there.

     I have a large interest in meat rabbits now and I am currently working on increasing my Californian herd.  I also would like to process meat rabbits and advertise a meat that is healthy.  I would also like to go to Kentucky for the 2008 ARBA national convention and try to see if I can compete on a team again and run for ARBA King.

Hailey Wolfe

Hi!  My name is Haiely Wolfe and I live in Myerstown, Pennsylvania.  I am prod to represent the Pennsylvania State Rabbit Breeders Association as the 2008 Princess.  I joined PaSRBA in 2004 along with my family.  I am ten years old, in fourth grade and I am home schooled.  I live with my parents Russell and Robin Wolfe and my older brother Kyle Allen who is currently attending our local community college.  We live on a small farm and raise rabbits, goats, chickens and hogs.  I also have tow ponies named Princess and Dakota.  The name of our farm and rabbitry is Hop-N-Hoof Farm.  The breeds of rabbits that we raise are Jersey Wooly, White New Zealand's, Angoras and I also own 17 goats in our herd and 20 chickens in our small flock.

     I really love to raise animals.  I have had my own rabbits since I was five years old.  My first rabbit was a Jersey Wooly named Buddy.  He still lives with us here on the farm.  Jersey Woolys are the main breed I raise and show.  I currently have 33 of them.  This past year I have also added Angoras and four cavies to my rabbitry.  Our rabbit barn has 65 cages.  My family and I also belong to the American Rabbit Breeders Association, National Jersey Wooly Rabbit Club, Lebanon County 4-H Rabbit and Cavy Club and Lebanon Valley Rabbit Breeders Association.  Since the spring of 2004 I have attended Rabbit shows in Pennsylvania, Maryland, New York, New Jersey and West Virginia.  I've had a lot of fun and enjoy going to the shows with my family.  I have met a lot of great people.  I look forward to attending more shows and having fun!

     In October of 2005, my Parents and I attended the ARBA National Convention in Indiana where I placed 2nd runner-up Lady.  This was my first national convention and I had a great time.  I had fun in the contests and I was on the PA Judging and Breed ID team.  I also attended the 2007 convention in Michigan.  If you ever have the opportunity to attend a national convention, I recommend that you go. 

     During the past four years I have participated in many judging and showmanship contests.  I have attended the Pennsylvania State Rabbit Breeders Association Convention since 2004.  I also attend our local fair every year to show my rabbits and the PA State Farm Show.

     I would like to say "Thank You" to the Pennsylvania Rabbit Breeders Association for allowing me to represent the organization as the 2005 & 2006 Lady, 2007 & 2008 Princess and for giving us the opportunities to learn about rabbits and cavies.

 Prince

Tim Werner

     I have been a member of the PaSRBA since 1999, and am proud to be serving as the Association's 2008 Rabbit Prince.  In the past I have served as the PaSRBA Lord and Prince and was selected as the ARBA first runner-up Prince at the Grand Rapids Convention in October.

     Currently I raise New Zealand Blacks and Whites, Golden Palominos, Cinnamons, Rex, and Lilacs.  For the past two years I have had the BOB Cinnamon at the ARBA Convention.  I belong to all my breeds' national specialty clubs as well as the Lebanon County 4-H Rabbit Club, the Lebanon Valley Rabbit Breeders Association, and the Mason-Dixon Rex Rabbit Breeders Association.  I am the treasurer of my 4-H club and a youth director for the Mason-Dixon club.

     When I am not at 4-H rabbit meetings or taking care of my project, I participate in a bunch of other activities in my school and community.  I am 11 years old and in the sixth grade at Lickdale Elementary (Northern Lebanon School District).  I attend gifted classes at school and have so far always made the superior honor roll.  I tutor students, serve on the Safety Patrol, and man the camera or soundboard for our morning announcement team.  My favorite subject is science.  I was also named student of the month for October. 

     I play the baritone and piano and am in the band and chorus at both church and school.  I was selected for District Band and was named first chair baritone  I play baseball and played on the all star team, basketball, and soccer.

     My family raises 130,000 turkeys every year and farms about 400 acres so I have plenty of responsibilities and jobs at home.  My parents are Jeff & Sue Werner, and we reside in Jonestown, Pennsylvania.

     I need to give big thank-yous to several people in the rabbit industry.  First I must thank my 4-H leaders - Art Sweinhart, Russ & Robin Wolfe, Kristina Kolb, and my mother for their tireless support of our 4-H Rabbit Club and organizing study sessions for breed ID and judging, and making up questions.  Lori Jo Whitehaus and Gerry Vaerewyck have provided lots of help with paperwork and setting up teams and keeping us focused.  Thank you also to Darlene Pajak for chairing the PaSRBA Youth Committee and to the PaSRBA itself for sponsoring these contests.

Lady

Sydney Turner

     Hi, my name is Sydney Turner and I am proud to be representing the Pennsylvania Rabbit Breeder's Association as the 2008 PaSRBA Lady!  I am eight years old, in third grade, and homeschooled.  I live near Philipsburg, Pa. with my mom and dad, my sisters Morgan and Lauren, and my brother Devon.  We own a farmette and raise rabbits, have several horses, a mule, and a miniature horse named Sunny.  The name of our rabbitry is Turners' Rabbit Habit and we raise Dwarf Hotots, Mini Rex and Californians.

     My mom and dad are 4-H leaders and my brother and sister are very active with 4-H, so I grew up around animals.  My mom started taking me to rabbit shows three years ago and I enjoyed them so much that I started my own line of Mini Rex that I am breeding, raising, and showing.  I also go on community service trips with my 4-H club to visit nursing homes, classrooms, or other clubs to talk about my rabbits.

     There are several clubs that I am a member of, including American Rabbit Breeders' Association, Pennsylvania State Rabbit Breeder's Association, the American Dwarf Hotot Rabbit Club, the Mid-Atlantic Dwarf Hotot Specialty Club, the Californian Rabbit Specialty Club, the Central Pa Rabbit Breeder's Association, and the Tri-County Rabbit Breeder's Association.  I am also a member of my 4-H club, Thundering Hoofbeats 4-H Horse and Rabbit Club of Clearfield County.

     I really like the outdoors and swimming, trail riding on my mule "Lightning", playing with my animals, going to church and 4-H activities, playing with friends, and traveling to rabbit shows.  Every trip we go on is an adventure!

Lord

Matthew James Nock

My name is Matthew James Nock.  I am 8 years ok, in third grade and home schooled.  My family moved from Ohio to Jamestown, Pennsylvania 6 years ago.

     I raise Dwarf Hotots and have a lot of other breeds including Polish, New Zealands, Begian Hares, Mini Rex, English Spot, Lionheads, Himalayan and Holland Lops. 

     I am a member of many rabbit clubs including ARBA, PaSRBA, Lake/Geauga Rabbit & Cavy club, Ohio Holland Lop Rabbit Fanciers, American Dwarf Hotot Rabbit Club, Mid-Atlantic Dwarf Hotot Club, and am a member of the Bodacious Bunnies 4-H Club.

     I would like to get a registrar's license and want to be rabbit judge when I get older.  I would also like to learn more about cavies and all their colors.

     I like fishing, bike riding and attending camp.  I also like swimming in the summer and taking arts and crafts classes.  I also have a lot of fun at my Church activities.  I am in my second year of Cub Scouts.

     I am very excited to be competing in the PaSRBA Royalty contest again this year and really learned a lot when I competed last year.  I had a lot of fun and met a lot of new friends.