Newspaper Article Published August 28, 2014

Hello everyone! I’m Sarah Jefferis, the 2014-2015 Huntingdon County Fair Queen! I am so blessed and honored to represent the bigger and better Huntingdon County Fair over this next year! Fair week was the kick-off to my year.  It was filled with handing out ribbons at the various livestock shows, riding in the Antique Tractor Parade, working the Little Red Schoolhouse, drawing the winning numbers at the final cash drawing and even getting to hand out the Best Appearance Trophy at the Demolition Derby! At the end of this crazy week, I got to judge the Annual Wing-off held by the Fair Queen Committee and for a wing lover like me, judging was the perfect place for me!  I would like to personally thank Woody’s Bar-B-Q and Fat Freddie’s for donating their prize money back to Fair Queen fund!  I would also like to thank my court and junior ambassadors for all your help and memories during the week! After fair week, I jumped right into my duties starting with riding in the Orbisonia-Rockhill Homecoming Parade.  Thanks to Price Motor Sales for the sweet ride!  I recently attended the Shaver’s Creek Grange Meeting to give a presentation of my Farm Safety Board and answer their questions about our program and the fair.  I’m catching a short break by starting my freshman year at Venango College of Clarion University this fall! Although I will be away, I would still love to visit schools, 4H clubs, FFA chapters and any other organization to give my Farm Safety 4 Just Kids presentation and promote the fair!  You can email me at sarah15.jefferis@gmail.com to set up a time so I can come visit!  If you want to keep up with my recent events and activities, hop on the Huntingdon County Fair website and read my blog; maybe even leave a comment of your most treasured memory of the 2014 Huntingdon County Fair!  Keep treasuring your memories!

                                                                          

                                                                                             

Shaver's Creek Grange Meeting

So this is really late but I attended the Shaver's Creek Grange Meeting last Monday night.  Myself and Linda, my fair queen mom, went out and enjoyed a lovely dinner with the grange.  We had meatballs, fruit salad and macaroni salad. Can you say yum!!!! They also celebrated Jean's 90th (sorry if I'm wrong) Birthday with awesome cake and ice cream! The beginning of the meeting I got to present my Farm Safety 4 Just Kids safety board and gave them some safety tips while informing them of what my year will be full of. They were full of questions about the program and how the state pageant was laid out.  I had a great time speaking with the Grange and some even shared some stories about the fair in their day!  So thank you once again for inviting me and thank you for the awesome Grange cookbook, I'm using it in college!!!

Ag Progress Day

Yesterday I was invited to go attend Ag Progress Days up in Rock Springs, PA.  I was able to work the American Lamb Growers Association booth with a great group of people.  I got to meet the Pennsylvania Lamb and Wool Queen and Princess, who are both from Somerset County!  Throughout the day, I made gyros that used lamb meat instead of beef or chicken that many are used to.  At this booth, they also sold lamb sandwiches. Most of all, I got the chance to talk with sheep raisers and hear numerous facts of different things related to sheep.  I also got to hear Ken Soder's stories from when he lived in Montana and raised over 2000 sheep on one ranch.  Did you know that Montana sheep shearer's shear about 135 sheep a day leaving that to one lamb every 3 minutes?!?!  I also got the chance to walk around and look at the different vendor spots. Yesterday was a busy day but a day filled with fun! Thank you to Ken Soders for inviting me for the day!

Orbisonia-Rockhill Homecoming Parade

Tonight I traveled to Orbisonia with my mother and Tracey Bousum to ride in the Orbisonia- Rockhill Homecoming Parade.  Since I have no experience with the streets of Rockhill, you can say we got a little confused but found our spot....eventually!  Price Motors Sales was generous enough to send a driver and truck out for me to ride in.  Dale, my driver, and I watched a twirling group for 45 minutes and listened to the same two songs for the entire parade!!! Thanks a bunch Dale for driving me in the parade even though we didn't know where we were going at first! I had a blast! Good luck to all the Queen and Princess contestants this week! Another appearance in the books until tomorrow at Ag Progress Days!!!

Last Day of the Huntingdon County Fair

I can't believe that the fair is over already! It went by way too fast!! Sorry I didn't get to post yesterday it was a long and busy day! Amanda, Megan, Emily (Huntingdon County Dairy Princess)and I had to get up super early to attend the Grange Breakfast.  We got to enjoy a delicious meal of various casseroles, muffins, fruit and homemade cinnamon rolls.  The cinnamon rolls were the best! The Grange then held a ceremony to honor the recipients of the community service award.  This year's recipients are our rabbit superintendents, Donald and Helen Harnish Sr.  This couple have been involved with the fair for 42 years and have been a major part of the Huntingdon County Fair.  Congratulations Donald and Helen! I got to spend the afternoon with my fair queen moms, my court and the Junior Ambassadors at the wing-off.  I was lucky enough to judge the contest with Colette, Jamie Hicks, Logan Booher, and Jeff Metz and decide which business had the best hot, B-B-Q and specialty wings.  Cassville Country Store, Woody's BBQ, CC'S Wings and Things and Fat Freddie's were our four participants.  Congratulations to all the winners! I would like to send a major thank you out to Woody's and Fat Freddie's for donating their prize money back to the Fair Queen Program!  Megan and I got to attend the Demolition Derby and present the award for best appearance.  I got to spend the last hour at the fair office drawing for the cash prizes! Congratulations to all cash prize winners! Before I conclude my last post from the Huntingdon County Fair, I would like to say that this past week was amazing!  I have made many memories that will last a lifetime!  Like Saturday, I fell off the scale at weigh-in and fell in manure but oh well! Sunday, I was crowned the new queen and I still can't tell you how I exactly feel! I had a blast showing with all the other exhibitors and watching the Premier Showman Contest. Milking a cow is something that I won't forget since my cow didn't want milked and jumped every time I touched her. During the Public Speaking Contest, Tyler and I made the most of our last public speaking contest.  We made faces and tried making each other laugh or smile during the speeches! Little things like these memories make us who we are and is what brings us back together every year for the Huntingdon County Fair! So you do you come back every year? The memories that you made this year, I hope are what bring you back August 9-15 to the 2015 Huntingdon County Fair!

Day Six of the Huntingdon County Fair

Well today was a huge day for our exhibitors, it's the day that the market animals leave! Our Junior Livestock Sale started at 9am in the Large Show Arena with the selling of the hogs.  We then continued to sheep, meat pens, goats, steers and dairy beef.  After the meat pens were sold, the Dairy Promotion auctioned off items for the dairy scholarship.  The biggest item sold for the scholarship was a red and white heifer that was bought by Kaleb Isenberg to start off his dairy farm.  Throughout the day, I helped run slips, talked with buyers, got pictures with the grand and reserve animals and sold my pen of rabbits along with my dairy beef, Yogi.  I would like to thank all the buyers from today's sale for supporting the 4H and FFA programs.  Personally I would like to thank World Marketing for buying my meat pen and Pamela Stern from Nationwide Insurance for purchasing my dairy beef!  There were tears shed from many members, young and old, as they walked into the show ring and even walking their animal onto the trailer to say their final goodbyes.  As you look back to the time you got raising your animal, you realize it was more than just a pet for many.  It was like having another member of the family that you will always have memories with!  With the sale ending at 5pm, we had sold 500 heads to various businesses, farmers, politicians, and families!  After the long day of selling, I finally got some time to relax and hang with friends.  My Fair Queen Moms (Amy, Billie and Linda) decided to ride the Ferris wheel which was a bad choice on our part!  After all the heart stopping, stomach dropping and sweaty palms we decided to never ride it again! At least we got some nice pictures from the top!!  After that I sat with my calf until 11pm for him to be loaded on the trailer.  My calf and several others were traveling to Everett last night to be loaded again this morning to head out West.  All in all, today was a day that will be "treasured" by many!  Come tomorrow to enjoy a day of food and entertainment. Tomorrow night, we have Chris Woodward on the Midway Stage, the Demo Derby at the Grandstand and the Central Pennsylvania Holstein Championship Show (Black and White Show).  If you like wings stop by Neary Hall at 2pm for the annual WingOff! We have four participants, Cassville Country Store, Woody's, Fat Freddie's, and CC'S Wings and Things!  Come and enjoy the last and final day here at the Huntingdon County Fair!

Day Five of the Huntingdon County Fair

Another crazy day is in the books!  This morning was the quiet no hassle morning where exhibitors got to sleep in since there were no morning shows!  I was able to relax and not rush because I wasn't needed until 11 to watch the Premier Showman Contest.  This contest featured seven exhibitors: Brooke Emery (rabbits), Chely Miller (goats), Cristina Kern (pigs), Katie Anderson (sheep), Michael Yoder (dairy beef), Valerie Coleman (steer), and Amanda Fisher (dairy).  These exhibitors were asked to show each species for two judges to become the Premier Showman.  After a long and hard decision, the Mac Trophy will be traveling back to Southern Huntingdon in honor of Cristina Kern winning! Congratulations Cristina and other exhibitors! The Clifford McElrath Scholarship were given to three showman for their further education. Congratulations Allie Miller, Kendra Semple and myself!  The Youth Public Speaking Contest was directly afterwards were I got to present my speech, "Why Should You Come to My Fair?".  I got to spend the afternoon with a long lost friend, Tyler Watkins, making faces at each other during our speeches!  Congrats to all public speaking participants its extremely brave to get up and speak in front of a crowd!  I got a break quick before going on WTAJ for an interview with John Clay.  Myself, Emily Davis (Huntingdon County Dairy Princess) and Danielle Varner (Pennsylvania Alternate Dairy Princess) were asked to bring our favorite fair food to showcase to the viewers.  Emily brought an ice cream cone, Danielle brought cheese pizza and I brought a snowball.  It was great to be able to show our viewing area what our favorite "treasure" at the fair was! I then rushed to the Little Red Schoolhouse where I was entertained with two ambassadors, Lissy and Katie.  At seven I was asked to be part of the Celebrity Milking Contest at Dairy Fun Night with Marra Aurand (Miss Altoona), Rufus Brenneman (Chief of Police), George Zanic (Huntingdon Judge), Mike Fleck (Representative) and John Clay (WTAJ broadcaster). I was put with the stubborn cow that didn't want to be milked whatsoever! After trying the cow done, I was given a cow that actually wanted to be milked.  Congratulations to Mike Fleck and Marra Aurand for winning!  My court and I stuck around to watch the ice cream eating contest, animal dress-up, milk chugging contest, and the wheelbarrow race.  It was a great evening celebrating with the Dairy Promotion Program! Well tomorrow is the Junior Livestock Sale so stop on by to support our 4H and FFA members.  Come and "treasure the memories" before the week is over!! Hope to see you here!!

Day Four of the Huntingdon County Fair

Can you believe that we are halfway through the Huntingdon County Fair?? I know I can't it's going way too fast!!  My hectic day started off with the lovely rain storm that hit the fairgrounds leaving it cold and damp. I tried waiting the storm out but no luck with that so my sister and I washed our calves in the rain.  We should of just washed them outside the barn instead of using the wash rack! Luckily the rain held off for the rest of the day to warm up just in time for Senior Citizens' Day!  I got the opportunity to welcome the senior citizens to the fair and watch some of the activities. They did sing-a-longs with Dan and Gala, a scavenger hunt of crazy things they carry and watched the Antique Tractor Parade!  The whole event brought a smile to my face seeing the generation before me coming back to something they attended when they were my age and have a great time was awesome!  I got the pleasure to ride with Clair Grove in his 1928 yellow car through the midway along with Huntingdon County Dairy Princess, Emily Davis, Megan Forgy, Amanda Fisher and the Junior Fair Ambassadors.  Although I had to jump ship at the fair office to run back and get ready for my dairy beef show, I had a great time as always with Clair! Thanks Clair for hauling all of us girls around for the afternoon! I finally got to have my time with showing even though I didn't do as great as I hoped, I'm proud of the how great the other exhibitors did!  Congratulations to all exhibitors whether you won or lost, you are still a winner at heart with all the hard work you put in throughout the summer! This evening Penn Valley Shows provided the fair board and myself a fabulous dinner!  Tonight is my night to relax so I'm stopping down at the talent show and grabbing a frozen cheesecake on a stick! YUMMMM!!!!! I can definitely say that today was my busiest day out of the week but it was wonderful.  Now tomorrow head on out to check out the Premier Showman Contest, the Truck Pulls or even join the fun at Dairy Fun Night!!  Come on out to "treasure the memories" with your family, friends or even friends that you will reunite with here at the Huntingdon County Fair!!

Day Three of the Huntingdon County Fair

Well another day of shows have hit the books! On this hot muggy then cold day, we held the market hog, market lamb, open dairy, and horse show! I started my day off at the market hog show handing out ribbons and watching exhibitors vie for the title of Grand Champion Market Hog.  I had a great time with pig volunteers and our 2009 fair queen, Kelsey Dysard.  There were many laughs and many "what was that number that just left the ring" and "how many pigs are in the ring".  I can definitely say that I learned a valuable lesson on how to "properly" count pigs because you know you need that in your everyday life!!  This afternoon, I got the opportunity to handle my calves to prepare him for show tomorrow afternoon.  I even got to meet our daily sponsor, Valley Rural Electric Cooperative and visit with them since my uncle is a big part of the company.  Not only did I get a chance to catch up with my uncle but I got a chance to talk with a group of people that donate to our fair to have the fair happen. So thank you Valley Rural!!  From 5-7pm, I was at the Little Red Schoolhouse at got to meet four children and got to talk with them.  Two of these children were from Maryland and came just for the fair! How wonderful is that knowing people from all over come to the Huntingdon County Fair!  This picture included is of the masterpiece of what Jayla and Summer created during their time in the schoolhouse! We would love to have more children stop by the schoolhouse so stop on by and check out our place!  I got the opportunity to watch the market lamb show and check out our midway and of course, food vendors!  Those CC's fries and Hewlett hot sausage sandwich definitely hit the spot! Well another day is in the books and I got a packed schedule tomorrow so I will turn in so I won't have to drink caffeine to keep awake, even though I will.  Tomorrow is Senior Citizen's Day with Dan and Gala at the Midway Stage, the Antique Tractor Parade at 1pm, the Talent Show at 7pm and Mini Tractor Pulls in the Grandstand! We have the market steer show at 8am, dairy beef show at 1:30pm, and horse speed events at 5pm! Come on down and check out the shows or the entertainment, I'm sure you will find something that catches your eye! I hope to see you and your family here to "treasure the memories"!

Day Two of the Huntingdon County Fair

Day two of the fair was filled with livestock shows and entertainment! Today we had the pig showmanship and fitting show, the 4H and FFA show, the halter classes of the horses and breeding sheep show! The livestock barns were filled with exhibitors all day and even this evening clipping and washing their animals.  I started my day off traveling with one of my "Fair Queen Moms", Amy Houck, to Hunny 106 station to speak with Rick Hamilton about our fabulous fair! After having my quality mom time, I went to the pig show with Junior Ambassador, Shayla, to hand out ribbons and to watch the exhibitors show off their knowledge in front of the judge in hopes of being named Master Showman! Luckily this afternoon, I was able to get a little break before my hustle and bustle evening.  I got the opportunity to watch the breeding sheep show as a spectator and even learned some things about the different breeds.  Did you know that there are more than 40 breeds of sheep just in the United States??!!  Our Little Red Schoolhouse, located by Johnson Hall, opened for the first time since last year!  We only had two children come in but they got to kick off what I like to call "Kids' Farmtastic Coloring Contest"!!!  I also got to meet a special person tonight, McKenzi was one of the children and it was her 4th birthday! What a better way to celebrate your birthday than at the Huntingdon County Fair!! Happy Birthday McKenzi! My court and I would love to have some more children come to our schoolhouse to spread our farm safety knowledge so stop on by and color a picture to put on the wall and get a goodie after learning something new! Day two is in the books and I'm tired beyond compare so time to turn before day number 3! We have many shows tomorrow also along with entertainment on the Midway stage and the Antique Tractor Pull in the Grandstand!! Stop by to hear about my exciting day! Come and check out the premier agricultural fair in Pennsylvania next to the state farm show! Hope you and your family come to "treasure the memories"!

Day One of the Huntingdon County Fair

Good afternoon everyone! I'm Sarah Jefferis, the newly crowned 2014-2015 Huntingdon County Fair Queen! Through this blog, I will be informing you of my daily events such as the fair, presentations, banquets, and radio station interviews. Well before the fair even started I was busy getting ready for all the excitement, nerves and good times that come with the Huntingdon County Fair. To prepare for this incredible pageant, that I've been lucky enough to be part of for six years, I had to write an essay, "What my fair means to my community", a 3-5 minute speech "Why you should come to my fair", create a Farm Safety display board, take the judges on a tour of the fairgrounds, and go through the
interview.  This year we had 4 contestants for fair queen, myself, Alison Conrad, Megan Forgy and Amanda Fisher.  From 11:45 to 7:00 on Sunday we spent the day with our three wonderful judges  giving tours (even in the rain), interviews in our Little Red Schoolhouse and even enjoyed time with each other trying to get in our big gowns without getting muddy or wet! We got started with the pageant just in time of the thunderstorm. While on stage, we were to give an introduction, our speech and answer an impromptu question of the judges' choice. As we listened to Katie's farewell speech, you could feel the nerves and anxiousness of our queen contestants! Alison Conrad and Amanda Fisher were named our Fair Ambassadors. It came down to me and Megan and of course Gala kept the suspense alive explaining what the 1st runner up was given. Megan Forgy was named the 2014-2015 Huntingdon County 1st Alternate Fair Queen! At that point, all feelings that you can think of came to me and I didn't know what to say!  As Katie crowned me
and Gala gave me the mic to speak, I wasn't sure what I wanted to say other than thank you! The pageant ended with press and family taking pictures, many hugs, interviews and meeting our special guest, Kelsey Koontz the Bedford County Fair Queen! I definitely can say that by the end of the night my face was hurting from smiling!! I was able to walk around the fairgrounds with Alison to greet guest to the fair and take more and more pictures! During the hectic fair week, we have 11 Junior Fair Ambassadors to help with livestock shows and the wing off Saturday afternoon! Also while I was taking part of this competition we had two livestock shows taking place, the rabbit and goat show along with judging in Johnson, Owens, and Neary Hall. Opening day was quite the big day for all exhibitors and guests! Stay in touch with my blog where I will be updating daily throughout the week! Come and experience a place where you can "treasure the memories"!