MONROE - The Fairest of the Fair is returning to the Green County Fair this year.
The winner of the local competition will become the official ambassador, a media spokesperson and official host of the Green County Fair and has the opportunity to compete in January to become the next Wisconsin State Fair "Fairest of the Fair."
The Green County Fairest of the Fair will be crowned at the Green County Breakfast on the Farm on May 26.
The Green County Fair Board approved the return of the Fairest of the Fair program earlier this year, prompted by a request from Julene Elmer, chairman of the Green County Ag Chest Dairy Queen program.
The Fairest of the Fair program is a "great opportunity for any young person interested in agriculture, and especially agriculture and communication," Elmer said. "If they win at the local level, they can go on to the state, and essentially they would be working for the state."
The Fairest of the Fair promotes the vast agricultural and educational opportunities available at the fair, as well as its commercial, cultural and social aspects. They participate in parades and other events, and visit people, schools and organizations around the county in an effort to increase participation and attendance at the fair.
"They give a face to the fair," Elmer said.
The last Green County Fairest of the Fair to be crowned was Hayley Barker Jordan in 1999. She went on to be named the Wisconsin Fairest of the Fair the following January.
"It's an amazing program; I'm so excited they brought it back," she said. "It gave me so many opportunities in my life."
Barker Jordan said her full-time paid position during the fair season was technically as a marketing intern for the state fairs and tourism.
Wisconsin Fairest of the Fair is a joint venture of the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection and the State Fair Park, she noted.
As Wisconsin Fairest of the Fair in 1999, Barker Jordan worked closely with Alice in Dairy Land, Amy (Fischer) Brown. She also worked with Governor Tommy G. Thompson and Ben Brancel, Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection, as well as the Department of Tourism.
Without a county Fairest of the Fair program, no one in Green County since has had the opportunity to compete in the state program, Barker Jordan pointed out.
The state competition, which focused heavily on marketing ability, was a three-day judging event for Barker Jordan and her competitors from 30 other Wisconsin counties. The competition was designed "just like the Alice program," complete with stage programs, a radio spot and final banquet, she said.
"The first evening was an auction. I had to bring a basket of Green County products and stand there all evening talking to people who passed by. Some were the (competition's) judges, but you didn't know who they were," she added.
The next morning at breakfast - and for every meal thereafter - the contestants ate with the judges.
"That's the first time we got to find out who the judges were," she said.
Haley Barker had been engaged to Matt Jordan for about a year before she became Wisconsin Fairest of the Fair. They married in the summer of 1999, but the couple didn't publicly reveal their marriage, "until the very end, when I gave away my crown," Barker Jordan said. Once married, her husband became her chaperon, a position her mother or friends once filled.
"Oh, it changed his life, too," she laughed. "Suddenly one day, he's eating lunch with the governor."
The Jordans now co-own with Matt's parents Jordan Implement in Juda. Barker Jordan also works as an occupational therapist.
To coordinate Green County's Fairest of the Fair competition this May, Elmer is stepping down as the Green County Dairy Queen chairman and Pam Burke will fill the position.
The Fairest of the Fair application is "fairly" simple, Elmer noted. Applicants are asked for general information, schooling, community involvement, fair participation and reasons why they make a good candidate for the program.
To run for Fairest of the Fair, individuals need to be 18 years of age by Jan. 1. Applications need to be completed and returned to Elmer by May 1.
"If I had one piece of advice (for the newest contestants)," Barker Jordan said, "I would say, 'Fill out the form.' I almost didn't."
"With wonderful FFA and 4-H programs, Green County has always done very well in state competitions," she added.
For more an application and/or more information, please call Julene Elmer 608-235-9107 or email juelmer1959@gmail.com.
The winner of the local competition will become the official ambassador, a media spokesperson and official host of the Green County Fair and has the opportunity to compete in January to become the next Wisconsin State Fair "Fairest of the Fair."
The Green County Fairest of the Fair will be crowned at the Green County Breakfast on the Farm on May 26.
The Green County Fair Board approved the return of the Fairest of the Fair program earlier this year, prompted by a request from Julene Elmer, chairman of the Green County Ag Chest Dairy Queen program.
The Fairest of the Fair program is a "great opportunity for any young person interested in agriculture, and especially agriculture and communication," Elmer said. "If they win at the local level, they can go on to the state, and essentially they would be working for the state."
The Fairest of the Fair promotes the vast agricultural and educational opportunities available at the fair, as well as its commercial, cultural and social aspects. They participate in parades and other events, and visit people, schools and organizations around the county in an effort to increase participation and attendance at the fair.
"They give a face to the fair," Elmer said.
The last Green County Fairest of the Fair to be crowned was Hayley Barker Jordan in 1999. She went on to be named the Wisconsin Fairest of the Fair the following January.
"It's an amazing program; I'm so excited they brought it back," she said. "It gave me so many opportunities in my life."
Barker Jordan said her full-time paid position during the fair season was technically as a marketing intern for the state fairs and tourism.
Wisconsin Fairest of the Fair is a joint venture of the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection and the State Fair Park, she noted.
As Wisconsin Fairest of the Fair in 1999, Barker Jordan worked closely with Alice in Dairy Land, Amy (Fischer) Brown. She also worked with Governor Tommy G. Thompson and Ben Brancel, Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection, as well as the Department of Tourism.
Without a county Fairest of the Fair program, no one in Green County since has had the opportunity to compete in the state program, Barker Jordan pointed out.
The state competition, which focused heavily on marketing ability, was a three-day judging event for Barker Jordan and her competitors from 30 other Wisconsin counties. The competition was designed "just like the Alice program," complete with stage programs, a radio spot and final banquet, she said.
"The first evening was an auction. I had to bring a basket of Green County products and stand there all evening talking to people who passed by. Some were the (competition's) judges, but you didn't know who they were," she added.
The next morning at breakfast - and for every meal thereafter - the contestants ate with the judges.
"That's the first time we got to find out who the judges were," she said.
Haley Barker had been engaged to Matt Jordan for about a year before she became Wisconsin Fairest of the Fair. They married in the summer of 1999, but the couple didn't publicly reveal their marriage, "until the very end, when I gave away my crown," Barker Jordan said. Once married, her husband became her chaperon, a position her mother or friends once filled.
"Oh, it changed his life, too," she laughed. "Suddenly one day, he's eating lunch with the governor."
The Jordans now co-own with Matt's parents Jordan Implement in Juda. Barker Jordan also works as an occupational therapist.
To coordinate Green County's Fairest of the Fair competition this May, Elmer is stepping down as the Green County Dairy Queen chairman and Pam Burke will fill the position.
The Fairest of the Fair application is "fairly" simple, Elmer noted. Applicants are asked for general information, schooling, community involvement, fair participation and reasons why they make a good candidate for the program.
To run for Fairest of the Fair, individuals need to be 18 years of age by Jan. 1. Applications need to be completed and returned to Elmer by May 1.
"If I had one piece of advice (for the newest contestants)," Barker Jordan said, "I would say, 'Fill out the form.' I almost didn't."
"With wonderful FFA and 4-H programs, Green County has always done very well in state competitions," she added.
For more an application and/or more information, please call Julene Elmer 608-235-9107 or email juelmer1959@gmail.com.