The 2020 Delaware County Junior Fair king and queen were announced Sept. 20. Big Walnut High School senior Cole Wecker was named king, while Skyelar Rock, a freshman at The Ohio State University Agricultural Technical Institute, was crowned queen.
Wecker said the process of becoming fair king was a little different this year because of COVID-19, but he said applicants have to be nominated by their 4-H club and must file an application and do interviews with a panel of judges in order to be selected for the title.
Wecker said he felt “pretty good” after being crowned fair king.
“I’m representing the 4-H community,” he said. “I’m representing my fair, my club and my community. That feels good.”
Wecker isn’t the first member of his family to gain a fair crown.
“My sister was queen, and my brothers were princes,” Wecker said. “It felt good to hold up to those standards. It feels good to be a role model for all those younger kids who hopefully stay in 4-H until they are out of it.”
Wecker said he’s the vice president of his 4-H club, a camp counselor, and he shows market, production and fancy chickens at the Delaware County Fair.
“I’m glad we had a Delaware County Fair, and hopefully, we’re back to normal next year,” Wecker said.
Rock said she’s been involved in 4-H for 10 years and has done a variety of projects at the fair.
“I have been showing market steers and beef feeders for seven years now, and the past three years I have exhibited field crops as well,” she said. “I have also dabbled in sewing and scrapbooking projects. But showing my cattle is probably the most fun I have had as far as projects.”
Rock added she was thrilled when she learned she had been selected to represent the county as fair queen.
“I was very excited to learn that I had been chosen for the queen position,” she said. “I had the opportunity to serve as a senior princess last year, so it was very exciting to know that the judges had confidence in my abilities to choose me to serve a second year in a row.”
Rock said the title means more to her than just a crown.
“To me, being the fair queen is an honor because you are selected as the best individual to represent your fair not only to the people in the Delaware community, but also in surrounding counties when we visit on behalf of Delaware,” Rock said. “It also means that you can work with younger members and set an example to inspire them as they grow older and get more involved in 4-H.”
