This year’s Jackson County Fair queen says she’s ready for anything this week might have to throw at her.
If Sunday is any example, Brownstown’s Brycelyn Nickole Ruddick and the rest of her court, first runner-up Alexis Koch, also of Brownstown, and second runner-up and Miss Congeniality Olivia Benter of Seymour would do well to be prepared for just about anything.
Ruddick was crowned queen at the end of the pageant, which involved an interview session that had to be moved twice because of an early morning power outage caused by one of several severe storms that passed through the area.
The interview sessions usually are conducted at Brownstown Elementary School, but they were moved to The Peoples Bank because of the outage and then moved back to the school once power was restored.
The business attire and formal wear portions of the pageant were conducted Sunday evening in sweltering heat in front of the grandstand and with the threat of more storms.
Ruddick, a junior at Indiana University, said she was flabbergasted to hear her name called as queen.
“That’s the only word I can use,” said the daughter of Carla Hehman and the late Butch Ruddick.
Ruddick said she knows she will be busy at the fair this week and will have a busy year as reigning fair queen.
“I’m ready for the tractor pull, the demolition derby, all of it,” she said.
Ruddick said as a little girl, she would go to the fair queen pageant, and becoming fair queen always was a goal.
Winning the title allows her to be a role model for all of the little girls in the county, she said.
Ruddick, sponsored by Sauers Extension Homemakers Club, is majoring in tourism, hospitality and event management with the idea of returning home.
“I’ve kind of thought about wedding planning or community event planning,” she said. “Brownstown has a lot of development going on with Main Street and other things. I feel like I could be a good asset to all the events we have going on.”
Koch, the daughter of Derrick and Sharon Koch of Brownstown, said she also is ready for the rest of fair week.
“I’m a little bit nervous about what all it is going to entail, but I think it’s going to be rewarding,” she said.
Koch, who is pursuing a career in occupational therapy at the University of Indianapolis, said she initially hadn’t planned to enter the pageant.
Some of her friends and a couple of members of Tri Kappa, the organization that sponsored her, convinced her to run.
“I’m very glad I did,” she said.
Benter, the daughter of Michael and Linda Benter, was even more surprised to hear her name called out twice.
“I came in knowing that every girl had a chance,” she said. “I just had fun with it. It is really an honor.”
Benter, sponsored by Country Friends Extension Homemakers Club, said she is excited about her week as a member of the queen’s court.
“I live at the fair anyway,” said Benter, who is studying early childhood education at Purdue University with the idea of becoming a special education teacher.
Lexi Hunt, one of the other 12 candidates, said the pageant was so much fun and she really enjoyed it.
“I would do it again,” she said. “It’s really a great experience, and you bond with all the girls. And it helps you get more comfortable with interviewing in the future.”
Kaitlin McPike, the 2016 fair queen, said her advice to Ruddick and the court is to take it all in and be at the fair as much as they can all week.
“It’s really busy,” she said.
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Daily program
Today
Poor Jack Amusements special needs rides from 3 to 5 p.m.:, coupon night with unlimited rides from 6 p.m. to close with $20 bracelet, $16 with Poor Jack coupon
9 a.m.: Draft horse, mule and Haflingers show, show arena
10 a.m.: 4-H fashion revue and crowning of 4-H royalty, grandstand
10 a.m. to noon: Floral exhibits due in Farm Bureau building, section 3 only (members only)
10 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Older Americans, pavilion
11 a.m.: 4-H market lambs weighed
1 p.m.: Judging of 4-H swine (4-H breeding gilts, swine showmanship, 4-H market barrow), show arena
2 p.m.: All dairy cattle entries must be on fairgrounds
6 p.m.: Dumpster Drummers, Marvin Rumph square dancers, antique building stage
6:30 p.m.: Tomahawk and knife throwing finals, behind antique building
7 p.m.: Columbus City Band, pavilion
7 p.m.: Nightly antique machinery demonstration, behind antique building
Grandstand
8 p.m.: Demolition derby, full car and mini car
Kids Power Wheel demonstration, sponsored by Bob Poynter of Seymour; $10 for adults, pit pass $15, $2 for children 6 to 12, under 6 free, sponsored by Klaes Chiropractic Clinic and Radio 96.3 WJAA (equipment provided by King’s Trucking and Excavation)
Wednesday
Poor Jack Amusements Kiddie Day, unlimited rides from 1 to 5 p.m. with $14 bracelet
7:30 a.m.: Weigh 4-H beef and 4-H dairy beef to determine classes
9 a.m.: Judging of 4-H dairy and open class, dairy show arena
Noon: All open class dairy livestock must be removed from fairgrounds
1 p.m.: “Benefits of Plant Protein” Schneck Medical Center nutrition services department, pavilion
2 p.m.: Open class sheep must be in place
2 to 3 p.m.: Commercial ewes weighed
3 p.m.: Entry for pedal tractor pull, pavilion
3:30 p.m.: Pedal tractor pull contest, sponsored by Brownstown FFA, pavilion
5 p.m.: Judging of 4-H sheep, open class follows, show arena
6 p.m.: Registration for Jackson County Cornhole Pitch, horseshoe pitch area near Gate 6 (entry fee $10)
6 p.m.: Sure Shot Turkey Dusters, antique building stage
6:30 p.m.: Jackson County Cornhole Pitch, horseshoe pitch area near Gate 6
6:30 to 8 p.m.: Elements of Jazz, pavilion
7 p.m.: Nightly antique machinery demonstration, behind antique building
8 p.m.: Open forum “What’s working in your garden/landscape?” hosted by Fleeta K. Arthur, horticulture building
Grandstand
7:30 p.m.: Lucas Oil Pro Pulling League; adults or pit pass for $15, $2 children 6 to 12, under 6 free (equipment provided by Wright Implement and Wischmeier Companies LLC)
Thursday
Poor Jack Amusements coupon night with unlimited rides from 6 p.m. to close with $20 bracelet, $16 with Poor Jack coupon
9 a.m.: 4-H dairy beef judging, show arena
10 a.m.: Draft horses, mules and Haflingers released
1 p.m.: 4-H beef heifer judging, show arena
2:30 p.m.: Check-in for 4-H creative dramatics performance, pavilion
2:30 p.m.: 4-H beef show judging, show arena
3 p.m.: 4-H creative dramatics performance, pavilion
6 to 9 p.m.: Stars and Stripes Cloggers, Country Kickers line dancers, antique building stage
6:30 p.m.: Tomahawk and knife throwing finals, behind antique building
7 p.m.: Ko’s Martial Arts Academy, pavilion
7 p.m.: Nightly antique machinery demonstration, behind antique building
7:30 p.m.: 4-H supreme showman, show arena
Grandstand
7 p.m.: Thursday Night Thunder for Indiana Pro Late Models, modifieds, superstocks, hornets; $15 for adults, pit pass $30, $2 for children 6 to 12, under 6 free; sponsored by Jackson County Tire
Friday
Poor Jack Amusements Moonlight Madness with unlimited carnival rides 6 p.m. to close with $20 bracelet
7 a.m.: Swine going home, locker for person use or state fair exhibits released
7 8 a.m.: Open class goat registration
9 a.m.: 4-H dairy goat show open breeding classes judged immediately after each 4-H class, show arena
Noon: Jackson County Fair fashion show; “B.loved” will present a formal attire show in conjunction with the show, grandstand
2 p.m.: Grand parade of livestock registration deadline, 4-H building
3 p.m.: Presentation of 4-H trophies from 4-H building, 4-H building winners circle awards, 10-year 4-H members, mini T-shirts, achievement, leadership and outstanding junior leader plaques and I Dare You Awards, pavilion
5:30 p.m.: The MelloTones barbershop chorus, pavilion
6 p.m.: Alley Katz, antique building stage
6:30 p.m.: Grand parade of open class grand champions and any 4-H livestock, show arena
6:45 p.m.: Schulhaus 4+3 German Band, pavilion
7 p.m.: Nightly antique machinery demonstration, behind antique building
7:30 p.m.: Beagles and coon and foxhound show, $2 entry fee, show arena
8 p.m.: Stars and Stripes Cloggers, antique building stage
11 p.m.: 4-H animals released from the fairgrounds (not in auction)
Grandstand
8 p.m.: Dylan Schneider country music sponsored by 92.7 Nash Icon WXKU; $10 Adults, $2 children 6 to 12, under 6 free
Saturday
Poor Jacks Amusements Kiddie Day with unlimited carnival rides from 1 to 5 p.m. with $14 bracelet, unlimited rides from 6 p.m. to close with $20 bracelet
8 a.m.: All non-auction 4-H livestock animals need to be removed from the fairgrounds
9:30 a.m.: 4-H livestock auction (sale order: beef, dairy beef, sheep, boer goat and swine), show arena
9:30 a.m.: Entry for Baby and Little Farmer Contest (33rd year); entry fee $5; not limited to Jackson County, pavilion
10 a.m.: Baby and Little Farmer Contest, pavilion, presented by 4-H Junior Leaders
10 a.m.: Release date for sow and largest litter exhibit and largest male swine exhibit
7 p.m.: Country Kickers, pavilion
Grandstand
7 p.m.: Jackson County Grand Champion Fair fifth annual Paul Crockett Memorial, super late models, superstocks, modifieds, pure stocks; $15 for adults, pit pass for $30, $2 for children 6 to 12, under 6 free; sponsored by the Jackson County Fair
10 p.m.: FFA projects released
Sunday
10 a.m. to 3 p.m.: Release time for antique and homestead display entries, antique building and grounds
3 to 5 p.m.: Family arts, horticulture, Farm Bureau and 4-H exhibits must be removed from the fairgrounds; premiums will be paid for family arts and horticulture
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