Northfield Sweeps 2017 Rice County Fair Royalty

The 2017 Rice County Fair Queen, 1st Attendant, 2nd Attendant and Miss Congeniality were all from Northfield during the Coronation program on the opening night of the fair Tuesday.

Crowned Fair Queen was 19-year-old Lauren Wieber of Northfield. Wieber graduated from Northfield High School in 2016 and took a year off from school to serve in the Dominican Republic and India with the "Youth With a Mission" group. Lauren is the daughter of Michelle Schulte-Wieber and Dave Wieber of Northfield.

Wieber's sponsor was KDHL Radio and she told us on AM Minnesota on Tuesday she chose to run because she thought it would be fun, and it was. After being crowned, Lauren said she was totally surprised and viewed it as, "an amazing opportunity and I'm looking forward to whatever happens over the next year."

Wieber is attending Bethel University in Arden Hills, Minnesota, in the fall and will be studying art and business. Lauren works as a transcriptionist for her parents' physical therapy practice in Faribault.

Wieber was very active in high school and loves spending time with her family at the fair each year. She says there is, "something for everyone at the Rice County Fair."

The 2017 1st Attendant is 16-year-old Gretchen Hohrman of Northfield, the daughter of Christina Hohrman and the late Brad Hohrman. Gretchen's sponsor was Kreft's Twin Oaks Rabbitry of Faribault.

Hohrman will be a senior this fall at Northfield High School and then plans on pursuing a elementary education degree at the University of Wisconsin in River Falls. Gretchen has been in 4-H for 12 years and loves raising and showing rabbits.

The 2nd Attendant and Miss Congeniality is 16-year-old Madison Jenrich of Northfield, who attends Randolph High School and will be a junior there this fall. Madison is the daughter of Larisa and Ryan Jenrich of Northfield and her sponsor was C&S Properties of Northfield.

Madison thought it was "pretty cool" to be selected Miss Congeniality because the title is determined by the contestants in the competition for Rice County Fair royalty. Madison told us she loves agriculture and does plan to pursue a career in some field related to agriculture.

Madison will be showing goats at this year's fair and has shown all kinds of different animals at the fair. It's easiest to list what she has not shown, and that is sheep and swine.

Six girls participated in this year's contest and it had to be hard for the judges to make their selections from a very talented group of young ladies.

Other contestants included 17-year-old Emily Nelson of Faribault, sponsored by the Morristown American Legion Auxiliary #149. Nelson's parents are Rick and Lynn Nelson of Faribault.

Jenna McCarthy of Kenyon, 16, had Flom Disposal of Faribault sponsor her, and McCarthy's parents are Robert and Emily McCarthy.

Natasha Devries of Faribault, 19, is the daughter of Connie Devries of Medford and Kim Devries of Faribault. She was adopted when she was a baby and was born in Russia. Natasha's sponsor is RC Superstore.

It was fun emceeing again this year and the ladies were great to work with during AM Minnesota and on stage. They are all big believers in what everyone can experience at the 144th Rice County Fair in Faribault.