By Julie Conrey Record Staff Writer Ashley Bauer doesn’t consider herself a “pageant person.” To prepare for the 2013 Missouri State Fair Queen Pageant, the 20-year-old Warren County native and …
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Missouri State Fair queen reflects on her reign
Posted
Local girl will crown new queen this week
By Julie ConreyRecord Staff WriterAshley Bauer doesn’t consider herself a “pageant person.”To prepare for the 2013 Missouri State Fair Queen Pageant, the 20-year-old Warren County native and reigning Fair Queen did her own hair and makeup, wore shoes from her high school senior prom and, for only the second time in her life, popped on $4 fake eyelashes.“My own lashes don’t stand out,” she said.After two days of competition that included an extemporaneous speech, interviews with judges, an evening gown competition, and answering a random question for which she could not rehearse, Bauer was crowned the 2013 Missouri State Fair Queen.“I was really shocked, honored, ecstatic and humbled,” she said. “It’s good to know it’s not all about money. It’s a small-town story.”Contestants were told to pack for two weeks. Bauer said “no way” and packed enough for three days. After Bauer won, her parents returned to Warrenton to pack for the two weeks she stayed at the Fair.“I cannot thank my mom enough,” she said. “We spent about 20 minutes on the phone going through my closet. I wore what I had; I didn’t have a ton of clothes.”Bauer got through the year with what she had.“I think I bought two new dresses,” she said.Her reign’s first two weeks were a whirlwind, starting between 5 to 5:30 a.m. and sometimes lasting until midnight. The Missouri State Fair Board gave her a detailed schedule of where she needed to be, when she needed to be there, and who she needed to meet with. Always accompanied by a chaperone, she was whisked from one end of the fairgrounds to the other on a golf cart. Bauer visited fairgoers, attended Fair competitions, met with state Fair Board members and even country music sensation, Toby Keith.“I met lots of influential people,” she said, but meeting regular fairgoers and participants, finding out what they’d done at the Fair and why they were there was just as important to Bauer. She also enjoyed watching little girls dance around in excitement and called her princess when they saw her wearing the crown, sash, sundress — and cowboy boots.“I was country chic,” Bauer said.The boots were always part of her outfit. They are a big part of what makes Bauer who she is.“I got my first pony when I was 3. I’ve been showing horses since I was 8. Horses are a passion of mine,” she said. “The cowboy boots are my horse riding boots. They do double duty.”“Comfy clothes,” mainly sundresses, were her wardrobe mainstay. Although she rode to all Fair events in the golf cart, it was August in Missouri, with its characteristic long days, temperatures in the 90s and high humidity.After the Missouri State Fair, Bauer got the rest of August to herself. She returned to Warrenton on Sunday following the close of the fair. She quickly packed her bags and drove to William Woods University, where she is a student. She got there about midnight. She is a member of Alpha Phi fraternity, and needed to help her sisters prepare for sorority rush. When she got to school, her friends greeted and congratulated her. Bauer said she just wanted to go to bed.She balanced school, sorority, campus activities and Missouri State Fair queen duties this past year.“It was fun,” she said.Her reign was busy. She crisscrossed Missouri, judging little Mr. and Miss pageants, speaking and putting on an assembly for school children.“It was fun, humbling and neat to go elsewhere,” she said.Most local fair pageants are in summer so that helped her schedule. She was on hand to crown local fair pageant winners.Sometimes she travelled by herself to the various fair pageants.“Thank God for good directions,” she said.She will return to Sedalia this week and will meet with all the contestants on Thursday, Aug. 7. On Friday the group tours the fairgrounds, and the girls compete in the evening gown portion of the contest. The coronation is afterward. Bauer returns home following the pageant.She won’t stay in Warrenton long. She’ll return to the Missouri State Fair Aug. 14 to receive second place in the Missouri Woman in Agriculture Rising Star Award. The contest is sponsored by the Missouri State Fair and Monsanto. It recognizes contributions from women agriculturists 18- to 30-years-old. Because of the record number of applications, the Fair awarded a second place this year.“It’s really cool to be the first second-place winner,” Bauer said.She returns to William Woods on Aug. 17.Some of the things she’ll miss about her reign?“I have this frequent tendency to smile and wave at everyone I see,” she quipped. She’ll also miss the time spent with members of 4-H and FFA groups.Bauer is a 10-year member of Country Crossroads 4-H and is finishing out her last year of Warren County FFA. She has shown dogs, rabbits, chicken and horses, even when she was Warren County Fair queen.Her year as Missouri State Fair queen wouldn’t have been possible without love and support from lots of people. Bauer thanks her parents, Todd and Suzanne, and her brother, Curtis, a recent graduate of Warrenton High School. Her aunt, grandmother and cousins cheered her on and filled in as her chaperone when her parents were working.She also thanked Doug Norwald of Gastorf Chevrolet for sponsorship and providing for her transportation needs.“All of my friends cheered me on and had my back the whole way through,” Bauer added.Bauer, a junior, double majors in business administration and equine general studies. After graduation, she’d love to get into equine assisted therapies for children and adults with special needs.
