Serving O'Brien & Clay Counties
Serving O'Brien & Clay Counties
Rural Sanborn teen is first queen from H-M-S in 8 years
The 2020 O'Brien County Fair royalty court, pictured front row from left to right: Jason Wittrock, King Eric Mars, Queen Paige Dagel, Princess Sierra Stamer and Jack Farquhar. Back row: Emily Chicoine, Trey Haag, Olivia Grooters, Arianna Frerk, Claire Sells, Samantha Sauer and Samantha Noteboom.
Paige Dagel receives her crown and sash from 2019 Queen Anna Friedrichsen during coronation Sunday at the O'Brien County Fair.
Eric Mars receives the traditional medal and cap from outgoing King Mitchell Hunt.
2019 Princess Jillian Heemstra passes the torch to her successor, Sierra Stamer.
A game of fair-centric Family Feud was played by king and queen candidates Sunday before coronation.
With her tiara in tact, 2020 O'Brien County Fair Queen Paige Dagel shows rabbits Monday in Primghar.
The culmination of Sunday's O'Brien County Fair royalty contest was a dream come true for Paige Dagel.
The rural Sanborn teen was picked as the 2020 fair queen from a field of eight other competitors. Dagel is the first O'Brien County Fair Queen from Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn High School since 2012, when Alexa Albert, of Hartley, won the crown.
"It was a shocker," said Dagel. "I've dreamed about this since I was a little kid."
Dagel has deep roots at the O'Brien County Fair. She's heavily involved in 4-H and FFA, and shows rabbits, cattle and swine in addition to participating in communication and static competitions.
Prior to graduating this year, she was involved in public speaking, creed and chapter display with the H-M-S FFA Chapter.
"I love the community feel, family feel and support you get," she said of being in 4-H and FFA.
Dagel's fair queen reign will be significantly different that her predecessors. The COVID-19 pandemic has canceled community parades, the Iowa State Fair and state fair queen competition this year. Dagel was bummed she'll miss out on those activities, but she was looking at other avenues to be seen.
"I'm planning to talk with the Extension office about hosting some community events with the kids," she said. "I'd still like to work with them and be around them as much as I can."
Dagel also noted this year's king and queen coronation was strange compared to previous years. Only family members were allowed to attend due to the pandemic, which left a lot of empty seats around the Wayne Maas Memorial Stage in Primghar.
"Everything was definitely different this year without all the people in the stands," she said.
Dagel, the daughter of Paul and Stacey Dagel, will be attending Briar Cliff University this fall to study marketing and play volleyball. She will also be completing an online swine science degree from Iowa State University.
The new queen looked forward to fulfilling her yearlong reign.
"There is nothing better than representing O'Brien County," she said.
Other title winners Sunday included King Eric Mars, of Paullina, and Princess Sierra Stamer, of Granville.
