The 2020 Logan County Fair royalty contest moves to a different venue this year at the fair’s recently installed new show arena, with activities taking place at 4 p.m. Sunday, July 12, following morning interviews with contestants.
The competition features three contestants vying for the title of queen and three girls seeking the title of princess, along with one king candidate.
Queen contestants
Hannah O’Brien, 18, daughter of Bo and Billie Jo O’Brien of West Mansfield, is a 2020 Benjamin Logan High School graduate, who served as vice president of her class three times. She also is a three-time president of the Master Mix 4-H Club, a United Way of Logan County Youth Allocations member, and at her school, participated in volleyball, show choir, Key Club, Interact, Spanish Club and other activities.
In 2015, she was crowned the Logan County Swine Princess. Hannah has participated in the state fair for market swine, and also has received top finishes at the Logan County Fair market swine contest, along with showing market poultry and participating in cake decorating.
Through leadership roles in 4-H and at her school, she said she has learned about important leadership qualities.
“Being able to listen and communicate with others about their thoughts and beliefs and a general understanding of things along with their wants and needs is extremely important in someone who is representing his or her community,” she wrote in her application essay. “Empathy is also a quality that I have gained through these experiences and is equally as important as communication.”
Riverside High School junior Malaina Jenkins also is a queen candidate. A daughter of Brad and Darcie Jenkins of Quincy, she has been involved in 4-H for 10 years and has served as club president for two different clubs.
She also has served on the Junior Fair Board, as a parliamentarian and committee leader for Business Professionals of America, a Fellowship of Christian Athletes co-leader, a student council member at school and a Pirate Advisory Committee member.
A varsity golf and varsity softball athlete, she has qualified for the state fair in sewing for seven years and also has been a state fair horse qualifier for four yeras. Malaina also qualified for the BPA National Contest.
In her application essay, the 16-year-old said some of her most memorable times in her life have taken place at the Logan County Fair.
“Ever since my Clover Bud years, 4-H has given me the chance to experience trials and successes that have allowed me to grow and learn important life lessons, while also allowing me to make lasting memories with friends and family. These experiences have allowed me to obtain many different qualities that have not only prepared me to take on the role as the Logan County Fair Queen, but also to utilize my position to inspire and uplift others.”
Fellow Riverside High School student Harlie McClintick, 17, who will be a senior this fall, is the final queen contestant. She is a daughter of Brad and Brittney McClintick of DeGraff.
Harlie has served as a 4-H treasurer, FFA secretary and current president and Junior Fair Board treasurer and current vice president. At school, she has participated in softball, football and basketball cheerleading, colorguard, Business Professionals of America, National Honor Society, National Technical Honor Society and Interact.
Some of her Logan County Fair projects have included market goats, scrapbooking, open modeling, photography and others. Harlie said she looked up to fair royalty as good role models from a young age.
“When I was younger, I looked up to these leaders that wore a sash and a crown and I knew that I wanted to be like them one day. I still look up to them. I want to be that person that younger people look to when they are in need of advice, a friend, or even just a hug.”
King candidate
Brendan Duff, a 2020 Riverside High School graduate, is this year’s king candidate for the Logan County Fair. He is a son of Laura and Matt Duff of Quincy and is a Riverside Hustlers 4-H member.
The 19-year-old has participated in FFA for four years and served for one year as sentinel and one year as a student adviser. He also competed in FFA at the state and national competitions, and is a Junior Fair Board member.
At his school, he was involved in marching band, concert band and pep band.
He has presented his agriculture projects at the Logan County Fair and recently has also exhibited sheep.
In his application essay, Brendan explained some of the reasons he would enjoy serving as fair royalty.
“I love getting other kids involved and encouraging people to have fun. I also like to
learn new and exciting hands-on projects.
“I look forward to meeting new people everywhere I go, but I have to admit, the fair is definitely my favorite place to go. It feels like family and I make new friends while I’m there.”
Princess contestants
Indian Lake High School sophomore Sage Futrell is one of the three princess candidates. The 15-year-old is a daughter of Tracy Futrell of Huntsville and an honor roll student who also participates in color guard, winter guard, symphonic band, softball and art club at her school.
The Junior Fair Board member and 4-H member said she earned a grand champion rabbit award at the Logan County Fair, along with exhibiting turkeys and chickens and her scrapbooking, sewing and quilting projects.
“I’ve been showing at the fair since I was 9, and I’ve always looked up to the royalty because I loved how much they were involved and also the way they worked with the kids and helped them,” she said in her essay.
Fellow candidate Jaidyn Jackson is a Riverside Schools eighth-grader and a daughter of Jinger Jackson and Gregg Jackson of DeGraff. The 13-year-old honor student has been involved in student council, school musical, soccer, cheerleading, softball, basketball and volleyball.
She previously has won a grand champion for her beef feeder at the Logan County Fair, and also has exhibited breeding heifers and market goats.
Natalie Snapp of Bellefontaine is the final princess candidate. She is a daughter of Ron and Kathy Troyer and Tom Snapp and will be a seventh-grader at Bellefontaine Middle School.
Last year, she was the Breeches and Wranglers 4-H president and now she is the vice president of the Hobbies and Horses 4-H. The 11-year-old honor student received a Bus Conduct award at her school to recognize her assistance with younger pupils.
At the Logan County Fair, she has shown her horse, Jet, for the past two years.
“I hope to learn are leadership skills, communication skills and time management skills if I were chosen to be fair princess,” she said in her essay. “I know these skills will help me grow as a young woman and better myself as a whole.”