Hayden Garcia delivered a standout performance Wednesday afternoon, July 29, during the 2026 Rio Blanco County Fair Rabbit Show, earning championships in showmanship, market, breeding and the Born and Raised competition while also taking top honors in the Open Show.
Garcia was named champion senior showman, then went on to claim both champion and reserve champion market rabbit honors. Garcia also earned grand champion breeding rabbit and swept the Born and Raised division, winning both champion and reserve champion. In the Open Show, Garcia’s junior doe was selected as grand champion doe and Best Opposite Sex in Show.
Skylar Wilson earned champion junior showman honors, followed by reserve champion Grace Raley and third-place finisher Whitney Carroll. In the senior division, Hoyt Garcia was named reserve champion, while Blake Smith finished third after moving up from the intermediate division to complete the three-entry class. Cash Smith earned champion honors in the pee wee division.
The market show featured two roaster classes and a meat pen class. Hoyt Garcia won Roaster Class 1, followed by Carroll and Raley. Hayden Garcia claimed first and second in Roaster Class 2, earning the overall grand and reserve market championships, while Wilson finished third and Carroll placed fourth. Hoyt Garcia also won the meat pen class.
In the breeding show, Hayden Garcia earned grand champion breeding rabbit after winning the breeding doe class. Blake Smith was named reserve champion breeding rabbit after winning the breeding buck class. Hayden Garcia finished second and Hoyt Garcia third in the breeding buck class, while Hoyt Garcia placed second in the breeding doe class.
Hayden Garcia also swept the Born and Raised division, receiving both champion and reserve champion honors.
The Open Show concluded the day’s competition, with Sonya Garcia earning Best in Show after exhibiting the grand champion buck. Hayden Garcia’s grand champion doe was selected as Best Opposite Sex in Show.
Karen Arnold won the junior buck class, with her rabbit also earning reserve champion buck honors, and claimed first place in the intermediate buck class. Sonya Garcia won the senior buck class with the grand champion buck and Best in Show entry. She also took first in the senior doe class with the reserve champion doe.
Hayden Garcia won the junior doe class with the grand champion doe, followed by Karen Arnold in second and another Hayden Garcia entry in third. Hayden Garcia also placed second in the senior doe class.
The annual rabbit show highlighted exhibitors’ skills in animal care, breeding and showmanship as part of the Rio Blanco County Fair.
Hayden Garcia poses with her champion and reserve champion market rabbits following the market show at the 2026 Rio Blanco County Fair. Garcia claimed several top honors during the rabbit show. KAYSYN KRYSTAL PHOTOGRAPHY