Randolph and Brandt crowned fair queen and king
Cameron Brandt of Dover, left, and Riley Randolph of New Philadelphia will reign over the 2021 Tuscarawas County Fair.
At prefair activities on Sunday, Sept. 19, Riley Randolph and Cameron Brandt were crowned fair queen and king by outgoing 2020 fair queen Madison DeVault.
Randoph, 16, of New Philadelphia is the daughter of Chet and Jenn Randolph and a junior at New Philadelphia High School. She is a member of the Happy Homesteader’s 4-H Club.
Brandt, 18, of Dover is the son of Josh and Jill Brandt and is a freshman at Ohio State ATI in Wooster. He is a member of the Tusky Valley Farmers 4-H Club.
Between the two of them, they’ve enjoyed taking a variety of projects over the years. Brandt has taken steers, heifers, market hogs, breeding hogs, photography, family history market goats and more. His favorite project is working with pigs.
In addition to market steer, market hog and market lamb, Randolph has done a variety of projects including cooking, clothing and scrapbooking.
“I would say my favorite project out of all of them has definitely got to be any of my market livestock projects,” Randolph said. “There's a thrill that you get when you're in the ring and you're showing off the project that you spent so much time with. There's a sense of pride."
Randolph is excited to fulfill the responsibilities of queen and is proud to represent 4-H and the Tuscarawas County Fair.
“I'm feeling extremely overjoyed for the opportunity that I have going forward,” Randolph said. “I'm really excited to visit other county fairs and see how they operate.”
Both are looking forward to this year’s hog show. The popularity of the project has hog numbers up to more than 300 this year.
“We have so many hogs that we actually had to build more pens for them, and I'm very excited to see how that is. It creates more competition, and it creates more experiences for more kids,” Brandt said. “They can learn more about their project, and it teaches them a lot of different responsibilities.”
To be selected as fair king or queen, each participant had to write an essay. Brandt wrote his essay about his family’s involvement in 4-H.
“My family has been in 4-H since the 1940s. My great-grandma actually took a cooking project to the state fair, and the next year she took a sewing project to the state fair,” Brandt said. “My grandparents, my parents, my aunts and uncles all have been in 4-H, and that's how a lot of my family members met. My aunts and uncles met in 4-H. Our family has really revolved around the agricultural scene and what 4-H and FFA can bring into your life.”
Randolph wrote her essay on the love she has for her county and community and her involvement in a group called Leaders of Tomorrow.
“I'm grateful for every 4-H opportunity that I've ever had,” Randolph said.
Both are eagerly looking forward to the next year.
“I'm very grateful that my county has given me the opportunity to represent them,” Brandt said.
Others in the running for the title included the following:
—Makayla Corpman, 17, of Tuscarawas, the daughter of Ed and Sue Corpman. She is a student at Kent State University at Tuscarawas, a member of the Happy Homesteaders 4-H club and a four-year member of Indian Valley FFA.
—Adrianna Cox, 17, of Bolivar, the daughter of Ryan Cox and Jenn Cox. She is a senior at Tusky Valley High School and a member of the Atwood Lakers 4-H club.
—Zulemar Heredia, 19, of Tuscarawas County, the daughter of Ramon and Jennifer Heredia. She is a senior at Sandy Valley High School and a member of the Atwood Lakers 4-H Club.
—Jade Jones, 19, of Tuscarawas, the daughter of Fred and Brittany Jones. She is a member of the Mix-N-Match 4-H Club and the Claymont FFA.
—Makayla Reiger, 18, of Strasburg, the daughter of Crissy McCloskey and Hoss and Crystal Reiger. She is a freshman at Kent State Tuscarawas and a member of the Happy Harvesters 4-H Club.
—Tracy Zurfley, 18, of Dover, the daughter of Shawn and Sara Zurfley. She attends Kent State, where she is a freshman. She is a member of the Brandywine 4-H Club.
Also in the running for fair king was Alexander Allen, 19, of Mineral City. He is the son of Darren and Emilene Allen and a recent graduate from Tusky Valley High School and Buckeye Career Center. Allen is a member of the Atwood Lakers 4-H Club.
Instead of fair plates for the 2021 year, the fair board switched to auctioning 10 baskets, and the sale benefits the fair. Each basket contained a decorative cutting board and several food items. The first basket went to Scott and Leigh Corove for $750. The remaining baskets went for $575, Jamie’s Apple Fritters; $550, Mark and Linda Conkle; $625, Rod Endsley; $950, Chismar family; $625, Keith and Stephanie DeVault; $650, Wolfe’s Lawn and Landscaping; $600, Beitzel Meats; $625, Logan and Bailey Wilson; and $625, Cronebaugh Auctions.
The total earned amounted was $6,575.
The 11th basket was auctioned off to support the king and queen program. It was purchased by Chet and Jenn Randolph, parents of this year’s fair queen, for $1,400.
Five veterans were honored during the Quilts of Valor Under Our Wings program.
“I salute the men and women who have served our country, performed your duty and fought for the freedoms we enjoy today,” Chris Kendle of the OSU Extension said.
Honored were Don Kemp, who served in the United States Army, received a quilt made during the 4-H Create Day; Dean Burky, who served in the United States Air Force, received a quilt from the Above and Beyond 4-H club; Will Krese, who served in the United States Navy, also received a quilt from the Above and Beyond 4-H club; Merle Degen, who served in the United States Army, received a quilt from the Town and Country 4-H Club; and Johnnie Gray, who served in the United States Army, received a quilt from the Country Clovers 4-H club.
Meghan Kieffer, a member of the Atwood Lakers 4-H Club, received the 2021 Sandy Wardell Outstanding Junior Leader Award, which is given each year to a Tuscarawas County 4-H leader who emulates the values of a leader.
Kieffer has been involved as a camp counselor and a member of the junior fair board for the past several years. She is a graduate of Garaway High School and recently got a job as a firefighter with the Bolivar Fire Department.
“Meghan was unable to be a camp counselor this year due to the firefighter classes but volunteered to serve as medical personnel at multiple day camps so she could still help,” Kiersten Heckle of the OSU Extension office said. “With her organizational skills, she’s always one to help keep everyone on track.”
Receiving scholarships from the Tuscarawas County 4-H Committee were Marhin Chismar, Matt Pfieffer, Rance Quillen, Catelyn Green, Ali Anderson and Caitlyn Long.
The Tuscarawas County Fair will continue through Sunday, Sept. 26 with tractor pulls on Friday night, a monster truck show on Saturday and a demolition derby to end the fair on Sunday night.