Fair royalty named
Photo Gallery
2008 Rock County 4-H Fair Royalty
A field of 37 young men and women will vie for the titles of Rock County 4-H Fair king and queen during the royalty coronation at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Rock County 4-H Fair grandstand.
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The King and Queen of the 2008 Rock County 4-H Fair are Tom Schambow, 17, from Milton, and Julia Van Veldhuisen, 17, from Janesville.
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The 2008 Rock County 4-H Fair Royalty stand on the grandstand after being announced.
JANESVILLE — Tension built as Rick West began announcing the 2008 Rock County 4-H Fair Royalty Court of Honor.
“For me, the fair really doesn’t start until two things happen,” West said before announcing the court. “The first, I took care of already, getting my cheese curds from the Janesville Optimists. Second is when I read the names of the fair’s king and queen.”
The anxiety burst into excitement when Tom Schambow, 17, of Milton and Julia Van Veldhuisen, 17, of Janesville became this year’s king and queen.
The announcement shocked both Van Veldhuisen and Schambow, they said after the fervor subsided.
“I’m just in awe; I didn’t expect it,” said Van Veldhuisen, a member of Badger 4-H.
Schambow, a Consolidated 4-H member, agreed.
“I’m really excited; it’s really a surprise,” Schambow said. “There were a lot of good people more deserving besides me.”
But reveling in the moment isn’t what becoming the fair’s royalty is all about. Schambow and Van Veldhuisen have rich histories of 4-H participation behind them and bright futures ahead.
Collectively, the pair have 22 years of 4-H experience, most of which was spent together during many countywide 4-H activities, Schambow said.
-- Schambow started in the Consolidated 4-H program 12 years ago. Now a graduate of Milton High School, Schambow will take off to the University of Wyoming–Laramie to pursue a degree in business.
No favorite moments stick out during his time in 4-H. Rather, the highlight is what 4-H has done for him over the years, he said.
“(4-H) has allowed me to meet so many new people, and it’s been exciting to see how I’ve grown through the great (4-H) program we have in Rock County,” he said.
-- Van Veldhuisen spent 10 years in Badger 4-H. A graduate of Craig High School, Van Veldhuisen will attend UW-Oshkosh to major in nursing. She hopes to work as a nurse in a Wisconsin children’s hospital.
She echoed Schambow’s sentiments about the Rock County 4-H experience.
“The best thing has been meeting people from all over the country,” she said. “The whole experience has been great, but especially getting to know friends I never would have met without being in 4-H.”
Jul 23, 2008 at 9:04 p.m.
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What about the court? They are hard working kids who did a lot to get to the final 10. My child was one of them and felt real bad that the only picture of the court is on the internet. Unfortionally her garndparents don't have the internet and was hoping to see her picture and name in the Gazette. Bad Gazette
Jul 23, 2008 at 7:54 p.m.
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I am continually disappointed year after year with the coverage that the Janesville Gazette gives the Rock County Fair. Mr. Angus, what an opportunity you are missing to interview some of the most hard working, outstanding youth and their families in this county. Rock County has the largest 4-H program in the state of Wisconsin. Rock County also has one of the largest number of youth participating in leadership roles on the state 4-H level that it has seen in years. For one week out of the year I want to read stories about these outstanding youth, their families and their projects. I'm tired of reading about the everyday news that I can read the other 358 days of the year or in any other paper for that matter. I purchase the Janesville Gazette because it is my hometown paper and I want hometown coverage.
The kids up on that stage Tuesday night in most cases have spent 10-12 years working to get where they were. Their parents have spent 10-12 years taking them to project meetings and community service activities that have benefited many in this county and state. These kids are quite simply the cream of the crop. If you could take a look at their royalty applications you'd be amazed at what these kids have on their resumes.
I thought the coverage of the king and queen in tonight's paper was minimal at best. They deserved to be on the front page...front and center. Your readership deserved to know more about them. Congratulations to both Tom and Julia; those of us who know you know how hard you worked for the honor you received last night. The fact that the Gazette didn't find it worthy to even list the Court of Honor...shame on you. The title "Court of Honor" should have been enough to make you realize that they should have been recognized too. I hope Mr. Angus that you sit down with your staff yet this week or at least before the fair next year and discuss what your newspaper can do to better promote a fair and its youth that are second to none.
A proud Rock County 4-H Parent
Jul 23, 2008 at 6:24 p.m.
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I agree. I was rather disappointed in the coverage of the Royalty Coronation this year. Mr. Angus -- what gives?
Jul 23, 2008 at 6:15 p.m.
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What? No Fair Court this year??????? What a shame that they were not mentioned as they have been in past.
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