When Luceee Schirmer, 12, of Farrell, bought her bunny Matteee in January from a family in Salem, Ohio, she saved it from a possible fate as somebody’s dinner.

And Matteee got her just desserts in March when she was awarded the Best in Show at the junior national rabbit championship in Columbus, Ohio.

"A rabbit judge had told the family we bought her from that she was only good to be sent out for meat," said Luceee, a home-schooled student who recently finished seventh grade. "They didn’t want to do that, so they sold it to me for a pet."

Mateee, a black and white, or broken black, French Lop rabbit doe, is now considered one of the best rabbits in the nation.

A French Lop rabbit has ears that droop around its face, and the French title means its breed is supposed to have originated from France.

At the same time she bought Matteee, she also bought Spot, a broken black rabbit buck of the same breed, also considered only good enough to be an entree.

"The first contest I entered them in was in Washington, Pa., at the Penn-Jersey Lop Club show March 18, and Spot won best of breed as a buck, and Matteee won best opposite variety breed," said Luceee.

At another competition at the same time in Washington, the rabbits switched their awards during the Washington Youth Rabbit and Cavy Club show. A cavy is a guinea pig.

Luceee and her mother Lucinda were very excited about the rabbits’ awards and decided to continue entering them in competitions, finally taking them and several other rabbits Luceee owns to the Lop Nationals for Youth in Columbus, Ohio, competing against rabbit-owners from across the nation and Canada.

"We figured we would just go, but we didn’t think we would win anything. We were told if we placed in the top 10 in any category, we should be happy," Luceee said.

The competition against 123 rabbits was exciting for Luceee, but when she found out that Matteee had won best in show, not just for her French Lop breed, but best in show overall, including over the English Lop breeds, she and her mother cried.

"I just couldn’t believe it. I was so happy," she said.

Spot placed in the top 10 for his breed.

She was told later by judges to hold onto the rabbits and breed them. "They said Matteee is an awesome doe," added Luceee.

Matteee is due to have babies in about a week, which will add to the 10 rabbits Luceee owns.

Luceee also shares her rabbits with residents in nursing homes that she visits twice a week, according to her mother, and also entertains them with her keyboard.

"They like it," Luceee said.

Taking care of the rabbits is practically a full-time job for the family, cleaning out their cages, feeding them, brushing them and petting them.

"We have to pet them and hold them to keep them friendly," Mrs. Schirmer said.

Once the babies are born, the bunnies will compete in Randolph, Ohio at the Lop Rabbit Club of Ohio-Lop Specialty Show June 16.