Hartland Native Crowned 2022 Fairest Of The Fair In Waukesha

Waukesha WI

24 June, 2021

12:07 PM

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WAUKESHA COUNTY, WI — The Waukesha County Fair crowned Emma Vorpagel of Hartland at the 55th annual Fairest of the Fair event at the Waukesha County Historical Society and Museum on Wednesday. The 2021 Fairest of the Fair, Mariah Richardson, was on hand for the passing of the crown. Organizers changed the program to mentorship-driven, and Richardson looks forward to taking the newly crowned Fairest under her wing. "I will help her along through her experience and by her fair in 2022 she will be prepared and excited," Richardson said. The 2021 Fairest of the Fair, Mariah Richardson puts a crown on the newest Fairest of the Fair Emma Vorpagel. (Photo by Karen Pilarski/Patch Staff). Vorpagel's responsibilities throughout her reign will include connecting with the community and sponsors, doing interviews with the media and highlighting the fair's special events and activities in 2021 and next year. She will also award ribbons and help announce and welcome youth exhibitors and their families. It was those aspects that motivated the recent Arrowhead High School graduate to apply. The newly crowned Fairest of the Fair said she looks forward to working with Richardson to expand the program. It All Started With A RabbitVorpagel has shown a variety of animals at the fair since she was 9including rabbits, poultry, swine and beef. "The love and passion that goes into the project make it fun to show off the hard work at the fair," she said. She is currently the rotating president of her Four-H Club. At her high school, Emma was the varsity team captain of the track and field team and the cross ountry team. She will start her freshman year at Northern Illinois University in the fall. She has participated in many community activities and spends a lot of her time volunteering throughout the community. One of her goals as Fairest of the Fair is to educate others about livestock and showing animals. Emma would love to continue air traditions and help others learn and grow as she has. "I want to continue what Mariah [Richardson] is doing with the fair. The educating, the appreciating of our sponsors and the community involvement," Vorpagel said. The 2021 Fairest of the Fair, Mariah Richardson sits next to the newest Fairest of the Fair Emma Vorpagel. (Photo by Karen Pilarski/Patch Staff).2021 Fairest During her reign as Fairest of the Fair, Richardson visited 13 farms in Waukesha County and interviewed the farmers. She wrote a grant to bring the farmers lunch as a way to say thank you. Richardson grew up on a Dousman farm, and her grandfather was a dairy farmer. She said farmers work all year and don't get vacations or sick days. "When it's 13 below or 110 [degrees], they are still out there all day. They are such a big aspect of the Waukesha County Fair," she said About Fairest of the Fair The selection of Fairest of the Fair is based on personality, poise, appearance, community involvement, communication skills and knowledge of the Waukesha County Fair. Contestants must also reside in Waukesha County or participate in a Waukesha County Four-H program. Throughout her reigning year, the Fairest of the Fair participates in parades and events, attends county functions and speaks at community engagements, schools and clubs. She also represents Waukesha County at Wisconsin's Fairest of the Fair competition in January 2023. A scholarship will be awarded to Vorpagel at the end of her reign. The Waukesha County Fair Association is a tax-exempt nonprofit volunteer organization that is completely separate from and receives no funding from Waukesha County or the City of Waukesha. July 21 to 25 marks the 179th anniversary of the Waukesha County Fair, the oldest fair in Wisconsin. The First runner-up for this year's Fairest of the Fair competition was Jayden Rather of Waukesha. The second runner-up was Mackenzie Waschow of Eagle, and Miss Congeniality was Marleah Hilger of Waukesha. For more information, visit the fair's website.