Bremer County and Clayton County

This past Thursday August 4th my parents and I attended the Bremer County Fair. Bremer County is in North East Iowa. The fair is held in Waverly. This was about a 2 and half hour drive for us. I was asked to come for the afternoon just to check out the fair and communicate with fair goers. I did a variety of activities while I was there. Those activities included laser tag, eating pie and ice cream, attending the rabbit show, and learned new ways to help the environment. Those are just a few things that I was able to do while at the Bremer County Fair. I had a great escort around the fair and tour guide, shout out to Jill. Thank you! I really enjoyed being at the Bremer County Fair. I met many wonderful people such as the fair board members and the 2011 Bremer County Fair Queen. She is a great gal and I know that she has done a great job for Bremer County and will continue to do a great job representing Bremer County at the Iowa State Fair Queen competition. I really enjoyed my afternoon and evening at the Bremer County Fair. To Jill and the rest of the Bremer County Fairboard members thank you for having me attend the 2011 Bremer County Fair.
The next day I was asked to attend the Clayton County Fair which is just on east of Bremer County and is actually on the border of Wisconsin. It was about a 4 and half hour drive from Knoxville. It was one of    our longer drives this summer. I was asked to come to the Clayton County Fair during the late afternoon and evening for the beef show. I was so excited to be able to catch a steer show from a county that is very far away from where I live, I will probably never have the opportunity to see the Clayton County beef show in the next 10 years. I was impressed with the quality of beef that the 4-H and FFA exhibitors showed at Clayton County. Clayton County was my last fair of the summer. It was great that I got to end my summer travels with a beef show as it is one of my loves. My parents and I were treated absolutely wonderful by the fairboard members of the Clayton County Fair. Their fairgrounds is a great facility and has a lot of support that makes it so terrific. I couldn't have asked for a better fair to end my summer travels as the 2010 Iowa State Fair Queen. Thank you to the Clayton County fairboard for having me at the 2011 Clayton County Fair.
I would like to thank everyone again for having me at their fairs this summer. I had a wonderful summer full of travels around the state of Iowa making different appearances as the 2010 Iowa State Fair Queen. This summer could have not have been better. I can't believe a year has gone by already as I will be crowning the 2011 Iowa State Fair Queen this coming Saturday on the Bill Riley Stage at the Iowa State Fair at 7 o'clock. Time really does fly by.
Hope all is well with everyone and hope to see you all at the Iowa State Fair!

God Bless,
2010 Iowa State Fair Queen
Lacy Stevenson

Wayne County Fair and Lucas County Fair Queen Contest.

I have been absent from blogging as I went on vacation in the Lake of the Ozarks for 4 days. It was great to have some time to relax and enjoy with the family. Before the Ozarks I had 2 different appearances that I made and I have not yet blogged about them.
I was asked to go to the Wayne County Fair July 28th in the evening. My parents and I gratefully accepted as it is close to home and we love going to county fairs. :) I was also able to see my grandparents as they came to the fair that night since they only live about a half hour away from Wayne County. I was happy that they were able to experience a fair appearance with me. Wayne County Fair is held in Corydon, Corydon is just south of Chariton off of highway 2 and 14. Wayne County Fair will be a really memorable fair for me as we about got destroyed from a tornado. When we arrived it was decent weather but looked a little stormy, not even ten minutes after we had got there is started to pour down rain. Of course I didn't expect anything less I do live in Iowa and you can never predict the weather. The next thing I know we spot a rotating funnel cloud in the sky. Just my luck! Here we are standing in Morton buildings on the fairgrounds with the tornados sirens going off with nowhere to go. I thank God for Tia, one of the fair queen coordinator’s that she was standing next to me and had a house very close to the fairgrounds. So what do we do?  Take of sprinting in the middle of the pouring rain to get to her car and drive to her house. At the time I had no idea if this was the safest idea or if I should have stayed at the fairgrounds. We did make it to her house safely and went straight to the basement. This was pretty scary as no one expected for that storm to be that large and either did the weathermen on the news station because they had no idea what was going on in the little town of Corydon, Iowa. That was the comical part of the whole situation was that the weathermen had no clue of what was happening. We eventually made it back to the fairgrounds and enjoyed the rest of the evening. I spoke with the queen that I had judged earlier in the week, she was doing a fantastic job representing Wayne County. I was also able to see Suzie their fair queen; she was a very happy princess and enjoying every minute of it. We ate supper with my grandparents at the fair, was given a tour of the fairgrounds, introduced at the truck and tractor pulls and I got hypnotized. I have been hypnotized three times before this so I knew what I was getting myself into. :)  After the hypnotist show we said our good byes and headed for home.
The next day Friday the 29th of July I headed back down south to Chariton for the Lucas County Fair Queen and King Contest. I was asked to be there the whole day to enjoy the candidates and chat with them. We all ate lunch together and then it was time for the candidates to have their individual interviews. After individual interviews the group interview was next. I was asked to be in charge of questions for the group interview. This was great as I got to throw out questions that I thought were important in my age group in today’s society. Some of the questions caught the candidates off guard, but they eventually got the conversation rolling and had a great discussion on all of the topics. After they were done with the group discussion it was off to the fairgrounds for introductions and a fishbowl question. It was a great group of young ladies and gentlemen but only one could be picked like always. The young lady that was picked is a great girl who was involved in the fair and completely deserved Lucas County Fair Queen. She will represent Lucas County; the county should be proud as they have a great queen. The King that was chosen was also a great pick. He is very active in the fair and is also on the 4-H State Council. Both of them will have fun during their reign and do a great job. I want to thank Kim Edder and the rest of the queen coordinators for having me at the competition that day. It was great spending the day with young adults my age, as sometimes I have not been able to do that very often this summer.
The Iowa State Fair is less than a week away!!! I am ssoooooooooooooo EXCITED!!! I don't know if you can really tell but I can't wait, even though I don't want it to end but I know everything comes to an end sooner or later. I am looking forward to this next week of excitement in my life as it will be one to put in the memory books along with the rest of the year I have had as the 2010 Iowa State Fair Queen. Hope all is well with everyone :)

God Bless,
2010 Iowa State Fair Queen
Lacy Stevenson

Des Moines County Fair Queen Competition

Tuesday was my first day off in the past 2 weeks. I had queen duties to do for 14 days straight, it went fast. The saying is true that time really fly’s by when you are having fun. I was able to catch up on a few things at home on Tuesday, I worked out and played basketball, wrote thank you's, cleaned my room and bathroom. I was a very busy girl all day. That night I was able to see my family as well which was great I haven't gotten to see them much as we have been on the road all summer. It was my Grandpa Hunter's 83rd birthday. Most of my mom’s side was able to come and help celebrate with us. We enjoyed a lot of homemade food, laughs, water volleyball, whirlpool making, and of course homemade ice cream! It was a great night of food, family and fun. It was really nice to relax and enjoy my family.
Yesterday my parents and I traveled over and down to Burlington for the Des Moines County Fair Queen Competition. Burlington is right off of highway 34. We left around 11 so we were able to have enough time to stop and see my Great Aunt and Uncle who live in Burlington. We do not see them often so while we were down in that territory we thought it would be great to stop in. They are both doing well and it was great catching up with them. After spending sometime at their place we met Jessie Hutchinson who is the Coordinator of the pageant for dinner. Jessie was the 2005 Iowa State Fair Queen and was able to be my chaperon for the last two days of the State Fair last year. To see Jessie meant a lot for me because I really got to know her when she chaperoned me and I truly look up to her as a role model. She is such a great beautiful lady. She puts on a very well organized queen pageant. She asked me to judge the stage portion of the competition that evening, which I was totally up for doing. The competition was held in the Southeastern Community College gymnasium which is right by the fairgrounds. There was a surprise visit from Gary McConnell the Vice President of the State Fair Board, I did not expect him to be there but it was great that he was able to make an appearance. We judged the girls on two different outfits, and two different speeches that evening. All of the girls' formal dresses were so pretty, it is great to see their personalities come out in their outfits. In the end you all know how it goes only one girl can be crowned the fair queen and this year’s Des Moines County Fair Queen was Katie Clover. She was very deserving and did a great job on her stage portion of the competition that I judged. I had a wonderful afternoon and evening as I got to see many people that I hold close to my heart. Thank you to Jessie for having me be a part of the competition!


God Bless,
2010 Iowa State Fair Queen
Lacy Stevenson

Louisa County Fair Queen Competition and Johnson County Fair

Monday the 25th of July my parents and I loaded up in the car once again. I can practically call the car we travel in my second home. The back seat has really turned into another room for me as you can find a pillow, clothes, makeup, shoes, perfume, a computer and a few other things. My parents and I always joke and tell me to go to my room or go sit in my corner. We have found a lot of humor in different things we have done this summer in our travels such as this story. The competition was held in Columbus Junction which is right off of highway 92. I arrived around 11 and spoke with the judges about my year and answered any questions they had about judging and what to look for in a fair queen. I was not able to judge this competition as I had duties to do in Johnson County at 3. There were 9 contestants that were running for Louisa County Fair Queen. They were a very sharp dressed, sophisticated group of girls. I enjoyed having lunch with them, sharing stories, and of course taking photos. It was great to be a part of it all even though I could only be there a couple of hours. It was a lot of fun meeting all the girls. I wish each and every one of them good luck with anything they do in the future. I want to thank the Michelle and Ashley for inviting me to spend some quality time with the queen candidates.
Once 1:30 rolled around we were off to the Johnson County Fair, it was nice to be able to do two appearances in one day. This was able to happen because Johnson County and Louisa County are next to each other. Before we headed out of Columbus Junction we had to make a stop at the famous swinging bridge also known as the "lovers leap bridge". This bridge is a well-known landmark in this area of Iowa. It is 262 feet in length; it was first built in 1886 and then was rebuilt in 1922. I walked across it and back, it was a little scary as I felt that I might go overboard if I had lost my balance. It was really neat to see this landmark though and now be able to say that I walked across it. There will be a picture posted later. I was asked to make an appearance at the Johnson County Fair I participated in many different activities throughout the afternoon and evening. Those activities include MCing the sexiest legs contest, handing out ribbons for the rubber chicken throwing contest along with participating in it, eating fair food :) , talking on the radio, meeting the fair queen candidates, and speaking at the 2011 Johnson County Fair Queen Ceremony. This was a very special fair queen crowning as one of my friends that I have gained through showing cattle was crowned the 2011 Johnson County Fair Queen. I was so glad that I was able to be there and see her get crowned. I am very proud of her and she is going to be a great representative for her county. I wish her the best of luck at the Iowa State Fair Queen Competition. I was lucky enough to be able to see my long lost friend Kelsey Dierks that I played AAU basketball with, she was actually in Iowa City and made a special stop at the Johnson County Fair to see me. It meant a lot that she did that and that I was able to see her. What a great gal thanks Kelsey!! After a long day it was time to head home. I want to thank Brenda and the Johnson County Fairboard for having me make an appearance at the 2011 Johnson County Fair. My parents and I truly enjoyed our visit. Only 15 days till the Iowa State Fair, remember “Nothing Compares” to the Iowa State Fair. J

God Bless,
2010 Iowa State Fair Queen
Lacy Stevenson

Wayne County Queen Contest

This past Sunday afternoon my mother and I went down to Corydon for the Wayne County Queen Competition. We both were asked to judge this along with another young lady who is a couple years older than I am. It was a very fun energetic panel of judges. We judged the princess, prince and Queen Competition. The princes and princesses were all so cute, like I have said before it is very difficult to judge these little boys and girls. All of them were dressed up all so nice and looked like they were going to a formal dinner. The parents were allowed to sit in on the prince and princess competition, and during the prince competition a little boy kept looking over his shoulder at his mom and shaking his fist at her. It was the funniest thing I have seen. Along with his fist shaking he would also stick his tongue out. Long story short he was leaving on time and he stuck his tongue out at me so I shook my fist back at him with a funny face, needless to say he didn't come back in for the second interview. I hope he wasn't scared of me. I felt terrible but at the same time I was smiling, it is those kinds of memories that I will look back on and get a good laugh. The little boy and girl that was selected as prince and princess will have a blast doing all the different activities that they will have at a fair and will be a lifetime experience for them. There were 7 young ladies in contention for the 2011 Wayne County Fair Queen. They went through 2 interviews an individual interview and group. They had also prepared a speech for us who were about themselves, community involvement, the fair, and why they feel they should be the Wayne County Fair Queen. It was a very tough decision for us to make as each young lady did a tremendous job on their interviews and their speeches. The girl that we choose was a very poised, mature, well rounded young lady and we knew that she would represent Wayne County very professionally but at the same time have a great time doing it. She will be very caring to the prince and princess which go with her to some of her duties throughout the fair.  My mother and I really enjoyed judging the contest and had a wonderful afternoon. I would like to thank the queen coordinators Heather Moorman and Tia Carpenter they did a wonderful job with the contest and thank you for asking us to judge.


God Bless,
2010 Iowa State Fair Queen
Lacy Stevenson

Clarke County Fair and Pre Fair picnic in Warren County

This past Saturday my parents and I hopped in the car to make our way to the Clarke County Fair. This fair is held in Osceola. Osceola is right off of highway 34. I was excited to make this appearance as I got to see Randy and Judy Brown and Jerry Parkin. Randy Brown is the Iowa State Fairboard President, he is from Osceola. Jerry Parkin is a member of the State Fairboard and is the South Central district representative. Clarke County has an amazing fairground. They just built all new facilities in 2005 in a new area which is located west of Osceola. I was able to get a tour from Randy and Jerry of the fairgrounds and we were also introduced at the end of the hog show. I enjoyed eating dinner in their nice air conditioned building where all 4-H projects are put on display. Once we were done at the fair Randy and his wife Judy invited us over to their house for awhile before we all headed to Warren County. We spent the afternoon with Randy and Judy sharing stories, memories, and laughs. Thanks for the hospitality it was great spending time with both of you. Around 5 we headed to the Warren County Fairgrounds where their pre fair picnic is held. This is a night of food, entertainment, scholarships, and crowning the fair queen all leading up to the start of their fair. Randy and Judy were also there along with Jerry and his wife Randall. My brother and his fiancé were able to be there along with my Grandma Helen and parents. There was a wonderfully decorated table that was reserved for us and special name tag thanks to Kaylee Miller. Shout out to her she is a great gal! I was asked to hand out the Barbra Dykstra Memorial Scholarship. It was an honor for me to be asked to award this scholarship because Barb Dysktra was my Aunt. She passed away a year and a half ago. I know Barb was watching over me smiling as I gave this scholarship out to a very deserving girl who also knew Barb very well. I wish that Barb was still here to be able to experience everything with our family and I could share all my great experiences I have had as being the 2010 Iowa State Fair Queen, but I then remember she is above watching it all happen. :) After scholarships were handed out we had some entertainment from four ladies who named themselves the Vintage Fair Queens. These ladies performed a dance, gave advice to all the fair queens’ candidates and promoted the new free stage Warren County had added to their fairgrounds this year. They were hilarious. Once the Vintage Fair Queens got off stage it was time to crown the 2011 Warren County Fair Queen. The young lady who was crowned will do a great job representing Warren County both at the County and State level. It was a very fun filled day and I was glad to be a part of both occurrences.

God Bless,
2010 Iowa State Fair Queen
Lacy Stevenson

Harrison County Fair

            From Jones County on Thursday night we had a long drive to Harrison County which I had to be there by 10 am. We drove through the night till about 4 and posted up in a motel, then woke up at 8 to arrive at Harrison County on time. This will probably be our longest road trip we literally went across the whole state of Iowa that night. A prop to my Dad as he drove through the night, there is no way I would have ever been able to stay awake. Thanks! I was asked to make an appearance at the Harrison County Fair for their cattle show that day. This year their fair was held in Dunlap normally it is held in Missouri Valley but due to water and flooding they did not want to chance having their fair under water and not being able to proceed with all shows and events. I enjoyed myself as I watched the cattle show all morning and was able to chat with their County Fair Queen and Princess. They are also one of the few counties that have a king and prince. I think that it is really neat to also give the guys a chance to participate in interviews and competing. While the cattle show proceeded Herald Bertleson a man that is on the Harrison County Fairboard came up with an idea of the Queens and Princess to do a fun showmanship class. He announced it as the “Battle of the Tiaras.” I thought this was a great idea as it got us involved and gave a little fun to the end of the cattle show. Since we all show different species I showed a bottle-bucket calf, Briar the Queen showed a hog, and Shelby the princess showed a sheep.  The twist to this class is that we had to show all three species. They had us switch about every two minutes until each one of us had a chance to show each species. Of course there was no winner, it wasn’t about that, it was about us having fun and being able to enjoy that experience. This will always be a memory to me as I loved showing livestock and for me to get in the ring and show just for fun was great. I enjoyed my morning and evening at the Harrison County Fair watching the cattle show, mingling with fair goers, eating fair food, participating in the showmanship class, and receiving a nice flower bouquet. Thank you to Herald and his wife D and the Harrison County Fairboard for having me at their fair.

God Bless,

2010 Iowa State Fair Queen

Lacy Stevenson

The Great Jones County Fair

I have to make a correction it was supposed to be Davis County instead of Washington in my last post title. I apologize. This past Thursday, my parents and I loaded up the car to head northeast to Monticello, where the Great Jones County Fair is held. Monticello is right off highway 151 and 38. It was about a 3 hour trip for us but completely worth it. Once I got there I was able to see John Harms, a member of the Jones County Fairboard along with the Iowa State Fairboard, it was great to see him as he always has spunk and energy to him like a teenager. John hooked me up with tickets to Jason Aldean as well as meet and greets. ahhhhhhhahhahahah!!! Thank you so much John. Before the concert I was given a tour of the fairgrounds by the past Jones County Fair Queen Kristin Luckstead, who is still one of my good friends that I have stayed in contact from the queen contest. Shout out to her as she is a wonderful young lady and it was so great being able to spend some time together. Along with Kristin, the 2011 Jones County Fair Queen Tara Manternach also showed me around the fair. She has been representing Jones County very well and will continue to represent them at the state level. While touring the fairgrounds we were able to run into some very important people who also represent the Iowa State Fair that were at Jones County Fair scoping out some different things. Those four were Tonya Cook special events director of the Iowa State Fair, Gary Slaghter CEO of the Iowa State Fair, Scott, and Tony. It was good chatting with them and it was great that Tara was able to meet them. Also while going around the fairgrounds were couldn't skip out on the awesome food that is at the Great Jones County Fair. We shared a deep fat fried cheesecake it was absolutely delicious and I enjoyed a very large breaded tenderloin that tasted amazing. Probably one of the best tenderloins I have had. After all the eating and walking around it was finally time for my brother and I to meet Jason Aldean. I decided to take my brother Kirn with me to meet Jason Aldean because he is a huge fan of Jason and Kirns birthday is in August. I don't think I could have given him a better present! You are welcome Kirn I love you. Jason hugged me!!! I was so excited. He was a very nice man and very good looking may I add :) Thompson Square and Chris Young opened for Jason. The concert was absolutely amazing and it even started raining. It was picture perfect. I was so glad that I could make it to the Great Jones County Fair as I was able to see many people that are close to me and that I knew as well as seeing the fair and meeting new people. Thank you to John Harms and the Jones County Fairboard for having me at the fair. I thoroughly enjoyed myself :)


God Bless,
2010 Iowa State Fair Queen
Lacy Stevenson

Busy Busy Busy...Appanoose, Marion, and Washington County Fair.

Oh how I have been busy. This week has just seemed to fly by, I cannot believe that it is Thursday already. This past Monday my parents and I went to Centerville for the Appanoose County Fair. I was asked to be a judge for the Bill Riley Talent Search that evening. We arrived a little earlier then I was supposed to, but we used our time wisely by going through the cattle and hog barns as well as eating at the 4-H food stand. The Appanoose County Fair Queen was crowned prior to the Bill Riley Talent Search Show. I spoke to the crowd and the girls about my experience as the Iowa State Fair Queen and a little bit about myself. The young lady who was crowned queen was a very involved gal and she will represent her county well at both the county and state level. This was the 2nd talent search I have judged this summer. Judging these shows are just as tough as judging a queen competition because each young adult or sprout is talented in their own way. The talented youth that come compete in these shows are unbelievable. I was honored to be asked to judge and be a part of the Appanoose County Fair Monday evening. I had a wonderful time!
Tuesday I was able to be in my hometown for the Marion County Fair. Yay! This day will always be one to remember for me. I was asked to hand out ribbons at the beef show. It was great to be able to watch the beef show that day as just a year ago I was in the ring with my steer showing. It was actually kind of weird watching and not participating. I was able to hand out the Grand Champion Market Steer trophy that after noon to a young man who was very deserving of it and had a great steer. This meant a lot since that trophy has been in my house the past two years and I know that Hagen and his family will be proud of that trophy just like my family and I were. Normally after the beef show when everyone is on the wash rack washing their steer or heifer a water fight starts, well this year since I wasn't on the wash rack I figured I would make myself useful by helping one of my friends with her steer but actually what I was doing was starting the water fight. Katherine Yoder and I got a great water fight started that ended up lasting 4 hours. It is always a tradition to have a water fight at county fair so I definitely kept the tradition going. We were actually having so much fun parents got involved. Those are the types of memories that I cherish from our county fair, those crazy water fights that involve 40 people that happen every year. If I get ahold of the picture of all of us that were a part of it I will make sure to upload on here. It was a great afternoon for a water fight as the heat index got as high as 131. Crazy! Tuesday evening we held a Bill Riley Talent Search at the fair. Bill Riley was able to be there to MC the talent search. We were grateful to have him there as he is a very busy man traveling the state of Iowa going to different talent searches leading up to the state fair. The talent search went very well as I was impressed with the talent that came from Marion county and surrounding counties. Everyone enjoyed a watching wonderful talent and even though it was scorching hot out the show went on. My day was complete as I had pork loin with our county fair group and enjoyed a few laughs. I loved spending the whole day at the fair, as I miss being an exhibitor.
Yesterday my parents and I road tripped to Bloomfield for the Davis County Fair and their queen competition. I was asked to be a judge for the competition. The judging started at 1 with individual interviews and then a group interview. There were 5 girls running for Davis County Fair Queen. All of them interviewed very well but you know how it goes there can only be one winner. I was able to see Gary McConnell which is a member of the State Fairboard, he is from Davis County. We were able to spend some time with him when we had a break between interviews and the audience portion of the competition. It was great to see him and his wife Linda they are both great people and I am glad that I have been able to be acquainted with them. Thanks for the hospitality! That evening the girls had to answer one question in front of the audience and share a children’s story they had made that was about an actual event that happened with them at the Davis County Fair. It was neat to see all the different stories that were put together for this part of the competition. Davis County has a great fair queen to represent them at the county level as well as the state level. She was a very sweet girl. I enjoyed myself the whole day judging, meeting the girls and other fair goers, and also seeing Gary and Linda, they both mean a lot to me. Thanks to all 3 county fairboards and queen coordinators for having me at their fair. Hope all is well with everyone!! The Iowa State Fair is in 21 days!!! :)


God Bless,
2010 Iowa State Fair Queen
Lacy Stevenson

Washington County Queen Contest

Yesterday my parents and I took off to Washington County for their queen competition. The competition was held in the community center which is on the fairgrounds and their fairgrounds are in Washington. Washington is located right on highway 92. I arrived around 1 o’clock and the judging began. I was asked to be a judge along with two other ladies and a male. We had a great panel of judges. There were 10 contesting competing for 2011 Washington County Fair Queen. The young ladies went through an individual interview, group interview, and two questions on stage in front of the audience. It is so tough to judge these queen competitions, because I know that all the girls that are running for fair queen would do a great job representing their county. They are all talented and gifted in their own unique way and that is what makes it so tough to just choose one. Washington County put on a very good competition and program. They had Miss Iowa Jessica Pray be there MC for the evening show. It was really great meeting her; she is my age and will be a sophomore at the University of Iowa. We got to chatting and couldn't stop she is a great gal. Best wishes to her with the rest of her reign and at the Miss USA pageant. Represent! I was also happy to see the Marek family. I have gotten to know Lexi the past year or so and her mom Heather was in charge of the competition. They are a great family they have four girls Lexi being the oldest and it was just awesome to see them all! We finally came to a decision of who would get the honor of being the new Washington County Fair Queen. The young lady that was crowned I know will have a great reign and have fun representing Washington County. I had a fun afternoon and evening interviewing the candidates and chatting with everyone that was involved. It was also great to see the 2010 Washington County Fair Queen Haley Sirien. Thank you to Heather Marek and the rest of the coordinators of the competition for having me. It was great to be a part of it all.

God Bless,
2010 Iowa State Fair Queen
Lacy Stevenson

Calf Wrestling Team!

Central Iowa Fair

Yesterday evening my parents and I hopped in the car and drove to the Central Iowa Fair in Marshall County. This fair is held in Marshalltown which is located right off of highway 30. I was asked to be the grand marshal of the rodeo that they had last night at the fairgrounds. Along with me the 2011 Central Iowa Fair Queen was also a grand marshal of the rodeo. We were introduced and got escorted around the arena before the rodeo started. They had a good crowd and I was happy to be a part of it. I love rodeos so to be able to catch one this summer was terrific. I was with a young lady that asked me to come to the rodeo and one of her friends along with my parents, but the next thing I know I was in a calf wrestling/catching competition. Three of us girls somehow talked our way into the competition. This was a crazy/not smart idea. At the time I was in a dress and boots with my crown and sash on. Not attire that would be fit for an event that I was put into. Of course I figured out a way I could actually get down and dirty to try to win this competition, my friend and I went to her camper I put on her dads jeans, yes you read it right her dads jeans and borrowed another guys belt. If you could only imagined what I looked like. A t-shirt tucked it to Levi jeans that are 3 sizes too big and hiked up with a belt synched around them to make them stay along with my jeans tucked into my boots. Oh how I loved my outfit. We participated in the competition and needless to say we did not have much success but we had a blast being the only girls in the ring doing this and had a blast while trying. We did come close once to wrestling our calf but it got away. I can now check off calf wrestling competition on my bucket list. :) This memory and my outfit will always remain as a comical memory to me. My parents and I enjoyed the rest of the rodeo before we headed home. I have been grateful that I am centrally located in Iowa so therefore we can usually drive back home to where I can see my brothers and sleep in my own bed! I hope all is well with everyone and all of you are enjoying this crazy hot weather.

God Bless,
2010 Iowa State Fair Queen
Lacy Stevenson

Decatur County Fair

This past Friday I went down south to the Decatur County Fair. We were able to stop at my grandparents place in Lucas on our way to Leon which is where the Decatur County Fair is held. Leon is located on highway 2. It is home of the famous Leon Rodeo. I was welcomed with smiling faces and got a great tour around the fairgrounds. We checked out all the projects and livestock that the 4-H and FFA members have worked hard with preparing for the fair. After the tour we ate the appreciation dinner that was put on by the Farm Bureau members. I was asked to judge the Bill Riley talent search that night at the fair. Myself along with two other judges, judged 6 sprouts acts and 4 senior acts. All of the acts were performed very well. I enjoyed myself seeing others express and share their talents with the rest of us. After the talent search we headed for home. It was great making an appearance at the Decatur County Fair and being asked to judge the Bill Riley Talent Search. Thank you to the Decatur County Fairboard for inviting me to the fair.

God Bless,
2010 Iowa State Fair Queen
Lacy Stevenson

Franklin County Fair!

This past Wednesday I went to the Franklin County Fair. This was a fair that I had been looking forward to going to since the day I had it put in my schedule. The reason for that is because I became good friends with the 2010 Franklin County Fair Queen Lindsey Bruns, which I was able to spend the whole day with her as her last day as queen. This day that I spent with Lindsey was very unforgettable. I arrived at the fairgrounds around 10 where I was welcomed by Lindsey and the Franklin County Fairboard members. We started out by getting a tour from Alan Brown, a member of the fairboard in Franklin County as well as on the Iowa State Fairboard. Franklin County should be very proud of their fairgrounds. It is very well put together and a lot of hard work goes into maintaining the great fairgrounds. After the tour Lindsey and I walked through the cattle barns as well as the other livestock barns. By this time we were hungry and ready for lunch. We were able to meet Lindsey’s parents for lunch at the 4-H food stand. It was great being able to meet them and chat with them over lunch. After lunch we went to watch the dairy show and hand out ribbons. As you can tell we did many different activities throughout the day and stayed really busy. Other activities were such as the nail driving contest, texting contest, making appearances a different building and walking through everything in pleasant hill which is kind of a heritage village. Also I was able to meet the queen candidates throughout the day, which was really neat to get a one on one with them rather than in a group setting. That evening the queen coronation was held. Lindsey and I both spoke of our experiences that we have shared as being county fair queens and so forth. The young lady that was crowned 2011 Franklin County Queen was very excited. I told her to look forward to a fun and wonderful year ahead of her. After the queen coronation we grabbed a bite to eat and then headed to their grandstand for the entertainment of the night which was a Christian rock band by the name of Lincoln Brewster. Before the act all the queen candidates and I were introduced in front of the big crowd. Before we headed out Lindsey and I had to enjoy the homemade ice cream and cookies. It is the best ice cream I have tasted, it was delicious. I left the fair very full and hurting, hurting as in my cheek bones from smiling and laughing all day with Lindsey. I couldn't have asked for a better day at the Franklin County Fair. Thank you to the fairboard for having me at the Franklin County Fair. Also a huge Thank you to Lindsey for being an all-around great young lady, thank you for the day I shared with you, being my friend, and being your beautiful self. I am so glad I met you and that we have stayed in touch. Thanks for all the memories :)


God Bless,
2010 Iowa State Fair Queen
Lacy Stevenson

Dallas County Fair

After we were finished at the Sioux County Fair on Tuesday we drove back to Cherokee to spend the night before we headed to Dallas County. Of course I worked out on Wednesday morning. My father and I found a wellness center that had a basketball court so I got some shots up and had a short little work out with him. Thanks Dad! I knew better then to leave Cherokee without seeing Bruce Jones, so before we took off we made a pit stop to see Bruce at his office. He is a one of kind guy. I look up to Bruce because of many different things. For example since I have met him and been aquatinted with him he has always given me good advice, believes in me and always tells me how proud he is of me. This is what has been neat with this whole experience, it is people like Bruce that I have met and they have made an impact on my life and  the relationships with those people I will cherish for the rest of my life. It is always great to chat with Bruce and catch up with him. Off we went to the Dallas County Fair which is in Adel. Adel is located just north of Interstate 80. I was asked to come help crown their county fair queen and to eat at the sponsors dinner. The dinner was absolutely delicious; it is tough to watch what I eat as I travel around to different fairs as all of you know fair food is the best food! :) I was able to meet all the queen candidates as they were excited for the crowning to take place. The young lady who was selected 2011 Dallas County Fair Queen was a great gal and will have fun representing her county. After dinner and the crowning I was able to walk around the fairgrounds and of course I hit up the cattle barn. Every fair I have been to it has been a must for me to walk through the cattle barn. It is kind of comical to see the look on some people's faces when I walk through the barn with a dress, heels, crown and sash on. Most of them probably think I am crazy but behind that dress and heels is a girl who loved to be in the barn working with her cattle and wasn't afraid to get dirty. :) I want to thank Tammy Straight and the Dallas County Fairboard for having me at the Dallas County Fairgrounds for the evening. My parents and I drove back to Knoxville that night and I was able to sleep in my own bed, it was great to be home.

God Bless,
2010 Iowa State Fair Queen
Lacy Stevenson

Souix County Fair

Yesterday which was Tuesday my parents and I took off from Knoxville to make our way to Sioux County. The Sioux County Fair is held in Sioux Center which is right off of highway 75. It took us about 5 and half hours to arrive at our destination. It was a very long haul but we all enjoyed it. At the Sioux County Fair I went a watched the barnyard Olympics where I was introduced and spoke to the crowd. It was great watching all the youth participate in the Olympics. This event is one of the most fun things to watch at a county fair where kids are involved. The fairground is very well put together and there were many different activities going on while I was there. I was able to partake in the BBQ competition that was being held yesterday. Different folks had been grilling/smoking/cooking meat since 5 am. I was able to taste test all the different meats. It was absolutely delicious. I was escorted around by Jade Moret the 2010 Sioux County Fair Queen along with Sara the newly crowned 2011 Sioux County Fair Queen. After stuffing my face, :) Sara and I went and watched the 4-H Fashion show that was being held. Very neat to see all the different outfits the youth had put together or made. After the fashion show I was asked to speak about my reign as Iowa State Fair Queen and a little bit about myself. I really emphasized in my speech how important it is as a youth to stay involved not only in 4-H and FFA but within your community and different school activities. I honestly would not be the person I am today if I hadn't stepped up and got involved in many different clubs and organizations. I also spoke on how much parents have an impact on youth and young adults today. Without them we wouldn't be here, I know from my experience that without my parents I could have not accomplished half of the things I have. So to my wonderful parents....THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU HAVE DONE FOR ME! I really do appreciate it. A great man by the name of Bruce Jones once told me your parents are your biggest fans and biggest critics. That statement is very true. They get on your case sometimes and make you better because they want to see you succeed. So to the kids and young adults or even to the older generation that is reading this make sure you thank you parents for everything they have ever done for you. Sara and I finished up at the Sioux County Fair by handing out certificates at the awards ceremony. Before we headed out I went to the Dairy Barn which is a hot spot on the Sioux County Fairgrounds that I was told I had to try, it is an ice cream place. They milk the cows’ right there in front of you just like they do at the Iowa State Fair and use the milk to make ice cream. Even though I didn't need the ice cream I left the fairgrounds satisfied. I want to thank Sioux County for having me be a part of their fair, I had a great time.

God Bless,
2010 Iowa State Fair Queen
Lacy Stevenson

Marion County Queen Competition and Corndog Kickoff!

I am finally getting time to write about my exciting Saturday I had this past weekend. This one was really special to me as I crowned the girl that will be taking over my reign as the Marion County Fair Queen. First of all I want to Thank Marion County for all the support throughout the past year as not only being Marion County Fair Queen but the Iowa State Fair Queen as well. I could not ask for better community members in my county that have been really enjoyable to work with on different occasions. It will be sad this year as the Fair approaches that I will not be getting tack together to take into the fair or any of my projects but at the same time I am happy because I am still going to be a part of the Marion County Fair. I will be there Tuesday July 19th to hand out some ribbons at the beef show along with giving out the Grand Champion Market Steer trophy that has been in my house the past 2 years. Also Tuesday night is the Billy Riley Talent Search where we will be in the presence of Billy Riley Jr. himself, it is going to be a great evening of talent and fun. The queen contest took place on Saturday, there were 7 young ladies running for the honor of fair queen. The girls went through a personal interview, group interview, and 2 final questions on stage. I was able to be at the competition and spend the days with all the girls and the ladies that put on our competition. A big shout out to Codi Pracher the coordinator of the competition and Ann Kingery along with all the other volunteers, the day wouldn't have been the same without all of their help. I was proud to crown Katelyn Sanders the 2011 Marion County Fair Queen. She will do a great job of representing Marion County and will be a positive impact on others. Enjoy your reign it goes fast! After the competition my parents and I loaded up in the car and quickly drove to the state fairgrounds where the Corndog Kickoff was taking place. The Corndog Kickoff takes place annually to raise money for the Blue Ribbon Foundation which is a big part of the State Fair. It is a tradition that the Iowa State Fair Queen puts a pie in the live auction at the kickoff. I took a homemade lemon-meringue pie for the auction; I was able to be up on stage as it was sold. The pie sold for $1,100.00.  I could not believe that it went for that much, it is awesome that I was be able to give and be a part of it all. 125K was raised that night for the Blue Ribbon Foundation, which is completely outstanding! I was able to see many of the Iowa State Fairboard members which was great because they are pretty much family to me, so I refer to them as my homies :) hehee. There is more to why I call them that but that story will be for later. I also got to chat a little bit with Billy Riley it was so great to see him.  I had an amazing Saturday I look forward to seeing Katelyn having a blast being the fair queen and all the great experiences she will have. Once again Thank You all for letting me represent Marion County as the fair queen.

God Bless,
2010 Iowa State Fair Queen
Lacy Stevenson

Wright County Fair

This past Wednesday the Wright County Fair was just gettting started. My parents and I ventrued to Eagle Grove which is where the Wright County Fairgrounds are. Eagle Grove is right off of highway 17 in North central Iowa. I was asked to be in their parade that kicks off the fair in the evening, and take part in the crowning of the 2011 Wright County Fair Queen. I was able spend time with the former Wright County Fair Queen, her name is Jamie, she is such a sweetheart. It was great seeing her and catching up a little bit. I was also able to walk around and check out the fairgrounds and livestock that had already been checked in. Wright County has a great fairgrounds and it is very well put together. It was very neat because one of the ladies in charge of the crowning was Lisa Hill. Lisa was the 1988-89 Iowa State Fair Queen. She was a riot to work with and a great lady, I can only imagine how great of a queen she was! To beable to meet former Iowa State Fair Queens and chat with them is an honor, I look up to them and know that they used to be in my shoes. I am able to hear what I have to look forward to in the future and their stories from being queen. The panel of judges chose a very well-rounded young lady, she will represent her county well and bring many positives to the fair. My evening at the Wright County Fair was a great experience and I was so glad that I was able to be apart of it. I would like to Thank Trica Rosendahl and the Wright County Fairboard for asking me to make an appearance at their fair.

God Bless,
2010 Iowa State Fair Queen
Lacy Stevenson

4th Of July!

This past Monday I was asked to be in the 4th of July Parade in Exira, Iowa. Gary VanAernam, a member of the Iowa State Fairboard, has always had the Iowa State Fair Queen in the parade. It was great to see Gary and his wife Judy, they are a wonderful couple. Exira is in West Central Iowa just off of highway 71. The population of Exira is around 900 people, for the parade this small town attracts 9 to 10 thousand people. Can you say AWESOME. It was the 146th year for the parade to take place. To see that many people line the streets and be in a small area all at the same time was unforgettable. It is so neat to see such a great tradition keep going and having alot of support year after year. I enjoyed representing the Iowa State Fair in the parade, it was truly an honor to be asked and apart of such a huge event.

I hope all of you had a fantastic 4th of July on Monday and were able to celebrate it with family, friends, and loved ones.

God Bless,
2010 Iowa State Fair Queen
Lacy Stevenson

Cherokee County

Hello everyone. After I have processed for a couple days about this blog I think I am ready to start typing. This past Tuesday, the 28th of June, my parents and I took a road trip to Cherokee. Cherokee is a little over a 4 hour drive from my house. Can you say BONDING TIME?! Cherokee is located on highway 59 and 3. My mother and I were asked to judge the Cherokee County Queen contest. I was very impressed with the contest as a whole. A mother and daughter took over the contest this year and there were 20 girls running for fair queen. Cherokee has always been known to have a large number of girls try out but in the past couple year’s numbers have been low, this year was different. The mother and daughter duo did a great job getting girls to run for fair queen and worked with the girls the month prior to the queen contest. Different workshops were held for them such as an etiquette one, Mary Kay for makeup and others. These girls were all treated like royalty leading up to the big day. It was great to see that life had been put back into this contest. Cherokee has also had a lot of success in the past years at the State Fair Queen competition. There have been 4 Iowa State Fair Queens reign from Cherokee County, as well as many that were in the top 5. Those numbers are outstanding. As you know I was the first one from Marion County, seeing how successful Cherokee County has been I want to be able to help Marion County succeed as well in the queen contest. I took many different pointers from the Cherokee County that I will share with my coordinator here in my county to help make our contest better than it already is. There were three other ladies who judged with my mother and I, it was very strong panel of judges. The girls went through a group showing of their dresses and telling us one interesting fact. Then each went through a 5 minute individual interview with the judges. After all the interviews were finished, a banquet was held where parents, relatives, friends and the Cherokee County Fairboard were invited to share this special day with the young ladies. Once everyone was finished eating the girls all had to answer a question they drew from a can to the audience. The girls were judged throughout dinner and on how they answered their question. After a long day of sorting a judging out of 20 girls we all came to an agreement with who would be crowned Cherokee County Fair Queen. It was a very tough decision as each girl had her own story and background to tell that was so inspiring. Cherokee County should be proud for each one of those 20 girls because every one of them could have been selected as queen and done an outstanding job. Before I conclude this blog I wanted to share that my parents and I were able to meet Bruce Jones one of the judges for the Iowa State Fair Queen competition last year. He holds a special place in my heart; he is an outstanding guy and knows where I come from. It was so good to catch up a little bit in the short amount of time that we had, but it was better than no time at all. One thing that is getting easier to grasp throughout my travels is to cherish the time with someone that is close in the area because I will never have this experience again. Example one of my good friends from college drove 45 minutes to just see me in crown and sash, and give me a hug in Cherokee, but it meant the world to me. Friends like those you know will always be there for you. It will probably be the only time I see her this summer with my busy travels but that is what makes this special to me. It is not only giving me the experience of a lifetime but making me take notice of different things I sometimes would take granted for. So to that friend that came and saw me, you mean so much to me, and thank you for being your pretty blonde self. <3

I hope everyone has a fun and safe holiday weekend.

God Bless,
2010 ISF Queen
Lacy Stevenson

Ringgold County

This past Sunday the 26th my parents and I traveled to Ringgold County. My mother and I were asked to judge the queen contest. It was held in Mt. Ayr which is in Southwest Iowa just off highway 2. The competition was held at the courthouse on their square. Before the contest we grabbed a bite to eat at the Famous Peggy Sue's which is also located on the square in Mt.Ayr. After we had sat down Jerry Parkin, a member of the Iowa State Fairboard happened to walk in. We gladly welcomed him at our table and enjoyed a great conversation and meal before we went to judge. There were 6 queen candidates running for Ringgold County Fair Queen along with 12 princesses. Jerry Parkin, my mother, I, and another young lady made up the panel of judges for both the princess and queen competition. I felt that it was harder to judge the princess competition then the queen competition. I say this because all the little girls were so adorable and I wanted every single one of them to win. I have a big heart when it comes to young children and I know the 11 girls that don't get it are going to be completely heart broken. We eventually had to come to a conclusion for the princess, she was my favorite and a little go- getter. She will have a great time being princess. I give all the young girls my respect though because at that age I couldn't have imagined doing what they were brave enough to partake in. I feel as if it is a great learning experience just like the queen contest. The queens went through a group discussion, one individual audience question and then a 5 minute individual interview with the judges. All in all they were great young ladies, but only one could win. The young gal that we chose is a very intelligent, reserved, well rounded girl. Ringgold County should be very proud to have her represent their county. It was a great day judging younger to older girls and meeting many great people. Also they day could have not been better as I was in the presence of Jerry Parkin through the whole process :) along with being able to chat and see the 2010 Ringgold County Fair Queen Katelyn Warin. Both of them are wonderful people. We made safe travels back to Marion County in the great weather that Iowa has to offer us right now which is nothing but RAIN. Oh well can't control Mother Nature. You have to love Iowa and the weather that comes with it.

God Bless,
2010 Iowa State Fair Queen
Lacy Stevenson

Iowa County

Yesterday my parents and I traveled to Marengo, Iowa. Marengo is the county seed for Iowa County, it is located just 30 miles west of Iowa City. I was asked to judge the 2011 Iowa County Fair Queen Contest, it was held at the Iowa County Fairgrounds in Marengo. There were 6 wonderful young ladies running for the title. Myself along with two other ladies judged the girls on many different features such as: speaking ability, poise, character, involvement, exc. The girls went through 3 different interviews, 2 individual and 1 group. The girls were also able to show us around the fairgrounds and give us a mini tour. We were served lunch by the fairboard and the ladies that were helping. It was delicious. We had a hard time selecting a young lady to represent Iowa County. They all had their different traits and pluses about them, but the one selected is a thriving young lady and I know she will be a wonderful person to represent Iowa County. All in all I had a wonderful time and the hospitality was great. I was happy to be a part of all of it and have an impact on choosing the young lady that will be the Iowa County Fair Queen and also participate at the state level. It is going to be spectacular to meet all these young successful ladies this summer. It is awesome to see youth be outstanding in their community, school and extra circular activities. I know that the future will be one to look forward to with all of them being leaders, and difference makers.

God Bless,
2010 Iowa State Fair Queen
Lacy Stevenson

Iowa Speedway

Yesterday I was asked and invited to make an appearance at the Iowa Speedway in Newton, Iowa. This was really exciting for me as I grew up with racing at the Knoxville Raceway and I am a huge race fan. I had the time of my life at the track yesterday. It was the pride of iowa day there at the track, many agriculture companies and businesses were present. They thought it was neat to tie in the Iowa State Fair Queen being there along with all the agriculture sponsors. My day started at 230 as my parents and I found our spots in the owners suite that had everything furnished for us. The food was excellent. Once we found our seats we then went and strolled around the speedway for a little bit. I then got to be apart of the junior fan club where race USAC driver Levi Jones, who drives for Tony Stewart and myself took pictures and signed autographs for younger kids. Little kids are the best! After that I went to the pork producers tent for a little while to mingle with different people. Then it was time to go to the infield to go through the fan walk. I happened to be in the right place at the right time when I was able to sit in on a press conference with Danica Patrick. This was very neat. To be able to listen to a lady that has succeeded in the racing business and overcome different things really shows anyone can achieve their goals. The fan walk is really cool, it gives the fans a chance to walk town into the pits and see pit road and different things around track. My last thing I was involved in was the pre race program. I was introduced on stage along with the president of the speedway,miss Iowa Speedway, and sponsors of the night. We got to shake all the USAC drivers hands as they were introduced. I then got to experience the racetrack from the spotters place. This is clear at the top of the suites outside. You feel like you are on top of the world and can see the whole track it was completely breathtaking and beautiful. I enjoyed watching the races from the suite with family and friends. I can not thank Iowa Speedway enough for having me be apart of their day. It was amazing.

God Bless,
2010 Iowa State Fair Queen
Lacy Stevenson

3 Already!

Oh boy have I been busy. I didn't want to leave any fair out so I wanted to share that last Wednesday night I went to the Worth County Fair. This fair was the first in the state to be held this year. The Worth County Fair is in Northwood, Iowa. For anyone who doesn't know where that is it is just straight north on 35 about 3 and half hours from Des Moines. My parents accompanied me; I am really looking forward to spending a lot of bonding time with Mom and Dad, as they will travel with me this summer. Mom will do most of the chaperoning but Dad will tag along when he can. I won't be surprised if Mom kicks me out of the car sometimes to make me walk. :) I was able to tour around the Worth County Fairgrounds and eat dinner with the queen candidates. After dinner the crowning took place where I spoke along with the reigning 2010 Worth County Fair Queen. It was a pleasure to crown the 2011 Worth County Fair Queen, as she was a great gal and will fulfill her duties very well.
This week my mother and I took off and headed north again along with Nancy the navigator. :) Tuesday I was asked to make an appearance at the Mighty Howard County Fair. It is held in Cresco, Iowa which is right on highway 9.This fair will probably rank as one of my favorites this summer. I fell in love with their fairgrounds, as I was very impressed with how well everything was set up. It was great seeing Tom and Sue Barnes; Tom is the president of the Iowa Fairs Association. Both of them are great people. It was also a pleasure to crown their fair queen as well; she is a wonderful girl and will succeed in her reign. I spoke again along with the 2010 Mighty Howard County Fair Queen. I ended the night being able to relax and chat with the Howard County fair board members, this was really interesting as I met new people and discussed different issues. One thing I wanted to share from this fair was that I was looking at all the 4-H exhibits that many 4-Hers worked hard on to present at the fair. One caught my eye that was selected to advance to the State Fair. This was a poster board made from a girl who had a learning disability and it explained different things about the disability. On the bottom of the poster I read a quote from the girl, which stated, "there is no cure for a learning disability, and you don't always out grow it, but it's never to late to get help. I learn differently from other people and that's ok, I focus on meeting my goals." This was very well put, it made me appreciate what I have in life and that other's should feel the same way no matter if they have a disability or not. We are all human and God made us all different and unique for a reason. I was very proud of this girl, as she does not let her disability stand in her way of succeeding in life.
My mother and I bunked up in Cresco that night as we were headed to our next destination in the morning, which was Marion, Iowa. Marion is located in East central Iowa by highway 151 and 13. Of course I found a place to workout that morning, I always have to spend time with my boyfriend at least once a day (my basketball). The 2011 Linn County Fair Queen competition was held in Marion. I was asked to be a judge for this contest. This was my first time judging a queen contest and I absolutely loved it. To know I had an impact on who was selected to represent their county and compete at the Iowa State Fair Queen Competition is amazing. It was great chatting with all the candidates and sharing a little bit of my story with them and the ladies that were also there at the competition. The two other judges and myself choose a very bright young lady, who I know will represent her county very well and succeed at the Iowa State Fair Queen Competition. I was so glad to be apart of the judging process; the queen will be crowned on the first day of the Linn County Fair, which is July 6th.
Nancy led my mother and I through every possible gravel road and highway she could but we finally made it to 80 that brought us home safely. The most comical times will come from my mother this summer getting mad at Nancy, I just laugh as I can not help us getting lost we just have to make the best out of being terrible at directions. These first three appearances I have made have been a blast and I am excited for many more. I apologize that this is so long as I am going to try to get caught up; from now on I will only blog about one event. Hope all is well with everyone.

God Bless,
2010 Iowa State Fair Queen
Lacy Stevenson

A start to an exciting summer.

As the 2010 Iowa State Fair Queen I thought it would be a very neat idea to blog about all my great experiences and duties that I will be enjoying this summer. I felt that many community members, family, and friends would be able to keep up with me this way easier then via facebook, twitter, and other social networks. I want all of you to be apart of my wonderful, busy summer that is ahead of me. All of you have had a part in my life one way or another and by me doing this I feel like I am giving back to all that you guys have done for me. This summer is going to be very unforgettable. I am truly honored to represent one of the world's greatest fairs, sometimes I still become speechless when asked how it has impacted my life, words can not describe how it has. I will be traveling around the state of Iowa this summer making different appearances at county fairs, judging county fair queen contest, and much more. Each day I visit a new fair I want to blog about it. The things I will blog about will be different depending on what I am doing and special occurances that happen thoughout the day. It will be very interesting to blog about each fair because they are all going to be unique in their own way. The 2011 Iowa State Fair will be here before we all know it but for now I am going to enjoy car rides to different counties, wearing a dress and crown, seeing the state of Iowa while traveling and of course blogging to all of you.

God Bless,
2010 ISF Queen
Lacy Stevenson