Beacon Staff
Every year, young ladies who exemplify the qualities of the Des Moines County Fair compete to become the fair queen.
This year, there are five contestants, each worthy of wearing the crown. Their hard work and robust spirit will be on display at the annual Des Moines County Fair Queen contest at 7 p.m. Sunday at SCC’s Loren Walker Arena, and everyone is invited.
These are the contestants for the 2023 Des Moines County Fair Queen.
Bailey Minster
Bailey Minster, of Sperry, is the 16-year-old daughter of Andrew and Julie Minster.
She will be a junior in Mediapolis this fall and is an active 4-H and FFA member.
Minster is an officer, current secretary, and reporter for the Mediapolis FFA.
Minster is also an active member of the Hilltop Helpers 4-H club, where she is currently president. She is also an active member of the Des Moines County Teen Council.
Minster has several jobs. She works at Myers Potting Shed, Myers Wedding Barn, and the Prairie Ridge Nursing Home, and babysitting.
She plans on becoming a CNA while still in high school, and plans to become a NICU nurse and a Realtor after high school.
Caroline Nealey
Caroline Nealey, of Danville, is the 17-year-old daughter of Pat Nealey and Jill Mutchler. She shows horses, rabbits, and static exhibits and rides in the Jim Nealy Memorial Rodeo in honor of her grandfather, Jim Nealey.
Outside of the fair, she participates in the Danville Cornhuskers 4-H, Danville FFA and chapter secretary, Leo Club, and treasurer, Danville trap-shooting, and BHS Swim Team.
Hailey Parrott
Hailey Parrott, 17, is the daughter of Jennifer and Luke Parrott of Danville, and she will be a senior at Mount Pleasant High School this fall.
Parrott participates in choir, show choir crew, 4-H, dairy club, and speech. She is also involved in cross country, basketball, soccer, and softball, and played football during her freshman year.
Parrott also participates in several community services outside school, including the Sweet 16 pageant, the Midwest Old Threshers Reunion, and the Thrashers House of Terror. Parrott is a member of the Udder Chaos Dairy Club and the current vice president of the Danville Cornhuskers.
Tayler Schnedler
Tayler Schnedler is the daughter of Nate and Erin Schnedler. She is currently the chapter president of her FFA club and serves as the Southeast District reporter.
Schnedler is also involved in 4-H, the National Honor Society, the yearbook committee, the student council, and the school board representative, and plays soccer. You can find her working at Menards, in the cattle barn, or at a cattle show in her spare time.
Hailey Wick
Hailey Wick, 16, is the daughter of Jeremy and Heather Wick. In the fall, she will be a senior at Mediapolis High School and is involved in 4-H, FFA, choir, Des Moines County Dairy Club, Des Moines County Fair Dairy Committee, student council, theatre, musicals, and speech.
Wick already works two jobs — one as a dietary aide at Azria Health Prairie Ridge in Mediapolis, and another milking cows at Blue Knoll Dairy Farm.
Wick shows and raises dairy and meat goats, as well as market beef and dairy cattle.
She enjoys riding horses, working with livestock, and spending time with her friends and family.