Reagan Vehige was crowned as the 2025 Warren County Fair Queen on June 29.
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When Reagan Vehige was little, she would gaze up at the Warren County Fair queens in awe.
She remembers their magnetic confidence, grace and kindness. To young Vehige, they were more than role models. They were the embodiment of everything she wanted to become.
On June 29, Vehige became one of those role models she vividly remembers.
As she stood on stage, hand-in-hand with runner-up Alyssa Schulte, she felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude as her name was called to be the 2025 Warren County Fair Queen.
“Being the Warren County Fair queen means the world to me and it’s something that I truly dreamed of,” Vehige said. “My heart was filled with warmth when my name was called.”
For Vehige, the crown represents much more than a title.
“It means being someone who represents our community, our agriculture spirit, community spirit and leading our community with confidence and dignity,” Vehige said. “I’m extremely grateful to be representing this amazing community.”
Vehige remembers conversations with past fair queens who left a lasting impression on her. That positive impression inspired her to pursue the crown herself.
“They would be the nicest people in the barn and always be willing to offer a helping hand, yet they always carried themselves with such confidence and poise,” Vehige said. “That’s something I truly admire and I knew that’s something that I wanted to be too.”
On top of her new sparkling crown, Vehige also received the top honors for both the talent portion and interview segment of the competition.
Vehige noted she was specifically proud of the interview award, as public speaking had not always been her strong suit in the past.
“I was in an interview one time and I was told that you can’t be successful unless you step outside of your comfort zone, so I really took that to heart and I live by that every single day,” Vehige said. “I’ve worked on that since eighth grade for the past five years and being able to be recognized for something I have truly worked hard on is amazing.”
As Vehige navigates the next year as the queen, she reflects on the full-circle moment.
She was once the young girl looking up in admiration at past queens sporting their crowns. Now, she wears the shiny symbol, knowing little eyes are watching her with the same awe she once felt.
“It’s not only representing the community, but also being a role model for the younger generation to look up to,” Vehige said. “I know when I was in their shoes, I truly looked up to the fair queens.”
