Melissa Davis New Fair Queen

Melissa Davis of Dieterich is Miss Effingham County Fair 2014.

Queen Melissa was crowned by retiring queen Breeanna Strauch at the conclusion of a pageant Tuesday night before a big crowd in front of the grandstand at Altamont. Melissa will reign over the remainder of this year's fair. She will also compete in January at the annual Illinois Association of Agricultural Fairs Convention in Springfield. If she wins there, she will reign as 2015 Miss Illinois County Fair Queen and would preside over the Illinois and DuQuoin State Fairs.

Whitney Donaldson was chosen first runner-up, Kelsey Reardon was second runner-up, and Shelby Beck was third runner-up and also won Miss Congenialtiy, which is chosen by the other contestants. Cathleen Bierman won the highest ticket sales honor, and Erin Goeckner won the People's Choice Award. Other contestants were Shania Patton, Johanna Haywood, Ranae Brackney, Kirsten Buzzard, Rachel Tillman, Abby Marten, Andrea Wendling, Michelle Weber, Kindra Wendling, and Elizabeth Brackney.

In addition to the 16 queen contestants, some two dozen girls took part in the Little Miss Pageant that is a part of each queen pageant.

Prior to the pageant, the results of the Little Miss Pigtail contest were announced. 41 girls competed this year. The winner was Anna Probst, whose pigtails measured 26-5/8 inches long. Madison Durbin was first runner-up at 26-1/2 inches, and Alana Jackson was second runner-up at 25-1/4 inches.

(2014 LITTLE MISS PIGTAIL ANNA PROBST IS FLANKED ON HER RIGHT BY SECOND RUNNER-UP ALANA JACKSON AND FIRST RUNNER-UP MADISON DURBIN)

Today at the fair, harness racing will begin at 1pm. Six heats are on tap. Hear the action on KJ Country 102.3 and www.kjcountry.com.  Rides on the midway are just $1.50 each beginning at 4pm. The 4-H Auction is set for 5:30pm. There is antique tractor pull action at 6pm, followed by Hasting's Filters truck, tractor, semi pro stock and antique pulling at 7pm.

The 4-H cat and rabbit shows got underway at 8am. A reminder you can hear 4-H results each morning at 8:45am during Fair Week on KJ Country 102.3 and www.kjcountry.com.  

The fair runs through Saturday at Altamont.