If you're between the ages of 16 and 20 and you're interested in promoting local agriculture, you could be royalty. The Manheim Farm Show is seeking contestants for its annual Farm Show queen competition. The crowning of the queen and her court will be held on the first night of the Farm Show, Monday, Oct. 3. The deadline for Farm Show Queen applications is Friday, Sept. 9.

Emily Witmer, who is the coordinator of the Farm Show queen competition along with her mother, Jennifer Witmer, was the 2017 Farm Show queen. She said the event offers many opportunities for participants. "As a past queen myself, I would encourage young women to compete in the Manheim Farm Show queen program because of the positive impact it had on my life," Emily stated. "This competition is an incredible opportunity to promote agriculture, enhance your public speaking skills, as well as get involved in your community and all it has to offer."

Emily noted that any interested young women should fill out and send in the Farm Show queen application and essay and then begin preparing their speech. She added that candidate interviews will be held in September.

Along with winning a cash prize of $1,000, the Farm Show queen is responsible for representing the Manheim Farm Show well, Emily said. "She is expected to hand out ribbons and participate in as many events during the week of Farm Show as possible," she explained, adding, "After Farm Show week is when the real work begins. Manheim Farm Show's queen is required to enter the Pennsylvania State Fair Queen Contest." In the months between October and January, the queen committee works alongside the queen to prepare her for the State Fair Queen Contest, where she will compete against 50 to 60 other fair queens for the state title, Emily remarked. "The preparation for the state contest includes refining her speech and public speaking skills, reviewing any possible interview questions and filling out an extensive application," she said. Last year's Manheim Farm Show queen, Anna Haldeman, was named state fair queen.

Along with a queen, the Manheim Farm Show competition crowns junior queens and princesses, with those contests open to girls ages 6 to 15. Applications and a complete list of requirements for the queen, junior queen and princess competitions can be found in the 2022 Farm Show Premium Book, which can be viewed at http://www.manheimfarmshow.org.