The smell of livestock mingled with the roars and cheers of the crowd that could be heard from all over the arena. She stood holding hands with the other girls fearing every second drawing closer to the finale. Suddenly a man’s voice erupted from the speaker, her body stiffened, one after one the man blurted out the names of the runner ups. Despair filled her as the man was about to announce the big winner. “This year’s Montgomery County Fair Queen 2022 goes to… Cali LaCaze from Caney Creek High School.” 

Junior Cali LaCaze began her reign as Montgomery County Fair Queen 2022 after being crowned in the fair arena on Saturday March 26. 

“I honestly thought it was a dream,” LaCaze said. “I like tried to rub my eyes and like wake back up and it wasn’t a dream. I definitely didn’t believe it at first and I am still kind of in shock.”

Every year, the Montgomery County Fair hosts the fair queen contest for highschool juniors. The girls must be involved in the fair through livestock showings or a non-livestock project. They must also take part in public speaking, giving speeches and interviews from judges, parades, and events in the county. Each girl is then judged on poise and personality, public speaking, her personal interview and speech over what the fair means to them. 

“It’s more than a beauty pageant,” Fair Queen Committee Chairwoman Melissa Reagan said. “We encourage them to challenge themselves to do things that are difficult.”

The initial competition starts back in October, where the committee meets the candidates and presents the rules and events to them. In November the girls began queen training, consisting of public speaking and personal interview skills.

“We give the girls a few personal interview and public speaking tips and skills in order to get them used to speaking in front of each other,” Reagan said.

The girls then participated in the Magnolia Christmas Parade in December. In January, along with their sponsors and parents, the candidates went to a press party, where they were introduced publicly as fair queen candidates. In February the girls attended the Conroe Go Texan Parade as well as a speech practice night where they recited a speech to mock judges. 

“I was upset that I wasn’t able to go to some of the parades, but what I was able to go to I loved it, it was so exciting, ” LaCaze said.

Then came Coronation day starting off with breakfast with the judges, personal interviews, public speaking and, of course, the queen’s crowning.

“I was absolutely terrified that day,” LaCaze said. “Then I calmed myself down and started freaking out again, so it was like an emotional rollercoaster.”

Reagan, who won Fair Queen in 1998, guides and aids the contestants across all their events. She admires her role and the girls.

“I look forward every year to encouraging them and providing new opportunities so that they feel more comfortable,” Reagan said. “By the time they get to judging day they have this new confidence in themselves and what they’re able to do.”

LaCaze, alongside agriculture teacher Melissa Grissom, prepared for the contest by practicing interviews and her speech. 

“She and I worked so hard to perfect that speech and help get her interview questions on point,” Grissom said. “She deserved that win so much. To know you helped a student achieve something that big in our county really meant a lot to me”

Agriculture teacher, Melissa Grisson, said the victory helped shed light on the school’s FFA program.

“This helps put our FFA chapter in the spotlight, we are such a diverse community,” Grissom said. “It makes my heart happy to see us step into the spotlight and shine in areas that are not typical.”

LaCaze has always been invested in FFA, showing pigs from third to eighth grade. Her dad showed animals for a while, then when her older sister began showing pigs in the third grade Cali was the one who messed around and worked with her sister’s pig. When the time came for her to show pigs she was fully committed to it. She then began cheering in and out of school, clashing with FFA, causing her to stop showing. Despite the fact she no longer shows, she is still an active member of FFA.

“I didn’t want to do something that I couldn’t do to my fullest,” LaCaze said. “So I had to stop doing that. I would love to go back and show pigs.”

LaCaze said her biggest inspiration came from her sister. After seeing her go through trial and error when running for fair queen the year of COVID-19. Although she didn’t win, LaCaze wanted to step forward and try something new. 

“I watched her do her public speaking, and I just like, I want to run,” LaCaze said. “I want a chance to possibly be queen.”

Apart from participating at the fair, LaCaze is a proud Caney Creek cheerleader and has cheered since seventh grade, engages in organizations like FFA, Math Honor Society (Mu Alpha Theta) and National Honor Society (NHS). She holds pride in herself, her title and her school.

“I definitely feel like I accomplished something and not just for myself but for our school,” LaCaze said. “I loved it; I was so excited to be there and to have the experience of it.”