March 19, 2024

Candidates vie for fair queen

Six girls will compete for the coveted crown of Clarke County Fair Queen.

The coronation will be held during the fair’s opening ceremonies 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 16, at Clarke County Fairgrounds.

The candidates include Carter Cooley, Sara Felten, Ashley Jackson, Dakota Matlage, Renae Parmer and Keleah Selsor.

Carter Cooley

Carter Cooley, 17, of Osceola is the daughter of Natalie Cooley and Joe Cooley. She is sponsored by Osceola Go-Getters.

Cooley attends Clarke Community High School and is active in football cheerleading, wrestling cheerleading, FFA, art club and Silver Cord.

Her other community activities include Energizers tumbling and trampoline team and showing in 4-H and FFA.

Cooley’s special awards include the FFA proficiency award in 2014, sculpture painting for Iowa State Fair for four years, a football cheerleading award, honor squad in 2014, Clarke County Fair supreme champion heifer in 2010, grand champion breeding heifer in 2010 and state and national qualifier for trampoline and tumbling for multiple years.

Her hobbies include showing animals at the county fair and state fair, camping, art, spending time at the family farm, being outdoors and gymnastics.

Sara Felten

Sara Felten, 18, of Osceola is the daughter of Kenny and Lyn Felten. She is sponsored by Kenny Felten Construction.

Felten attends Interstate 35 High School and is active in the varsity dance team, choir, musical arts performance, art, solo ensemble competition and audition for Carnegie Hall.

Her other community activities include church at Broadhorn farms, Heartland Assembly and Hope, babysitting and community service with the school carnival, church, music program, nursing home and animal shelter.

Felten’s special awards include honor roll throughout high school, academic award, dance, cheer and choir varsity letters and spirit awarded in Newton.

She is currently a CNA and plans to attend Southwestern Community College (SWCC) for a nursing program for her general education. Her plan is to then transfer to the University of Iowa.

Felten’s hobbies include singing, dancing, drawing, photography, writing, reading, traveling and pageants.

Ashley Jackson

Ashley Jackson, 17, of Van Wert is the daughter of Bob and Glenda Jackson. She is sponsored by Junction Creamery.

Jackson attends Clarke Community High School and is involved in drama — crew, FFA, student council, drill team, National Honor Society (NHS), color guard, Silver Cord (more than 200 hours) and the educational talent search.

Her special awards include FFA Sweetheart 2013-14, Star Chapter FFA 2013-14, job placement proficiency 2012-14, chapter officer — president 2013-14, Silver Cord, NHS, Iowa Degree and various FFA awards.

Jackson plans to attend SWCC to receive an Associate of Science degree. Afterward, she plans to further her education to become an equine veterinarian.

Jackson’s hobbies include anything that is outdoors. She has a passion for cattle and horses and loves hunting deer and turkey. In Jackson’s spare time, she loves to bake, as well as ride horses.

Dakota Matlage

Dakota Matlage, 18, of Murray is the daughter of Mark and Michele Matlage. She is sponsored by Osceola Go-Getters.

Matlage attends Murray High School and is involved as a football manager, volleyball, FFA, drama, speech, lettering in football and drama, SAE projects including equine and swine production and swine, beef, horse and sheep judging.

Her other community activities include Horse and Rider Club, Osceola Go-Getters, 4-H Youth Council, Iowa 4-H camp and Clarke County Fair Queen contest.

Matlage’s special awards include FFA Greenhand, chapter and proficiency degrees, a proficiency award with placing silver at district and state, group speech placing I and II ratings and individual speech placing with a I rating.

Matlage plans to attend Kirkwood Community College for horse science tech and pre-veterinarian medicine. She will then transfer to Iowa State University.

Matlage’s hobbies include riding horses, working with her fair animals, reading and hanging out with friends and family.

Renae Parmer

Renae Parmer, 17, of New Virginia is the daughter of Norma and Blaine Parmer. She is sponsored by Little H’ Sheep and Lockridge Photography.

Parmer attends Interstate 35 High School and is involved with Interstate 35 Intensity dance team and varsity basketball cheerleading.

Her other community activities include 4-H/Fremont Feenix Club, Christian youth group and showing sheep at county level and state fair.

Her special awards include the honor roll and an academic award with a 3.5 grade-point average on the dance team for state.

Parmer has a total of 10 hours of community service with six from the Interstate 35 school carnival and four from the Dollars for Scholars fundraiser.

Her hobbies include taking pictures, drawing, reading, fishing, hunting and shooting her bow.

Keleah Selsor

Keleah Selsor, 17, of Osceola is the daughter of Wyatt and Jennifer Selsor and Emily Selsor and John Tidman. She is sponsored by Osceola Big Chief FFA.

Selsor attends Clarke Community High School and is involved in bowling, FFA officer — president, cross country manager and National Honor Society.

Her other community activities include Clarke County Youth Rodeo.

Her special awards include academic achievement awards.

Selsor’s hobbies include riding horses, fishing and hunting.