A crowning moment
Manson teen reigns at Iowa State FairBy JO VETTER, Messenger correspondent
Article Photos
MANSON - Little girls stop and stare in the presence of Ashley Quade, 2008 Iowa State Fair Queen. Their parents ask if Quade will pose with the little ones for a picture.
As she strolls across the state fairgrounds in Des Moines, young men ask to take a picture with Quade, too. They also ask for her autograph. Earlier in the day, one asked her to sign his shirt, and another asked her to sign his arm.
Quade, who will be a senior at Manson Northwest Webster High School this fall, takes it all in stride. With her smile sparkling like her crown in the afternoon sun, she lights up the space around her, pausing to laugh and talk with everyone who approaches her.
Quade, daughter of Paul and Kim Quade of Manson, represented Calhoun County in the 2008 Iowa State Fair Queen contest. She was one of 102 Iowa county fair and expo queens competing for the title and a $2,500 college scholarship.
Julie Wolterman, Iowa State Fair Queen Competition coordinator, said that the Iowa State Fair Queen is "an ambassador for the State Fair and the State Fair board."
"She will represent the State Fair and the State Fair board at the Association of Iowa Fairs state convention in December," said Tonya Cook, Iowa State Fair special events director. Cook said that Quade would also make various appearances in 2009.
"Counties may ask her to help judge their county fair queen contests or appear at their parades next summer," she said.
Over a five-day period leading up to the queen coronation on Saturday, a panel of five judges interviewed all of the young women participating in the contest and observed their conduct in activities ranging from group discussions to onstage introductions.
The judges' evaluation criteria included personality, attitude, charm, poise, appearance and awareness, leadership and citizenship, and contribution to community.
Wolterman said that contestants do not have to be members of 4-H, but must have "a leadership role within their school or community."
Quade, who is a varsity football and basketball cheerleader, all-state speech performer, and president of the Manson Northwest Webster Drama Club, was also active in 4-H for many years and remembered the first time she interacted with a fair queen.
"I was in 4-H," Quade said, "and the first time I won a grand champion, the county fair queen presented my trophy."
"I guess I always wanted to be that kind of girl," she said, "not only a role model, but also just a good person - a person who little girls look up to, who looks beautiful but is intelligent at the same time."
Quade said the State Fair queen competition was "stressful, definitely."
"There were so many outstanding, beautiful, intelligent, everything girls," she said. "I can't think of one that didn't have a defining quality that made her outstanding."
Quade decided she just needed to be herself. She said she thought, "I'm going to be myself. If the judges want me, then they want me, but I'm going to be myself."
Quade said she thinks the Iowa State Fair queen is a positive role model for girls: "She's a strong woman."
In speaking of the queen's image, she said, "She has a crown - that's why people look at her, but once they start talking to her they know she knows who she is and she knows where she is going."
Quade's own role models include her sister, Nicole, and her mother.
"Definitely my mom," Quade said, "but also my sister Nicole because she entered the queen contest, too." Quade said her older sister inspired her because she had previously entered the Calhoun County Expo queen competition.
Of her mother, Quade said, "She is the most independent person I know. I would love to be half the person she is."
Kim Quade said, "I think in the back of her mind, Ashley always wanted to be the fair queen, and this year she had the confidence to enter the county competition."
"I've always encouraged my kids to do what they wanted to do." Kim Quade said. "I always tried to instill in them that the only failure is in not trying."
On her first day of official duties, Quade spoke to the audience gathered at the Ann and Bill Riley Stage. Bill Riley Jr. introduced her, saying of her recent honor, "It was so much fun to see the expression on your face."
Riley also said the queen candidates were a special group of young women. The combined grade point average of the 102 young women participating was 3.72 on a 4.0 scale.
Afterward Quade described the experience of speaking to the audience as "nerve-wracking."
"I've spoken before large groups before," she said, "but this is so completely unscripted."
A little later in the afternoon, Quade stopped by the 4-H building where she visited with 4-H'ers, took in the photography exhibit, and stopped at a 4-H working communications exhibit.
At the exhibit, Allison Heiden of Blairsburg was helping fairgoers make maracas out of plastic cups and rice. Quade joined the fun and made two maracas, "for Rylee and Shelby," she said, referring to her two little sisters.
She continued on to the Agricultural Building, stopping to get an ice cream cone on the way. Quade admitted that one of the things she was most looking forward to during her reign as State Fair Queen was "the food."
"State Fair food is great," she said.
At the Agriculture Building, Quade happily accepted strawberry shortcake at the Iowa Fruit and Vegetable Growers' Association booth and signed her autograph to a huge poster hanging over the booth.
"I feel like a celebrity," Quade said. "I can't believe they're asking me for an autograph."
Early Sunday evening, Quade made her way to the arm wrestling finals, where she handed out scores of trophies to the winners.
Over the coming week of the State Fair, queen Ashley will live on the fairgrounds in quarters provided in the Administrative Building for the State Fair queen and her chaperone. Her schedule includes meetings with media representatives, the Des Moines City Council and many appearances around the fair.
"I'm looking forward to meeting people," Quade said.
Contact Jo Vetter at (515) 573-2141 or editor@messengernews.net
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MichelleKubli
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08-12-08 7:09 PM
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Congrats Ashley!!! I seen you at the Fair from a disstance but I could hear people talking about how awesome you are. I hope young girls everywhere look up to you!!!
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MelissaT
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08-12-08 1:21 PM
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Yay Ashley! Anybody that actually knows her know she deserves it completely. :)
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