2024 Iowa State Fair Queen Coronation

[Announcer] Funding for Fair 2024 is provided by

Kwik Star is proud to be a part of Iowa communities across the state. Family owned for over 50 years, we're dedicated to treating our guests, employees and communities as we would like to be treated. 

Across Iowa, hundreds of neighborhood banks strive to serve their communities, provide jobs and help local businesses. Iowa Banks are proud to back the life you build. Learn more at iowabankers.com.

For Iowa pig farmers, caring for animals is more than a job, it's a way of life and a proud family tradition. Meet the people behind the pork and hear how we care about Iowa too. Learn more at iowapork.org/wecare.

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, providing educational resources online and in your county for you, your family, community, business or farm. 

[Jerry Parkin] Hello, everybody. Welcome to the 2024 Iowa State Fair Queen Competition. The 60th of these. My name is Jerry Parkin and I'm one of the emcees. 

[Hailey Swan] And my name is Hailey Swan and I am the other emcee and we are so excited for all of you to get to meet these wonderful county fair queens. Today we have represented, 79 members of 4-H, 77 members of FFA with a combined GPA of 3.69. How about it, Iowa? These young ladies are graced with so much poise and elegance. They are active in their counties and their communities, making a positive impact today. They are here today because of the impact that you have had on their lives. So never forget the power of being a good example to a young person. Tonight is the culmination of five days of workshops, interviews and evaluation. 

We want to give a special thanks to our Iowa State Fair Queen Coordinator, 2016 Iowa State Fair Queen, Amanda Cook. Helping her out with the contest were assistants and chaperones Jeanette and Lexi Riniker, Alyssa Orr, Ellen Schlarmann, Hannah Koellner and Mary Ann Fox. We also want to give a special thanks to the people who had one of the hardest jobs of the year. And that is a special thanks to our judges, Caine Wood, Bonnie Andersen, Shane Swan, Pat Beck and Scott Mortimer. Thank you. 

[Jerry] We've got a lot of moms and dads, grandmas and grandpas, aunts and uncles, brothers, sisters, family friends out here, obviously. And like Hailey said earlier, you're the ones that had the influence on these girls. You're gonna feel very, very comfortable with our future when you get to know these girls, because they are the future. They're the leadership. And I should stop calling them girls and start calling them young women, because that's what they are. 

So hopefully, when they come out and after the program, they will come to you and thank you for all you've done. I've got some very important people to introduce here because this whole event wouldn't take place without them. And that's the Iowa State Fair Board. A couple of them will be coming up later to share some words with you. 

But first of all, let me start off with Fair Manager and CEO Jeremy Parsons. You'll hear from Jeremy later. Board President Darwin Gaudian from the northwest part of the state. You'll hear from him a little later. Vice President Curtis Claeys from southeast Iowa. Treasurer is Deb Zumbach from northeast Iowa, VerDon Schmitt, who represents the northwest part of the state, had a family emergency, so is unable to be here tonight. We'll miss him. Our prayers are with him, and we know that he would really, really like to be here for this. Alan Brown from the north central part of Iowa. Gary McConnell from southeast Iowa. I don't think I've ever seen Gary in a tie before. John Harms from northeast Iowa. Randy Brown from south central Iowa. Jo Reynolds from south central Iowa. C. W. Thomas from southwest Iowa. C.W. hasn't made it here yet. Gary Van Aernam from southwest Iowa. Tennie Carlson from north central Iowa. 

And we have three members of the board who are members by the office they hold in the state. One of them is, and I saw her come in, the Honorable Kim Reynolds, our governor. Governor Reynolds is represented on the board by the Lieutenant Governor, Adam Gregg. And it's always fun to say Kim Reynolds is from Madison County, so that's good. Thank you. Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig. He's represented by Grant Menke. And the President of Iowa State University, Wendy Wintersteen, is represented by Andrea Welchans. 

And one more person we need to mention, and that's Tonya Cook, who is the director of special events for the Iowa State Fair and has been for several years. She is really the backbone of this event. Amanda and all the other ladies do a lot, but Tonya is working on it year-round, so we appreciate all that she does. Well, should we head over and start introducing the queens? 

[Hailey] I say let's do it. 

[Jerry] Our first queen is from Adair County, Bailey Carstens. She's the 17-year-old daughter of Kyle and Lisa Carstens from Greenfield. Bailey uses strange name pickings for her feeder pen cattle that she shows. She holds multiple leadership roles in organizations she's involved in. From Adair County, Bailey Carstens.

From Adams County, Tegan Hoyt. Tegan is the 17-year-old daughter of Jess and Daisy Hoyt from Corning. She wants everybody to know that Adams County is the least populated county in the state of Iowa, but still a very proud county. She's part of a custom forage harvesting crew operating in southwest and south central Iowa. From Adams County, Teagan Hoyt.

From Allamakee County, Mallory Berns. She's the 17-year-old daughter of Mark and Kristen Berns from Harpers Ferry, Iowa. She shows pigs at her county fair and has participated in the state track meet this year. From Allamakee County, Mallory Berns. 

From Appanoose County, Lauren Long. Lauren is the 19-year-old daughter of Jeremy and Jenny Long from Centerville. She's been attending the Iowa State Fair since she was six months old. At the county fair, she threw out 300 t-shirts to fairgoers. From Appanoose County. Lauren Long. 

Representing Audubon County, Michelle Brooks. Michelle is a 17-year-old daughter of Mike and Allie Brooks from Audubon. In her county, it was Albert the Bull's 60th birthday and I know a lot of you are very familiar with Albert the Bull. She's part of a softball team that went to the state championship game this year. From Audubon County, Michelle Brooks.

From Benton County, Olivia Hanson. Olivia is the 17-year-old daughter of Robert and Maureen Hanson. She's from La Porte City, Iowa. Her family owns a pumpkin farm. She's volunteered over 400 hours through the Silver Court Program at her school. From Benton County, Olivia Hanson.

From Black Hawk County, Sawyer Schaefer. She's the 17-year-old daughter of Jake and Carrie Schaefer from Waterloo. She enjoys teaching tennis lessons and was a championship donkey jockey in Black Hawk County. From Black Hawk County, Sawyer Schaefer.

Representing Boone County is Qyra Garrison. Qyra is the 17-year-old daughter of Nicole Bollenbaugh and Jake Garrison from Ogden, Iowa. She's on the leadership team for the North Central District FFA and while her name starts with a Q, it doesn't follow the U rule. From Boone County, Qyra Garrison.

From Bremer County, Kysa Klein. Kysa's the 18-year-old daughter of Brendan Gary Klein from Waverly. She graduated high school with a 4.0 GPA and she's going to be featured in the county's combine derby documentary. From Bremer County, Kysa Klein.

Representing Buchanan County, Ayda Cook. Ada is the 17-year-old daughter of Michael and Andrea Cook from Winthrop. She loves tacos and is proud of her county for pioneering the Goat Getters program. From Buchanan County, Ayda Cook.

From Buena Vista County, Harley Doyel. Harley is a 17-year-old daughter of Todd and Kim Doyel from Storm Lake. She shows rabbits and dogs through 4-H and is involved in various school activities. From Buena Vista County, Harley Doyel.

From the Butler County Fair, Erika Brinkman. Eirka is a 17-year-old daughter of Kurt and Elizabeth Brinkman from Greene, Iowa. She has showed rabbits from 2018 and her 4-H static exhibits have been at the Iowa State Fair since 5th grade. From Butler County, Erika Brinkman.

Representing the Calhoun County Expo, Katie Vogel. She's the 18-year-old daughter of Mike and Christy Vogel from Lohrville, Iowa. She's involved in FFA and plays multiple musical instruments and band. From Calhoun County Expo, Katie Vogel.

From Carroll County, Kyra Wolterman. She's the 18-year-old daughter of Brian and Trisha Wolterman in Audubon, Iowa. She's the first female wrestler in high school and is on the FFA leadership team. From Carroll County, Kyra Wolterman.

Representing the Cass County Fair, Claire Pellett. Claire is the 18-year-old daughter of Brad and Christy Pellett from Atlantic. She has a cinnamon roll baking business and is part of the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union on their student advisory committee. From Cass County, Claire Pellett.

Representing Cedar County, is Savannah Meinert. Savannah is the 18-year-old daughter of Sarah Zindle and Scott Meinert from Durant, Iowa. She shows cattle and pigs and has leadership roles in 4-H and FFA. From Cedar County, Savannah Meinert. 

Representing the North Iowa Fair from Cerro Gordo County is Claire Sampson. Claire is a 17-year-old daughter of Michael and Colette Sampson from Mason City. She is part of a 4th generation 4-H family and has been a part of many mission trips, including one to Ireland. From Cerro Gordo County North Iowa Fair, Claire Sampson.

From Cherokee County. Aubrey Kannegieter, the 17-year-old daughter of Tyler and Jessica Kannegieter in Cherokee, Iowa. She's been dancing from a very young age and is an Iowa State Fair volunteer. From Cherokee County, Aubrey Kannegieter. 

Chickasaw County is Emma Brincks. Emma is the 17-year-old daughter of Emily Brincks in New Hampton, Iowa. She has a pet raccoon and is on the FFA leadership team. From Chickasaw County, Emma Brincks. 

Representing the Clarke County Fair, Elli Blackford. Elli is the 18-year-old daughter of Ty and Dee Blackford of Weldon, Iowa. She has a leadership role in the Iowa Junior Simmental Association and she's going to Iowa State University this fall. From Clarke County, Elli Blackford. 

From the Clay County Fair, Linnea Bloom. She is the 17-year-old daughter of Stephen and Melanie Bloom from Marathon. Clay County has the largest county fair in Iowa. She is qualified, or apparently she's qualified, she tells us, for state many times and track and cross country. From Clay County, Linnea Bloom.

From Clayton County, Alyssa Kleinlein,. She's the 18-year-old daughter of Dustin Kleinlein and Amber Toperthe. She's from Strawberry Point, Iowa. Her fair operates on 30 acres of land and she's competed on the national level for DeCa. From Clayton County, Alyssa Kleinlein.

Representing Clinton County is Holly Lamp. Holly is the 17-year-old daughter of Perry and Darlene Lamp. She's from Charlotte, Iowa, and is on multiple leadership roles for school clubs. She loves to play pickleball. From Clinton County, Holly Lamp. 

Representing Crawford County, Caralyn Henschen. Caralyn is the 18-year-old daughter of Jim and Peggy Sue Henschen from Charter Oak. She has relatives residing all over the state in multiple areas. She would like to offer a thank you to Jan Henningson, who after many years retired from the Crawford County Fair. From Crawford County, Caralyn Henschen. 

Representing the Dallas County Fair, Courtney Wojtowicz. Courtney is the 18-year-old daughter of Terry and Heidi Wojtowicz. She's from West Des Moines. She's a female wrestler and she drives a big lifted truck. From Dallas County, Courtney Wojtowicz.

Representing the Davis County Fair, Emerson Glosser. Emerson is the 17-year-old daughter of Dustin and Jessica Glosser from Blakesburg, Iowa. She's participated in multiple theatric productions and has been involved in 4-H for multiple years. From Davis County, Emerson Glosser.

Representing the Decatur County Fair, Cadence Clark. Cadence is the 20-year-old daughter of Michelle and Travis Clark. She's from Leon, Iowa. She's studying history and secondary education at Simpson College and raises registered Black Angus cattle. From Decatur County, Cadence Clark. 

Representing the Delaware County Fair, Leah Reicher. She's the 17-year-old daughter of Nick and Tracy Reicher from Hopkington. Her county is home to the largest whitewater park in Iowa. She has a chocolate lab named Maggie. From Delaware County, Leah Reicher.

Representing Des Moines County, Allison Nalley. She's the 18-year-old daughter of Jill and Eric Nalley from Sperry, Iowa. She shows Derry Goutz at the Iowa State Fair and does volunteer work for the Iowa School for the Blind and Visually Impaired. From Des Moines County, Allison Nalley.

Representing the Dickinson County Fair, Kelsey Ehret. She's the 17-year-old daughter of Brandon and Lynette Ehret from Lake Park, Iowa. Her favorite color is purple and she's involved in an Iowa high school rodeo. From Dickinson County, Kelsey Ehret. 

Representing the Dubuque County Fair is Kylie Nauman. Kylie is a 19-year-old daughter of Kathy and Dennis Nauman from Peosta. She loves watching old movies and she's currently training for a marathon in October. From Dubuque County, Kylie Nauman.

From Emmet County, Addison Kruse. Addison is the 17-year-old daughter of Brian and Brenda Kruse from Ringsted, Iowa. She has a pet turkey and is on the FFA leadership team at school. From Emmet County, Addison Kruse.

Representing the Fayette County Fair is Mae Wedemeier. Mae is the 16-year-old daughter of Scott and Katherine Wedemeier from Maynard. She is an avid fan of the Harry Potter series and loves making people laugh with her dad jokes. From Fayette County Mae Wedemeier.

Representing Floyd County is Jada Litterer. Jada is the 18-year-old daughter of Steve and Lori Litterer from Charles City, Iowa. She has taught swimming lessons for the past five years and enjoys traveling and experiencing different cultures. From Floyd County, Jada Litterer. 

Representing the Franklin County Fair, Libby Trewin. Libby is the 17-year-old daughter of John and Emily Trewin from Sheffield. Her dream job is to be a marketer for General Mills. She's history in her school by being part of the first state softball tournament team. From Franklin County, Libby Trewin.

Representing Fremont County, Abigail Martin. Abigail is the 18-year-old daughter of Tom and Sarah Martin from Imogene. Her favorite sport is tennis and she has 46 first cousins. From Fremont County, Abigail Martin.

Representing the Great Jones County Fair, Addison Appelhans. Addison is the 17-year-old daughter of Matt and Katie Appelhans from Anamosa. She's been showing cattle from a young age and was a participant in Iowa's first sanctioned girls wrestling meet. Representing the Great Jones County Fair, Addison Appelhans. 

From Greene County, Grace Hardaway. Grace is the 18-year-old daughter of Dan and Stacy Hardaway from Jefferson. She is currently studying the Czech language and she's going to Iowa Central for nursing as she wants to be a NICU nurse. From Greene County, Grace Hardaway.

Representing Grundy County is Sarah O'Donnell. Sarah is the 18-year-old daughter of Tara O'Donnell from Grundy Center. She's involved in 4-H and FFA and she shows sheep. From Grundy County, Sarah O'Donnell.

Representing the Guthrie County Fair, Riley Gibson. Riley is the 18-year-old daughter of Jim and Carwin Gibson from Panora. She shows pigs and is involved in her school's dance team. From Guthrie County, Riley Gibson.

Representing the Hamilton County Fair, Emalie Perez. Emalie is the 17-year-old daughter of Natalie and Zach Lucero from Webster City. She's a talented seamstress and shows many dresses and she can skateboard. So very multi-talented. From Hamilton County, Emalie Perez.

Representing Hancock County is Madison Renner. Madison is the 17-year-old daughter of Brent and Nikki Renner from Klemme. She's learning to play the violin and her family has been farming for at least the last four generations. From Hancock County, Madison Renner.

Representing Hardin County is Chloe Bittner. Chloe is the 17-year-old daughter of Shawna Bittner and Chad and Michelle Henkel. She's from Ackley, Iowa. She shows llamas and was the 2023 Iowa Teen Miss United States Agriculture. From Hardin County, Chloe Bittner. 

From Harrison County is Kelsey Stueve. Kelsey is the 16-year-old daughter of Dave Stueve and Rhiannon Wagner. She's from Woodbine, Iowa. She's an avid writer and is working on her first novel. By the end of this year, she'll be a published poet. From Harrison County, Kelsey Stueve.

Representing Henry County is Lily Syfert. Lily is the 17-year-old daughter of Jake and Angie Syfert from Salem. Her favorite color is hot pink and she shows goats. From Henry County, Lily Syfert.

Representing the mighty Howard County Fair, Addalyn Isaacson. Addalyn is the 18-year-old daughter of Danny Isaacson and Jamie Wenhold. She's from Cresco, Iowa. Her favorite animal is a dairy heifer and she's attending university for elementary education in the fall. From the mighty Howard County Fair, Addalyn Isaacson.

From Humboldt County, Morgan Mayall. Morgan is the 17-year-old daughter of Tiffany and Frank Mayall from Humboldt. She shows horses and volunteers at her local animal shelter. From Humboldt County, Morgan Mayall.

Representing Ida County, Abigail Else. Abigail is the 18-year-old daughter of Stuart and Jill Else from Holstein. She donated funds from her county bonus auction to building new cattle barns at her fairgrounds. She's a certified CNA with aspirations of becoming a nurse. From Ida County, Abigail Else.

Representing Iowa County, is Hannah Gross. Hannah is the 17-year-old daughter of Nathan and Brandy Gross from Amana. She started a meal packing program at her school and she's also a beekeeper. From Iowa County, Hannah Gross.

Representing the Jackson County Fair, Emma Ihrig. Emma is the 19-year-old daughter of Christina and Ryan Ihrig from Maquoketa. She's starting graduate school in the fall and raises goats and chickens. From Jackson County, Emma Ihrig. 

Representing the Jasper County Fair is Libbie Keith. Libbie is the 18-year-old daughter of Craig and Angie Keith from Newton. She's involved in various high school activities and graduated as valedictorian of her class. From Jasper County, Libbie Keith.

Representing the Jefferson County Fair, Kaleigh Adrian. She's the 18-year-old daughter of Melissa and Joe Adrian from Richland. She has aspirations to become a marine biologist. Jefferson county, by the way, she wants you to know, hosted the first Iowa State Fair. From Jefferson County, Kaleigh Adrian. 

[Hailey] Representing Johnson County, Madison Singbeil. Madison is the 16-year-old daughter of Jordan Singbeil and Stephanie Schwake Hodge and Andy Hodge. She is from Solon, Iowa. She holds a leadership role for the Best Buddies Club at school and has a passion for dedicating her time to kids. From Johnson County, Madison Singbeil.

Representing the Keokuk County Expo, Mason Clarahan. Mason is the 18-year-old daughter of Todd and Rebecca Clarahan and Aaron and Annie Burrow. She is from Harper, Iowa. Mason is passionate about agriculture, loves creating stained glass pieces as well. From Keokuk County Expo, Mason Clarahan. 

From the Keokuk County Fair, Natalie Smith. Natalie is the 18-year-old daughter of Scott and Monica Smith. She is from What Cheer, Iowa. She is involved in FFA, leadership and student council. From the Keokuk County Fair, Natalie Smith.

From Kossuth County, Meredith Tigges. Meredith is the 20-year-old daughter of doctor Merle and Kelly Tigges. She is from Fenton, Iowa. She has a mini cow calf operation and before going to Iowa State University she was a state high school basketball champion. From Kossuth County, Meredith Tigges.

Representing Lee County, Kylie Davidson. Kylie is the 19-year-old daughter of Harley Davidson and Christy Davidson. She is from Donaldson, Iowa. She has aspirations to be a combat medic for the army and she represents the oldest county fair in Iowa. From Lee County, Kylie Davidson.

From Linn County, Jayda Bowman. Jayda is the 18-year-old daughter of Jared and Leanne Bowman. She is from Marion, Iowa. She has participated in junior drag car racing and has aspirations to become a welder. From Linn County, Jayda Bowman.

Representing Louisa County, Josie Nelson. Josie is the 17-year-old daughter of Dusty Nelson and Kathy Harrison. She is from Winfield, Iowa. She used to play football as a young girl and she has participated in multiple years of state athletic events. From Louisa County, Josie Nelson.

Representing Lucas County, Paige Andrews. Paige is the 17-year-old daughter of Denise Blanchard, Jeff Bingham and Kevin Andrews. She is from Chariton, Iowa. She is the youngest of nine siblings and she nannies four little kiddos. From Lucas County, Paige Andrews.

From Lyon County, Jade Kruse. Jade is the 17-year-old daughter of Sam and Nicole Kruse. She is from Rock Rapids, Iowa. She is interning at Avera through the high school program caps med and she is a longstanding member of the women's auxiliary. From Lyon County, Jade Kruse. 

From Madison County, Grace England. Grace is the 18-year-old daughter of Steve and Danae England. She is from Winterset, Iowa. Grace shows pigs and she also volunteers at her county extension office leading youth day camps. From Madison County, Grace England.

From Mahaska County, Amelia Boender. Amelia is the 19-year-old daughter of Mark and Stacy Boender. She is from Oskaloosa, Iowa. She is attending Dordt University in the fall and has aspirations to own a floral business in the future. From Mahaska County, Amelia Boender. 

Representing Marion County, Marley Larson. Marley is the 18-year-old daughter of Jeff Larson and Damian Larson. She is from Knoxville, Iowa. She has raised over $35,000 for suicide prevention and she is advancing to the national finals in proficiency award for FFA. From Marion County, Marley Larson.

From Marshall County, Ella Wertz. Ella is the 18-year-old daughter of TJ and Sadie Wertz. She is from State Center, Iowa. She has aspirations to go into the medical field and Ella has a dog named Dutton inspired by her favorite tv show. From Marshall County, Ella Wertz. 

Representing Mills County, McKenna Koehler, McKenna is the 18-year-old daughter of Sean and Kelly Koehler. She is from Glenwood, Iowa. In the fall, she has plans to attend Iowa State University and McKenna loves animals. From Mills County, McKenna Koehler.

Representing Mitchell County Emma Schipper. Emma is the 17-year-old daughter of Dane and Emily Schipper. She is from Riceville, Iowa. Emma shows beef cattle and she also wrestles. From Mitchell County, Emma Schipper.

From Monona County, Sarah Rosener. Sarah is the 17-year-old daughter of John and Angie Rosener. She is from Mapleton, Iowa. She is going to be a senior this year in high school and she is involved in various school and county activities. From Monona County, Sarah Rosener.

Representing Monroe County, Cloey Burkman, Cloey is the 17-year-old granddaughter of Katherine Burkman. She is from Albia, Iowa. Cloey has seven siblings and is a part of her school's first ever women's soccer team. From Monroe County, Cloey Burkman.

Representing Montgomery County, Dacey Henneman. Dacey is the 18-year-old daughter of Matt and Shannon Voorhees. She is from New Market, Iowa. She is on an equestrian drill team and she plans to attend Iowa State University in the fall. From Montgomery County, Dacey Henneman. 

Representing Muscatine County, Avery Schroeder. Avery is the 18-year-old daughter of Jamie and Mary Schroeder. She is from Muscatine, Iowa. She is attending Iowa State University in the fall and majoring in agricultural business and summer is her favorite time of the year. From Muscatine County, Avery Schroeder.

Representing the National Cattle Congress, Jillian Reisetter. Jillian is the 17-year-old daughter of Matt and Jen Reisetter. She is from Hudson, Iowa. Jillian is a fan of the Iowa Hawkeyes and she loves to help others. From the National Cattle Congress, Jillian Reisetter. 

Representing O'Brien County, Makenna Hofmeyer. Makenna is the 18-year-eold daughter of Matt and Ashley Reinhart and Eric and Heather Hofmeyer. She is from Granville, Iowa. Makenna shows cattle and is also involved in 4-H and FFA. From O'Brien County, Makenna Hofmeyer.

From Osceola County, Brooke Krogman. Brooke is the 16-year-old daughter of Nick Krogman and Tonya Howard. She is from Ashton, Iowa. Brooke has been dancing for twelve years and riding horses from a young age. From Osceola County, Brooke Krogman.

Representing Page County, Addison Moore. Addison is the 17-year-old daughter of Elizabeth Davison and Brian Moore. She is from Clarinda, Iowa. Addison is the junior superintendent of her county's dog program and she is traveling to Europe next summer for a band tour. From Page County, Addison Moore.

Representing Palo Alto County, Josey Saxton. Josey is the 17-year-old daughter of Joel and Summer Saxon. She is from Emmetsburg, Iowa. Josey shows goats and is also involved in competitive swim. From Palo Alto County, Josey Saxton.

Representing Plymouth County, Kelsey Saathoff. Kelsey is the 17-year-old daughter of Kelly and Missy Saathoff. She is from Akron, Iowa. Her county fair takes place in the ice cream capital of the world and Kelsey wants to encourage everyone to be confident and pursue their dreams. From Plymouth County, Kelsey Saathoff.

From Pocahontas County, MaKaylee McCartan. MaKaylee is the 16-year-old daughter of Andy and Erin Martin. She is from Pocahontas, Iowa. MaKaylee has achieved high awards at the National Western Stock Show. From Pocahontas County, MaKaylee McCartan. 

Representing Polk County, Liliann Tjaden. Liliann is the 17-year-old daughter of Katie and Brandon Duff. She is from Des Moines, Iowa. She has a rabbit named Princess and has aspirations to be a professor of veterinary medicine. From Polk County, Liliann Tjaden.

Representing Pottawattamie County, Allyee Pierson. Allyee is the 18-year-old daughter of Kent and Lisa Pierson. She is from Oakland, Iowa. She is going to major in elementary education in the fall and will continue to study music at Iowa Western Community College. From Pottawattamie County, Allyee Pierson.

Representing Poweshiek County, Anna Johnson. Anna is the 18-year-old daughter of Robert and Crystal Johnson. She is from Brooklyn, Iowa. Anna is a taekwondo instructor and she works at a vet clinic while caring for her six dogs. From Poweshiek County, Anna Johnson.

Representing Ringgold County, Kamryn Willis. Kamryn is the 17-year-old daughter of Cole and Casey Willis. She is from Mount Ayr, Iowa. Kamryn shows swine and she likes to ride side by sides in the sand dunes. From Ringgold County, Kamryn Willis.

Representing Sac County, Nora Pickhinke. Nora is the 17-year-old daughter of Brian and Carrie Pickhinke and Dave and Ellen Wrecker. She is from Early, Iowa. She facilitates weekly radio interviews for her FFA chapter and shows western pleasure horses. From Sac County, Nora Pickhinke.

From the Mississippi Valley Fair, representing Scott County, Hailey Wipperfurth. Hailey is the 17-year-old daughter of Kara and Jason Wipperfurth. She is from Le Claire, Iowa. She has her own baking business raising funds for Iowa service dogs and she enjoys riding horses and working with her show cattle. From Scott County, Hailey Wipperfurth.

From Shelby County, Addison Obrecht. Addison is the 17-year-old daughter of Don and Jennifer Obrecht. She is from Harlan, Iowa. She is enlisting in the National Guard and helps with livestock recovery through magna wave therapy. From Shelby County, Addison Obrecht.

Representing Sioux County, Margo Schuiteman. Margo is the 17-year-old daughter of Matt and Mindy Schuiteman. She is from Sioux Center, Iowa. Margo is the middle child of seven kids and has competed in multiple state athletic events. From Sioux County, Margo Schuiteman.

Representing Story County, Jaclyn Gessner. Jaclyn is the 18-year-old daughter of Leo and Brenda Gessner. She is from Story City, Iowa. She has shown horses, dairy goats and dogs at the county fair for multiple years and she plans to pursue a master's degree in prosthetics and orthotics. From Story County, Jaclyn Gessner.

Representing Tama County, Amaya Peterson. Amaya is the 18-year-old daughter of Lonnie and James Droich. She is from Gladbrook, Iowa. She plans to attend Iowa State University in the fall, studying agricultural education and she loves photography. From Tama County, Amaya Peterson.

Representing Taylor County, Nevaeh Gray. Nevaeh is the 17-year-old daughter of Wyatt and Melinda Gray. She is from Bedford, Iowa. Nevaeh wants you to know that her name is spelled heaven backwards and she also loves to travel. From Taylor County, Nevaeh Gray.

From Union County, Lilly James. Lilly is the 16-year-old daughter of Brad James and Melissa James. She is from Creston, Iowa. She has participated in Cowboy Mounted Shooting and her birthday is during the Iowa State Fair. From Union County, Lilly James.

Representing Van Buren County, Morgan Craig. Morgan is the 18-year-old daughter of Emily Clark and Everett Craig. She is from Milton, Iowa. She loves being around animals and has aspirations to open her own equine therapy business inspired by her brother. From Van Buren County, Morgan Craig.

Representing the Wapello County Expo, Talise Plate. She is the 17-year-old daughter of Scott and Saskia Plate. She is from Ottumwa, Iowa, and has plans to study cosmetic chemistry and she loves to thrift. From Wapello County Expo, Talise Plate.

Representing the Wapello County Fair, Emily Ward. Emily is the 17-year-old daughter of Troy Ward and Jenny and Ethan Akins. she is from Ottumwa, Iowa. She is attending Indian Hills Community College to become a labor and delivery nurse and she is also a twin. From Wapello County Fair, Emily Ward.

Representing Warren County, Maryann Hart. Maryann is the 18-year-old daughter of Josh and Jessica Hart. She is from Martinsdale, Iowa. She has competed at the state level in multiple athletic events and is on the leadership team of her FFA chapter. From Warren County, Maryann Hart.

From Washington County, Jade Sheetz. Jade is the 17-year-old daughter of Brad and Lynn Sheetz. She is from Washington, Iowa. She shows and raises her own herd of cattle and is on the leadership team of both her 4-H and FFA clubs. From Washington County, Jade Sheetz. 

Representing Wayne County, Ava Goben. Ava is the 19-year-old daughter of Andrew and Mary Goben. She is from Corydon, Iowa. Ava is ambidextrous and she owns her own motorcycle. From Wayne County, Ava Goben.

From Webster County, Harley Eckert. Harley is the 18-year-old daughter of Jason and Jenny Eckert. She is from Lehigh, Iowa. She is an active member of the Dayton Wranglers Saddle Club and she is attending Simpson College in the fall as a double major. From Webster County, Harley Eckert. 

From West Pottawattamie County, Monica Osborn. Monica is the 17-year-old daughter of Michelle Osborn and James Vogel. She is from Treynor, Iowa, and she will be the student body president at her high school and she raises pigs and has a half blind guilt named Sweet Pea. From West Pottawattamie County, Monica Osborn.

Representing Winnebago County, Alyssa Olson. Alyssa is the 17-year-old daughter of Derek and Robin Olson. She is from Buffalo Center, Iowa. She shows dogs in 4-H, AKC and the North American Flyball association. She also wrestles. From Winnebago County, Alyssa Olson.

Representing Winneshiek County, Annika Schmelzer. Annika is the 16-year-old daughter of David and Jennifer Schmelzer. She is from Ridgeway, Iowa. Her county fair slogan is, The Biggest Little Fair in Iowa," and Annika lives on a dairy farm. From Winneshiek County, Annika Schmelzer.

Representing Woodbury County, Rylee Vohs. Rylee is the 18-year-old daughter of Marty and Deb Vohs. She is from Moville, Iowa. She is a professional mechanical bull rider and she shows livestock at the county, state and national levels. From Woodbury County, Rylee Vohs. 

From Worth County, Adessa Newhoff. Adessa is the 18-year-old daughter of Megan and Kevin Dino. She is from Kensett, Iowa. She is on the FFA leadership team and she has worked on the only dairy farm in Worth County. From Worth County, Adessa Newhoff.

From Wright County, Ella Tew. Ella is the 18-year-old daughter of Amanda and Andrew Tew. She is from Clarion, Iowa. She owns a kringla business and is a volunteer balloon artist. From Wright County, Ella Tew.

From the Wyoming Fair, Olivia Paulsen. Olivia is the 17-year-old daughter of Greg and Deb Paulsen. She is from Onslow, Iowa. She plays multiple sports in high school and shows cattle. From the Wyoming Fair, Olivia Paulsen.

Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you, your county fair queens of the 2024 Iowa State Fair. 

[Jerry] It okay, how about that? And I bet these girls are getting real tired of standing back there and now they're out here - out front - and you get the opportunity to see them all. We're going to start with the awards. But before we do that, I neglected to mention one thing when I was introducing the board of directors. There are three members of the board who are charged with being liaisons with the queen competition and the queen when she is selected. And I would like to point out that Gary McConnell, Tennie Carlson and Deb Zumbach fulfill that responsibility. 

The first award we're going to present tonight is the Alumni Award in honor of Julie Wolterman. I'm proud to be able to announce the 2024 winner of the Iowa State Fair Queen Alumni Award. I'm even prouder to have Julie's mom, Judy, here to hand out the award to this year's winner. So Judy, if you can come up and get in the center. Oh, she's already there. How about that? Julie was a 1993 Iowa State Fair Queen and served as coordinator of this pageant for 19 years. We tragically lost Julie in the spring of 2022. Much too early. She contributed so much to this queen competition, helping to make it what it is today. 

A number of former queens established this award in Julie's honor to recognize someone who is an active and innovative thinker, who strives to create a solution or meet a need that is not currently being addressed, who has an entrepreneurial spirit and who is a trailblazer in her community, and finally, is a creative person who encourages others to identify and make the most of opportunities. She overcomes and learns from setbacks and succeeds in a variety of settings. 

The 2024 winner of the Wolterman Award will receive a $500 scholarship from past Iowa State Fair queens. A plaque from the Iowa State Fair and a flower bouquet from Boesen the Florist. And this year's winner is Marley Larson from Marion County. 

(cheering and applause)

Thank you, Judy, for coming up to help. 

Alright, we have a couple of members of the board and staff who always like to say a few words at this event. So we're going to invite Jeremy Parsons, the CEO of the fair, and Darwin Gaudian, the president of the fair board, to come up and they'll decide the order they're going to speak, but I will give a microphone to them. 

[Darwin Gaudian] Welcome, everybody. What a day at the fair today, with the temperatures and everything and you think you've got a good seat out there. I get to stand right in front of these beautiful girls, so give them another round of applause. 

This part of the fair means a lot to me because being president of the state fair, I am a president of a county fair. So I'm from O'Brien County in northwest Iowa. This year, we celebrated our 100th anniversary of our fair, so we want to do a few new or extra things. So we invited all past queens to our fair, and my wife and some friends of ours got addresses and whatnot. But last couple weeks ago at our fair, we had 52 past queens come back to our fair for a get together during our queen contest. So that was, that was really fun to do. But in that group of 50 some in 2011, the state fair queen was from O'Brien County. Paris Schnepp. She's in the back here. I just talked her a little bit ago. But our county fair, you know, the board members at that level, that's what we do. We do the fairs for the kids. So being that Paris was from our county, we got to watch her go through the year of being queen. And that is awesome. Not everybody - county fairs get that opportunity. So we did. So Paris has got to do a lot of neat things since. So once you guys get crowned, you don't know what's going to happen because amazing things. She didn't realize what was going to happen last year. She was one of the judges that sat out here in front. So amazing things can happen when you have this happen. 

So I'm just going to ask a couple things of you girls. You're all winners here tonight. Don't feel that you're not. One of you tonight, your life's gonna change a lot. So I know you're all friends. You've made new friends this week. I asked two things of you when you go home, you have you thank your mom's, your dads, your grandpa and grandma, whoever got you talked into doing this. And then go home and thank your county fair boards because if it wasn't for them, you wouldn't be here tonight. So good luck and have fun. Thank you. 

[Jeremy Parsons] Thank you, Darwin. It is an honor to be here tonight on a beautiful night at the Iowa State Fair. You know, when you watch the news, there's a lot of negativity out there. But tonight is a good reminder that our future is in really good hands with the young ladies that we have behind us or behind me. And they did not get here by themselves. So if you are a parent, grandparent, guardian, helped raise one of these fantastic young ladies. Would you stand right now so we can recognize you? You have helped. You have helped raise the next generation of young women leaders in our state. And for that we are very, very, very thankful. Thank you for being at the fair tonight. 

[Hailey] Thank you so much, Jeremy. I would also like to take this time to acknowledge our state FFA officers who helped to escort these lovely young ladies today. Collin Bower, Cody Messer, Caleb Lentz, Tucker Roarig, Colton Pepin and Creed Monroe. Let's give them a round of applause. 

Ladies and gentlemen, it is now my absolute honor to introduce to you a lovely young lady who has graced the state of Iowa this year. She has done a wonderful job of representing the Iowa State Fair. Please help me welcome home your reigning Iowa State Fair Queen, Kalayna Durr. 

[Kalayna Durr] Wow. Welcome home is right. As Hailey said, my name is Kalayna Durr and I'm honored to be standing here today as your 2023 Iowa State Fair queen. Now, I was told to keep this speech short and if you know me, I like to talk a lot, so I'm going to do my best to keep this as short as I can, but it is really hard to fit a year's worth of experience into a short speech. 

A year ago, I was sitting on this stage just like these girls, wondering who the next Iowa State Fair queen would be. And never in a million years did I ever think my name would be called. My life was forever changed. Over the past 365 days, I've had the opportunity to travel to nearly every corner of the state, meeting amazing people everywhere I went. I've experienced a lot of change, growth, and many lessons. One memory that I've carried with me throughout my reign was a few days after I was crowned. I was walking down the road and a lady came up to me asking if we could take a picture of our bracelets together. I said, of course. And I explained the meaning behind my charm bracelet, to which she told me the meaning behind hers. She told me the story of a little girl named Millie. Millie was from Pella and she passed away in a tragic sledding accident. Since following Millie's story, I've carried her bracelet with me everywhere I went, to every county fair. And eventually, from Millie, I have learned to never take anything for granted. 

Every person I met along this journey, I wanted to make sure that every single person I met was seen and heard. I never wanted a single person to feel like they were any less than me. Remember who's watching you. One of my favorite quotes is, "Somewhere in this barn there is a little kid who wants to be just like you someday. You owe it to them to be the best you can be." Every kid I've met along this journey, every clover kid, 4-H or FFA member. You truly have no idea how much of an impact you have made on my life. You are truly my why. 

And lastly, Iowa is truly the best state to be from. Every single event or county fair that I went to, there was not a single person that didn't ask if I needed something. I was always very well taken care of. With that being said, I would like to thank Band Aids, for they have truly been a holy grail this summer and have supported my feet no matter what and have kept me going. To my parents, Tony and Ander and Daniel Hester, thank you for making me into the person I am today. There is no way I would be here without you guys. And I cannot thank you enough for your support to my family, my chaperones, my siblings, my roommates, and my friends. Whether have you been there, whether you have been there from the very beginning, or I've met you along the way. Thank you for always answering my calls late at night when I needed to rant. And for always being there for me, near and far. 

Thank you to Henry County. Thank you for always being there for me and teaching me my biggest life lessons. Without you guys by my side, there is no way I'd be standing here in front of you today. To Kenna, if you guys don't know, Kenna, she was the 2021 state fair queen, and she has truly been there from the very second I was crowned. There is no way that I would have survived this past year without her by my side. And I cannot thank you enough. You, the best. 

To the Iowa State Fair Board. You guys have also been there for me from the very beginning. And there is no way that I would have survived this past year without you guys by my side. You guys are truly my second family. And you will never know how much you guys mean to me. And finally, to Iowa, thank you guys for supporting me every step of the way, for letting me spread my love of agriculture, every single place that I went. And for always supporting me and being there for me. Now, I don't know about you guys, but my fear fever has really been itching. And this, this week, it has definitely been cured. Thank you, guys. 

[Hailey] Kalayna Durr, ladies and gentlemen. Let's give her one more round of applause. And now, without further ado, Jerry, I think it's time.

[Jerry] I do. And please look in your programs to see the sponsors. Skeffington's, Boesen the Florist, all the others, the signs around here. And if you can, please work with those sponsors and purchase from them. 

[Hailey] The moment you all have been waiting for. We will start with our award section of the evening. Personality Plus, receiving a $500 scholarship, plaque, $200 gift card, flower bouquet. These are from the Iowa State Fair. The $200 gift card is from an anonymous donor, and the flower bouquet is from Bosen the Florist. Your Personality Plus goes to. Libby Trewin, Franklin County. 

[Jerry] Congratulations, Libby. The next award is for Outstanding Leadership. This recipient will receive an $800 scholarship from the Iowa State Fair, a plaque from the Iowa State Fair, a $250 gift card from an anonymous donor, and a floral bouquet from Boesen the Florist. And your outstanding leadership goes to Olivia Hanson from Benton County. 

[Hailey] Your 3rd runner up will be receiving a $500 scholarship from the Iowa State Fair, a plaque from the Iowa State Fair, a $200 gift card from an anonymous donor, and a flower bouquet from Boesen the Florist. And your 3rd runner up is Jada Litterer from Floyd County. 

[Jerry] And your 2nd runner up. The 2nd runner up will receive $1,000 scholarship from the Iowa State Fair, a plaque from the Iowa State Fair, a $250 gift card from an anonymous donor, and a floral bouquet from Boesen the Florist. You think it's hard getting these out? Wait until it gets time to pull the queen out. That's going to take a while. Your 2nd runner up is from Sac County, Nora Pickhinke. 

[Hailey]And your 1st runner up will be receiving a $1,500 scholarship from the Iowa State Fair, a plaque from the Iowa State Fair, $300 gift card from an anonymous donor, and a flower bouquet from Boesen the Florist. And your 1st runner up goes to Lauren Long from Appanoose County. 

[Jerry] Well, Hailey, the time has come, hasn't it? 

Our 2024 Iowa State Fair Queen will receive a $5,000 scholarship from the Branstead Reynolds Trust, a $3,000 scholarship from the Iowa State Fair, a $1,000 scholarship from Doghouse Concessions, a trophy, crown and sash from the Iowa State Fair, a crown necklace from Tiffany Jewelers and the Iowa State Fair, a $600 Visa gift card from an anonymous donor, a floral bouquet from Boesen to Florist, and an Iowa State Fair brick from the Iowa State Fair Blue Ribbon Foundation. And I'm happy that they did choose a queen for this year. And she comes from south central Iowa representing Clarke County, Elli Blackford.