Springfield, Ill. - Brittani Schisler, Miss Lake County Fair Queen, of Fox Lake was crowned Sunday night by the retiring 2011 Queen Jackie Driscoll.  She is a student at Eastern Illinois University in Communication Disorders and Sciences.   Her parents are Thomas Schisler and Lorin Buchta.  Schisler, as the new Miss Illinois County Fair Queen, will be the official hostess at both the Illinois State Fair and DuQuoin State Fair.  She was presented with a $1,000 scholarship from Prairie Farms.                

There were 70 queens vying for the title this year.  Miss Montgomery County Fair Queen Lauren Murphy of Harvel was named first runner-up.

The judges selected Miss Effingham County Fair Melissa Mellendorf of Montrose as second runner up.

Other top finalists (in no particular order)  were:  Miss Moultrie-Douglas Fair, Rachel Craddock;  Miss Union County Fair, Crystal Davis;  Miss Champaign County Fair, Korynn Kirby;  Miss Cass County Fair, Kayla Birdsell;   Miss Rock Island County Fair,  Alyssa Zwicker;   Miss Williamson County Fair,  Chelsea Reardon;  Miss Sangamon County Fair,  Cara Workman;  Miss Schulyer County Fair, Emily Kliffmiller;  Miss Henry  County Fair, Dana Brock;  Miss Richland County Fair, Logan Ferguson;  Miss Winnebago County Fair,  Kaela Lovgren; and Miss Edgar County Fair, Jessica Richardson.

Non-finalist competition awards were presented to Miss Madison  County Fair, Alyssa Frerker from Highland for best non finalist in Interview Competition;  Miss Calhoun County Fair  Kyndal Baalman from Hardin for best non finalist in Communication Skills;  Miss Stark County Fair Carrie Horsley from Galva for best non finalist in Stage Presence and Miss Jasper County Fair Shelby Huschle from Newton for best non finalist in Beauty and Physique.

The Ruby Crum Memorial Award for charm and enthusiasm is presented as the Spark Plug Award.  Miss Winnebago County Fair, Kayla Lovegren of Roscoe was honored with the 2012 Spark Plug Award.

The Miss Illinois County Fair Queen Pageant was held over the weekend as part of the annual convention of the Illinois Association of Agricultural Fairs at the Crowne Plaza in Springfield

The 2012 Illinois State Fair runs August 9-19, 2012 in Springfield and the DuQuoin State Fair August 24- September 3, 2012.  Visit the ISF website at http://www.illinoisstatefair.info/ or www.illinoiscountyfairs.org. 

The Illinois Association of Agricultural Fairs is a non-profit corporation formed in 1910.  It serves 104 Illinois County Fairs and Expositions.  Its purpose is to provide guidelines, inform, and monitor and /or initiate legislation that promotes and assist Illinois County Fairs.  The association is volunteer based and is dedicated to the promotion of agriculture, development of youth, and as a showplace of American agriculture's traditions and future agricultural innovations.

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