5 in contention for princess crown
From left, Julie Downing, Rebekah Lea King and Hannah Gross are the contestants for the 2017 Logan County Fair Qeen title. The queen and princess contest, which features five youths, begins at 6 p.m. Monday, the opening day of the fair.
The Logan County Fair royalty contest features three candidates vying for the title of queen and five girls who seek the princess title.
The competition begins at 6 p.m. Monday in the activity building near the front entrance.
Queen contestants
Julie Downing, 17, daughter of Karen and Todd Downing of Belllefontaine, is a senior at the Ohio Hi-Point Career Center where she is an honor student en-rolled in the anaimal management program. She is a member of the FFA and Key Club, plays tennis and bowls for Bellefontaine High School, and shows rabbits at the Logan County Fair. She currently is a volunteer at the Columbus Zoo.
“I love learning about the experiences that people have had, not only at fair, but in life,” she wrote in her application essay. “I would be happy to represent our fair as I always have a smile on my face.”
Hannah Gross, 18, daughter of Larry and Shelli Gross of Bellefontaine, is a 2016 graduate of Bellefontaine High School and is an honors respiratory care student at Rhodes State College, where she works in the admissions office.
She has served as the poultry, pig and lamb and wool queen, and was the runner up in the 2016 Logan County Fair queen contest.
She has shown a variety of 4-H and FFA projects over the years at the fair, where her entries this year are beef steers, hogs, lambs, beef feeders and scrapbooking
“The qualities that I possess that will make me a good representative for the Logan County Fair include, but are not limited to: responsibility, dependability, honesty, self-discipline and team work,” she wrote in her application essay. “Being the lamb, pig and poultry queen has taught me many valuable lessons.”
Rebekah Lea King, 17, daughter of David and Amy Jo King of DeGraff, is a junior honors student at Riverside High School and a three-year member of the Junior Fair Board and vice president of the Riverside Hustlers 4-H Club. She is in marching band and has participated in plays at the Holland Theatre.
She will show rabbits and goats this year at the fair, and has served as rabbit and goat queen.
“I have always enjoyed 4-H and the bonds you have with each other, and the friendships, and now that I have been in it for so long, I’ve memories that will last forever. I want other kids to have this as well, because it always gives me so much joy to lead a game in my group, or show kids how to show rabbits,” she wrote in her application essay.
Princess contestants
(L-R) Jaidyn Jackson, Crosley Lacher, Izabella Meister, Karys Varner, Madison Watkins
Jaidyn Jackson, 9, daughter of Gregg and Jinger Jackson of DeGraff, is a fifth-grader at Riverside Schools. She has had steer and beef feeder projects at the fair.
“What I would learn by being Logan County Fair princess is social skills, leadership and responsibility. The experience would be great so I can meet new people and represent Logan County,” she wrote in her application essay .
Crosley Lacher, 9, daughter of Tara Snyder and Jarold Lacher or rural Bellefontaine, is a fifth-grader at Indian Lake Elementary School. She has a pistol and rifle project in her first year of 4-H.
“I woud hope by being Logan County Fair princess that I would learn to be a little more outgoing and confident,” she wrote in her application essay. “I think by being around the public more I would add to my caring personality and be able to have a lot of fun, while introducing people to 4-H and the many things they have to offer.”
Izabella Suzette Meister, 11, daughter of Fran and Bretnie Meister, is a sixth-grader at West Liberty-Salem Schools. She is a member of Mad River Valley Junior Farmers 4-H Club, and has had gardening, goat and turkey projects.
“If I win or lose, I am going to be very proud of myself and my family who support me very much in my life experience in fair,” she wrote in the essay that accompanied her application. “Now that I’ve completed my project, I’m looking forward to many more adventures in 4-H.”
Karys Varner, 11, of Bellefontaine, daughter of Jodi Varner and Randy Varner, just completed fifth-grade at Calvary Christian School. She has shown goats and steers at the fair.
“I would like to be the Logan County Fair Princess because I would try to do my very best representing our fair at parades, shows and other fairs,” she wrote in her application essay. “Another reason is so I can get over m y shyness because it’s hard for me to talk in front of a crowd of people or somebody new. It would also give me a chance to talk about Jesus because I want to spread the gospel.”
Madison Watkins, 10, daughter of Bill and Alonna Watkins of East Liberty, is a fifth-grader at Benjamin Logan Elementary School. She is a member of Mix-n-Match 4-H and has shown dairy, rabbits and turkeys and had sewing and genealogy projects.
“I would like to be the princess because I would learn so much and have a lot of fun. I would learn more about other fair projects. I would have lots of fun giving out the awards to the winners and being at every event,” she wrote in her application essay.