County queen places in state fair contest
Christa Ziefel, 2012 Greene County Fair Queen, was selected as a top five finalist at the 2013 Pennsylvania State Fair Queen competition Saturday at the Hershey Lodge and Convention Center in Hershey. The competition was part of the annual joint convention of the Pennsylvania State Association of County Fairs and the Pennsylvania State Showmen’s Association.
Ziefel was among 55 contestants in this year’s state competition. Each girl was required to prepare a brief speech that would convince others to attend her county or community fair and write an essay about the significance of the fair to her local community. Girls also were interviewed by a panel of three judges who evaluated them on their written and public speaking skills, knowledge of the fair and agricultural industries, as well as poise and appearance.
Judges for this year’s competition included Dr. Jim Diamond, former dean of agricultural and environmental sciences at Delaware Valley College; Jean Lonie, senior manager of marketing communications for animal Pfizer Animal Health beef segment; and Wanda Waugh, co-owner of Glen Ridge Farm. The master of ceremonies was Kevin Bieber of the Oley Valley Community Fair.
As one of the five finalists, Ziefel was required to give an impromptu answer to how she would encourage consumers to purchase Pennsylvania agricultural products. Rhonda Carl of Ashland, representing Schuylkill County, who was crowned queen for 2013, emphasized educating the growing population on the role Pennsylvania products plays in their daily food life. Other finalists included Clinton County Fair Queen Brennan Register, Harford Fair Queen Racheal Sue Grosvenor and Big Butler Fair Queen Sarah Wilson, who was named first runner-up.
Ziefel is a daughter of Dave and Cathy Ziefel of Graysville. She is a senior at West Greene High School, where she serves as captain of the West Greene rifle team, a member of the Greene County and Frazier Simplex 4-H air rifle club, a member of the 4-H Rabbit Club and vice president of the 4-H county council.
Other Greene County girls also have done well in the state pageant.
Amy Anderson, who was crowned Greene County Fair Queen in 1992, won the state title in 1993. Greene County Fair Queen Megan Moore was first runner-up in 2008, and Queen Lindsey Lonsgstreth was a top five finalist in 2009.
Two Jacktown Fair Queens, Pam Pulkownik and Cassie Householder, were top five finishers in 1997 and 2001, respectively.