ANKENY? Twelve young women involved with the Iowa dairy community will compete to win the title of 63rd Iowa State Dairy Princess Wednesday,Aug. 10, at 8 p.m. at the Multi-Media Center of the Cattle Barn at the state fairgrounds in Des Moines. The princess and her alternate are charged with helping consumers learn more about dairy products and the farm families who tend the farms and cows that provide them.
The contestants are:
- Ally Bierschenk, 16, daughter of Cary and Jen Bierschenk of Van Horne, representing Benton County;
- Haley Burken, 16, daughter of Martin Burken and Lisa Burken of Clinton, representing Jackson and Clinton counties;
- Kylie Burmeister, 19, daughter of Kerry and Keri Burmeister of Humboldt, representing Humboldt County;
- Mikayla Gavin, 18, daughter of Mike and Kay Gavin of Lansing, representing Allamakee County;
- Katelyn Goldsmith, 18, daughter of Jim and Kristi Goldsmith of Earlville, representing Delaware County;
- Rachel Grober, 16, daughter of Todd and Sherry Grober of Ionia, representing Chickasaw County;
- Sally Hamlett, 18, daughter of Mark and Jennifer Hamlett of Aurora, representing the Iowa Holstein Association;
- Jennifer Hammerand, 18, daughter of Jerry and Lois Hammerand of Sherrill, representing Dubuque County;
- Shana Hilgerson, 19, daughter of Scott and Suzy Hilgerson of Elkader, representing Clayton County;
- Jordan Kalenske, 17, daughter of Tommy and Tracy Kalenske of Fairbank, representing Iowa Brown Swiss Association;
- Mary Scott, 19, daughter of Mike and Kathleen Scott of Westgate, representing Iowa Holstein Association; and
- Jessica Stempfle, 18, daughter of Paul and Jody Stempfle of Maynard, representing Fayette County.
The winners are chosen on the basis of their knowledge and enthusiasm about dairy, personality and communication ability during judging which begins Wednesday, Aug. 9. Both the princess and alternate will receive scholarships from Midwest Dairy Association, which sponsors the contest and princess program on behalf of Iowa?s dairy farmers.
The outgoing 2015-16 Iowa Dairy Princess is Kate Stewart, daughter of Matt and Diana Stewart of Oelwein, and the Alternate Princess is Leslie Sivesind, daughter of Dan and Jane Sivesind of Waukon. Their reigns will be completed at the end of the Iowa State Fair, and the new Princess and Alternate will begin their duties Sept. 1.
