Newly Crowned Princess Kay of the Milky Way

An enthusiastic group of supporters attended the Princess Kay pageant at the Minnesota State Fair last night, cheering for Meeker County Dairy Princess Claudia Frenchick of St. Martin who was one of the 10 finalists for the title. As the evening concluded, Jena Hanson of Owatonna, representing Steele County was crowned as the 73rd Princess Kay of the Milky Way.

Hanson, daughter of Steve & Suzie Hanson, will be a junior at the University of Wisconsin – River Falls studying dairy science management. Jaden Smith of Melrose in Stearns County was named as Miss Congeniality. $1,000 scholarships went to 3 of the contestants – Isabella Schiffler of Albany, representing Stearns County, Jena Hanson, and to Claudia Frenchick.

Frenchick’s video was the first to be presented last night during the coronation and in it, she spoke about her cows at Manannah Valley. During an interview on stage with emcee Rod Johnson, he mentioned that Claudia asked for her first Jersey heifer when she was 4-years-old. He asked her about the judging process during the Princess Kay competition and Claudia said it was nerve-wracking, but it enabled her to meet a great group of girls. She is the daughter of Amanda Frenchick and will be sophomore at the University of Minnesota in the Twin Cities studying animal science with a goal of becoming a large animal veterinarian.

Along with Jena Hanson, the other two finalists at the end of the pageant were Jaden Smith and Isabella Schiffler. Hanson will be having a likeness of her head carved out of a 90-pound block of butter today and tomorrow by Litchfield sculptor Gerry Kulzer at the Minnesota State Fair. Claudia Frenchick will sit for her butter sculpture on Tuesday, September 1st.