Cove Home to Two New State Dairy Royalty Members

The 62nd Pennsylvania Dairy Princess Pageant was held Saturday, Sept. 22, at the Red Lion Inn in Harrisburg. Twenty-eight young ladies from across the state competed for the title of the PA Dairy Princess and one of two PA Alternate Dairy Princess titles. The contestants competed in speech, skit, poster display, radio spot, and dairy knowledge contests in the preliminary rounds of the pageant.

Bedford County Dairy Princess Denae Hershberger was crowned the PA First Alternate Dairy Princess. Denae is the 17-year-old daughter of Ross and Yvonne Hershberger of Martinsburg. She is a senior at Northern Bedford High School and participates in cross-country, track, basketball and FFA. She serves on Student Council and is on the honor roll. Denae is a member of the Southern Cove Dairy and Livestock 4-H Club, where she serves as vice president. In her spare time, she enjoys working with her father on their family dairy farm, running, photography and writing poetry. Denae received an Honorable Mention Award for her speech.

Blair County Dairy Princess Vannika Rice is the 18-year-old daughter of David and Terella Rice of Williamsburg. Vannika was crowned the PA Second Alternate Dairy Princess. Vannika graduated from Rice Home School in May and is a member of the Morrisons Cove Dairy Club, where she serves as news reporter. Vannika's future plans are to attend college and major in dairy management so she can return to her family's dairy farm, the Clover Creek Cheese Cellar, where she currently helps with milking and the family's cheese-making business. Vannika won first place in the dairy knowledge and radio spot contests and received Honorable Mention Awards for her speech and her skit.

Denae and Vannika were announced as two of the top seven finalists at the pageant, along with dairy princesses from Fulton, Cambria, Somerset, Lebanon and Centre counties. The top seven had to answer the impromptu question, "Who is your mentor and what qualities do you admire about them?".

Paige Peiffer of Lebanon County was crowned the new PA State Dairy Princess. Paige, Denae and Vannika will spend the next year travelling the Commonwealth sharing their passion for the dairy industry and the dairy farmers they represent. They will attend school and media promotions and participate in state events such as the PA Farm Show where they will educate the public about REAL milk and dairy products and how they provide nine essential nutrients to protect and fuel your body.

To book Denae for your event or community activity, contact Bedford County Booking Chair Christine Ebersole at cfebersole@yahoo.com.

To book Vannika, contact Blair County Booking Chair Kristy Bigelow at kristybigelow@gmail.com.