DARKE COUNTY – Darke County Junior Fair 2026 Royalty was announced on Tuesday, July 14th, at the Darke County Fair Royalty Pageant.
Contestants included:
Shawna Schmitmeyer representing Versailles FFA, Angela Graf representing MVCTC FFA, Ava Gosnell representing Buckeye Buckaroos 4-H Club, Rachael Wright representing Show Hoppers 4-H Club, Danicka Michael representing Arcanum MVCTC FFA, Ava May representing Generations 4-H club, Kensey Homan representing Darke Co Holstein 4-H, Nevan Miley representing Buckeye Buckaroos 4-H Club, Bella Bunting representing Darke Co. Sheep and Lamb, Gabby Snider representing Show Hoppers 4-H Club, Kaeden Waymire representing Ansonia FFA, Bryce Watson representing Livestock in General 4-H Club, and Micah Arbogast representing Horse and Rider 4-H Club.
The pageant was emceed by the 2025 King and Queen, Waylon Keller and Grace Borchers. Keller and Borchers welcomed each contestant to the stage to introduce themselves. They were all asked two rounds of questions and walked the stage in their formal attire.
Contestants answered a range of questions that centered around the junior fair, and their answers highlighted the importance of their experiences in the junior fair and the valuable lessons and qualities they gained from their participation. Contestants expressed their gratitude for the program and for the life lessons instilled in them through their years of involvement in many different aspects of the fair.
The judges for the evening were Shelby Campbell, Haleigh McCloud, and William Hershberger. They combined the evening’s scores with the results from the prior interview portion of the competition, along with the essay scores. Judging criteria were based on activities/involvement, poise and personality, personal appearance, and an essay. While the contestants and the crowd anxiously awaited the results, a slideshow played featuring memories from the past year.
The 2025 Fair Court returned to the stage for the final royal duty welcomed the 2026 court to the stage for crowning. This year’s royalty includes:
Queen – Shawna Schmitmeyer
King – Bryce Watson
1st Runner Up Queen – Danicka Michael
1st Runner Up King – Kaeden Waymire
2nd Runner Up Queen – Nevan Miley
2nd Runner Up King – Micah Arbogast
3rd Runner Up Queen – Kensey Homan
Bryce Watson, 2026 King, expressed his excitement in being crowned saying, “Winning the king means a lot to me because I tried at it for a couple of years now and this is my final year in FFA and I finally won!” 2026 Queen Shawna Schmitmeyer also noted her excitement while explaining looking forward to visiting other fairs saying, “I want to walk around other fairs and really set a good example for Darke County.”
In addition to receiving their crowns, the court received generous gifts, which were made possible by the numerous sponsors. The king and queen each received an iPad, a custom belt buckle, and customized Yeti tumblers, along with various other gifts.
Sponsors include: Gordon Orthodontics, Mote & Associates, Darke Cloud Solutions LLC, Doss Business Systems, Beanz, Tractor Supply, Ace Hardware Greenville, J & M Ranch, Ace Hardward Versailles, Bender Electrical Contracting, Schmidt Photography, Darke County Junior Fairboard, Darke County Senior Fairboard, Helen’s Floral Arrangements, Courageous Creations – Rachel Fearon, Jodi Michael, The Borchers Family, and The Farmer’s Daughter Exchange.
