The quest to be crowned fair queen

Six candidates will try for the title of Jasper County Fair Queen 2024. The queen contest will take place at 3 p.m. June 15 at the Newton Community Theater, located in the Newton YMCA. The Jasper County Fair kicks off July 19 in Colfax.

Libbie Keith — Newton

Libbie Keith is a 2024 Graduate of Newton High School. She is the daughter of Craig and Angel Keith. During high school, Libbie was on the bowling team, both football and winter varsity cheer teams, played the flute and piccolo in concert and marching band, and was involved in FFA and National Honors Society. Outside of school, she danced in InMotion and is involved in Sherman Sunbeams 4-H Club. Some of her achievements include graduating with highest honors, valedictorian, 4.0 GPA, All-American Cheer and being the first four-time state bowling qualifier in her school’s history. The reasons that she would be honored and would enjoy representing Jasper County would be because the fair is her most favorite time of year. Some of her best memories and friends have come out of being a part of the Jasper County Fair and camping on the grounds. She also enjoys being a role model to the younger kids and influencing them to want to stay active in FFA and 4-H.

Trinity-Ann Hanson — Newton

Trinity-Ann Hanson is the daughter of Lance and Tracy Hanson. She is an active member of the Sherman Sunbeam’s 4-H Club and the Newton FFA Chapter. She is a student at Newton Senior High School. She is a dancer at InMotion Dance Studio. Trinity-Ann would like to represent the Jasper County Fair as queen or princess because the county fair is all about the fun memories and being a role model for everyone. Looking up to the older kids when she was younger has shaped her into who she is now at the county fair. She would love to be a good example and show everyone that you can do anything.

Meredith Chipps — Monroe

Meredith Chipps is the daughter of Mitchell and Melissa Chipps. She is currently about to go into her senior year at PCM High School. Some activities she is involved in are golf, FFA, 4-H, FCA and National Honor Society. Meredith would like to represent the Jasper County Fair as the queen because she would like to meet more people from our county and express her love for our county fair to others!

Rylee DeHaai — Monroe

Rylee DeHaai is the daughter of David and Brenda DeHaai. She is a junior at PCM High School. Rylee is involved in many activities including Killduff Hot-Shot’s 4-H Club (President), Diamond Trail FFA (Vice President), Jasper County Council (President), PCM Dance Team and competitive studio dance. She enjoys working with her livestock projects of beef cattle, sheep and goats, dancing with her friends and spending time with her cat. Rylee is a hard worker who is always looking for new ways to learn and grow. Becoming Jasper County Fair Queen is a dream she has had since she was a little girl. She is excited for this opportunity to represent Jasper County and continue to grow her leadership and communication skills while being a mentor for others.

Lexi Kephart — Newton

Lexi Kephart, also known as LuLu because of her greatest achievement which is her ARBA (American Rabbit Breeders Association) Certified and title winning rabbitry. Lexi’s parents, Emina and Steve truly help encourage her rabbit passion. Not only that, but she and her dad both love their late nights in the barn with Chris LeDoux in the background, or their drilling sessions after wrestling practice. Along with being around her animals, and her dad, she also loves to learn more about her Bosnian heritage with her mom and grandparents! While she is new to Jasper County, she has previously competed in the Poweshiek County Fair Queen contest. Even though she didn’t win, It was still nice to be able to show that she can clean up nice, and that you don’t need to be a girly-girl to do well in competitions that are pageant based.

Cadence Horn — Newton

Cadie Horn is the daughter of James and Neisha Horn. She graduated high school in 2023 and was a homeschooled student (though she took some classes at Newton High School). Throughout high school, she was a member of the Community Heights Alliance Church Youth Group, and was heavily involved in both the Newton FFA Chapter and the South Central District of the Iowa FFA. She is a former member of World Changers 4-H Club, Joy Singers Homeschool Choir, and Newton Girls Basketball. This last year she enrolled in a one year program at Emmaus Bible College in pursuit of a certificate in Biblical Studies, where she also played on the college’s women’s basketball team. Cadie has a desire to represent the Jasper County Fair as queen because she wants to give others a positive impression of the experiences, people and heart that make up this special week of the year.