Lila Uthlaut didn’t have any trouble figuring out what she was going to write her speech about at the Montgomery County Fair Queen contest on July 14.

The Montgomery County resident and recent Hermann High graduate wanted to give kudos to the seven generations of farmers in her family, including her parents, Adam and Valerie.

“It’s definitely a cool thing to be part of in agriculture,” Uthlaut said. “It’s such a big thing in our family. When I knew I wanted to do a speech, I knew that’s what I wanted to write about because it’s such a passionate thing for me and my family. I guess I wanted to let Montgomery County know about it, too.”

Uthlaut’s speech on her family farming tradition caught the attention of the judges at the queen contest. It helped her become the 2025 fair queen.
Uthlaut became the second Hermann High graduate in as many years to be voted fair queen. She was part of a court that included Montgomery City resident Ann Rose, Wellsville residents Matti Hager and Madison Bickell, Rhineland resident Sarabeth Trenner and Hermann resident Melanie Mueller.

“They were all super sweet girls and it was really nice to get to know them,” Uthlaut said.

Trenner, who is a student at Hermann High School, was voted first runner-up. Bickell, who will be a junior at Mexico High School this fall, was named second runner-up.

Hager, who will be a junior at Wellsville-Middletown High School this fall, earned an award for Miss Congeniality and picked up the People’s Choice Award. Rose, who will be a junior at Montgomery County High School this fall, won an award for top season pass seller after selling 129 season passes.
Also on July 14, Colton Talley and Kiersten Rakers were named winners of the Little Mr. and Miss. Contests.

Kiersten and Colton were part of a court that included Jack Bolte, Evelyn Cobb, Willow Hamilton and Evelyn Frye.

Kiersten wore A League of Their Own outfit and sang Take Me Out To The Ballgame, while Colton was telling jokes such as, “Why did the banana go to the doctors? Because it wasn’t peeling good.”

Uthlaut immediately got busy after being crowned fair queen. She had many responsibilities such as riding in the parade on July 15, taking pictures with the exhibitors at a junior livestock auction that ended close to midnight on July 17 and taking care of her animals.

“It’s been really fun,” Uthlaut said. “I really enjoyed the experience. I’ve always been around the Montgomery County Fair growing up. This year coming back as the queen was definitely a different experience. I definitely enjoyed it, meeting everyone and saying hi to everyone. It’s been a lot of fun.”

Uthlaut showed a steer at the auction. She said she was upset that this is her year showing at the fair.

“Stepping out of the ring (at the steer show on July 16) and knowing it was my last time, I definitely teared up a little bit,” Uthlaut said. “It’s sad to go through it your last time.”

Uthlaut was sponsored by Uthlaut Farms. In her four-minute speech at the queen contest, she mentioned that she was not only representing herself, but she was also representing a business, which is her family.

“I’m representing seven generations of farmers,” Uthlaut said. “That’s a lot. I realized those seven generations of farmers were the type of people who believed in the future of agriculture, who worked for it and who wanted it. People like my parents, who wanted to raise their families in an environment that would expose them to know where their food comes from. It’s growing up around these experiences that got me excited to be involved in FFA and agriculture.”

Uthlaut also mentioned in her speech about how the fair has been a big part of her life.

“Ever since I was a little kid, my family and I have been coming to the Montgomery County Fair,” Uthlaut said. “Believe it or not, about 10 years ago, I was a little seven year old girl probably walking around my bucket calf with a shiny red ribbon.”

On July 14, Uthlaut walked across the stage with a shiny silver crown on her head. She received it from last year’s queen Macy Bader.

Uthlaut became the fourth member of her family to be crowned fair queen. The last one to do it was her cousin Faith Hardee in 2021.

“It’s kind of cool to carry on the tradition for sure,” Uthlaut said. “But I think they were all really excited for me and rooting for me, so it’s a really cool experience to be the fourth one.”

Uthlaut, who graduated from Hermann in May, plans to attend the University of Wyoming this fall.

“Both my mom and dad went to Wyoming and I actually lived there for a couple of years, so it’s kind of cool to go back and carry on that tradition as well,” Uthlaut said.