Charles Dickson, LJI Reporter

Rosie McCann of Bristol was named Shawville Fair Ambassador for 2024 at an event held in the Homecraft Pavilion at the Shawville fairgrounds last Wednesday evening.

Five well-spoken young candidates from the local farming community, each representing a different division of the fair, participated in the competition which consisted of giving a short speech before a panel of judges and the assembled audience.

Patty Egan lives in Bristol and represents the dairy division. She will be showing a Holstein calf Boss Girl from Double G Farm. She is going into grade 9 at Pontiac High School (PHS) where she is on the rugby team.

Felix Vereyken of Clarendon represents the sheep division. His hobbies are raising a Simmental steer, dirt biking and hunting. He is going into grade 8 at PHS this fall.

Mason Vereyken, also from Clarendon, chose to represent the homecraft division because he has always liked to draw and do crafts. He is going into grade 10 at PHS.

Ben Judd represents the beef division. He lives in Bristol where he has his own herd of Simmental beef cattle. Ben recently returned from the World Simmental Congress in Alberta where he won Reserve Champion Junior Showman out of 50 competitors from across the country. He is going into grade 10 at PHS.

Rosie McCann, lives in Bristol and is the ambassador for 4H. She spoke of the involvement of her family and friends in 4H and will be showing a goat at the fair. She is going into grade 7 at PHS.

The event was organized, as it has been for more than a decade, by sisters Hayley and Holly Campbell, both on the Board of Directors of the Pontiac Agricultural Society (PAS) and former ambassadors themselves.

The 2024 Shawville Fair Ambassadors are, from left, Mason Vereyken (Homecraft), Patricia Egan (Dairy), Rosie McCann (4H), Felix Vereyken (Sheep) and Ben Judd (Beef). Photo: Charles Dickson