Fifteen vying for Stearns County Dairy Princess

This article submitted by Linda Stelling on 3/2/99.

The Stearns County American Dairy Association is hosting its 44th Annual Dairy Princess Pageant on Saturday, March 6.

Fifteen girls are vying for the Stearns County Dairy Princess title.

The pageant will be held at the Freeport Community Center starting with a roast beef dinner at 7:45 p.m. The coronation of the 1999 Dairy Princesses will take place at about 9 p.m. Mistress of ceremony will be Kristi Pettis, former Princess Kay of the Milky Way.

The Stearns County ADA can select eight girls to advance to the Region Six Princess Kay contest in June.

Of the 15 contestants, three are from the Paynesville area. They are: Jessica Olmscheid, Wendy Utsch, and Paula Leyendecker.

Utsch, 18, is the daughter of Ken and Shirley Utsch, rural Paynesville. They farm 210 acres and have a dairy herd of 65 Holsteins.

A senior at Paynesville Area High School she plans on attending Rasmussen College in St. Cloud and get a degree in accounting and business management.

When asked to compare her personality with a dairy product and how they are alike, Utsch replied, “ice cream. I am like ice cream because it’s so variable. You can have it plain or make it into a shake, sundae, or blizzard.”

She is sponsored by Wally’s G&T Foods, Paynesville.

Leyendecker, 17, is the daughter of Robert and Lisa Leyendecker, rural Paynesville. They farm 400 acres and have a herd of 70 Holsteins. A senior at Paynesville Area High School, she plans to attend St. Cloud State University with a major in elementary education with a minor in physical education and earn a coaching degree.

When asked to compare her personality with a dairy product and how they are alike, Leyendecker replied, “ice cream. Cold at times but warm when you want it to be. Soft inside with a solid personality.”

She is sponsored by AMPI, Paynesville.

Olmscheid, 18, is the daughter of Gary and Pat Olmscheid, rural Belgrade. They farm 300 acres and have a dairy herd of 65 Holsteins. A senior at Paynesville Area High School, she plans on attending Alexandria Technical College for communication art and design. She also hopes to find a job in the field and be able to stay close to home.

When asked to compare her personality with a dairy product and how they are alike, Olmscheid replied, “Yogurt. It is smooth like me, sweet like my personality, and easy going like me because I take things one day at a time.”

Olmscheid is sponsored by the First District Association Feed Department, Litchfield.

Other county contestants and their sponsors are:
•Judy Holdvogt, daughter of Alvin and Bernie Holdvogt, Freeport; St. Martin Co-op;
•Judy Young, daughter of Jerome and Darlene Young, Avon; J&D Transit, Donny Meyer, and First District Association, Litchfield.
•Nancy Hellerman, daughter of Mike and Jean Hellerman, Melrose; Melrose State Bank.
•Kristy Hemmesch, daughter of Dan Hemmesch, Spring Hill; Spring Water Acres, Spring Hill.
•Gina Skwira, daughter or Al and Shirley Skwira, Rice; Holdingford Mill.
•Angie Tegels, daughter of Richard and Joan Tegels, Sauk Centre; Modern Farm Equipment, Sauk Centre,
•Susan Pflueger, daughter of Leroy and Audrey Pflueger, Albany; Avon State Bank.
•Sonya Gondringer, daughter of Jim and Joan Gondringer, Albany; Albany Branch of the Melrose Vet Clinic.
•Becky Kuechle, daughter of Ron and Barb Kuechle, Watkins; the Stearns County Holstein Association.
•Denise Koopmeiners, daughter of Dennis and Debbie Koopmeiners, Albany; Elmdale Creamery Association.
•Linda Nathe, daughter of John and Marilyn Nathe, Sauk Centre; Agri King, Roger Frieler and Richard Lauer, Sauk Centre.
Melinda Schumer, daughter of James and Marilyn Schumer, St. Stephen; Minnesota Select Sires, St. Cloud.

Following the coronation, there will be a dance with music provided by Dondi. The ticket price for the dinner, coronation, and dance is $6.50 in advance and $7 at the door. Tickets for just the coronation are $2.

Tickets are available locally from the ADA board members Gary and Corrine Lieser, 320-243-4324;

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