Bloom wins Clay County Fair Queen crown

Clay County has its new fair queen.

Linnea Bloom won the crown on Sunday during the 20th anniversary of the revitalized contest. The 17-year-old from Marathon beat out three other contestants, and will now reign over festivities at the 2024 Clay County Fair.

Bloom, the daughter of Stephen and Melanie Bloom, is involved in several activities, including track and cross country, National Honor Society, FFA, FCA, student council, speech and her church.

In addition to her many extracurricular commitments, Bloom is involved with Reins of Hope, a non-profit group that provides equine therapy to differently-abled children. She is also a peer mentor at Sioux Central High School.

Bloom was excited to represent Clay County at local community celebrations and the state fair queen contest in August.

"Participating in the fair queen contest last year, I realized that this was truly important to me," she wrote in her contest application. "In order to begin to pay back the fair board members and the people who make the Clay County Fair what it is today, I must begin to serve them back by doing everything in my power. I am more than eager to advocate for the fair and it's history, as well as to meet the community members that help on the sidelines and go unnoticed."

Bloom is involved in several agriculture-related activities thanks to FFA, like livestock judging, biotechnology, nursery and landscape, poultry judging and veterinary science. She also shows cattle at the fair.

Other contestants Sunday included Aubrie Stell, of Spencer, Hannah Tessum, of Everly, and Addison Wyman of Spencer. Stell was named runner-up.

Candidates were judged on personality, attitude and awareness, leadership and citizenship, contribution to the community, overall appearance, charm, poise, and self-expression.