Big Dreams in R-Town: Ramona Junior Fair 2024

The Ramona Junior Fair, which took place from July 19 to 28, showcased local 4H and FFA members’ animals and Home Economics displays with the theme “Big Dream in R-Town.” One participant was San Diego Country Estates resident Trevor Ogilvie, 10, who is a member of the Ramona Wranglers 4H group and won Reserve Grand Champion Rabbit Meat Pen.

A Rabbit Meat Pen is a category consisting of three rabbits judged as a group. Each rabbit must weigh a minimum of 3 ½ pounds and a maximum of 5 pounds and all must be close in weight and conformation. Trevor’s rabbits are 70 days old and from the same litter, although that is not a requirement for the competition. “Rabbits are a low-commitment project,” says Stephanie Ogilvie, Trevor’s mother.

According to Stephanie, the rabbits her son raised are Californian does and bucks and are from the breeding stock of her mother, Trevor’s grandmother, Debbie LeRoy’s rabbits. Trevor kept the rabbits at his grandparents’ farm in Ramona. While caring for his rabbits in the months leading up to the Ramona Junior Fair, Trevor wrote letters to ten buyers to build interest in his project and have potential buyers bid on his meat pen at auction. He mailed some of his letters and hand-delivered the rest. The auction was held on Saturday, July 27, and Trevor sold his rabbit meat pen to Feltet Drommer for $1200.

“It’s fun to be back at the fair,” says Stephanie. “I grew up doing this my whole life.” Stephanie graduated from Ramona High School in 1996 and grew up showing in 4H and FFA. Her final year in FFA was in 1997. She was able to show one year after graduation in her alumni year and couldn’t be happier that her son is following in her footsteps in an organization that she is very passionate about. Stephanie judged the primary division, showmanship rabbit division and cavies, and junior, intermediate, senior and FFA classes. She also judged the small animals master showmanship class.

Trevor has been excited to be part of the RJF and helped with the fair all week. During the fair setup, he helped fix clogged misters in the pig area in the barn to keep the animals cool. He enjoyed running around the fairgrounds with his friends and was very excited to ride the rides at the Ramona Country Fair, which was from July 26-28. He attends Barnett Elementary School and will be starting 4th grade at the end of August. He plans to show rabbits again next year and hopes to show a pig as well. Congratulations, Trevor, on your win at the Ramona Junior Fair!