As in each of the past 67 years, a group of young ladies is vying to become Minnesota’s dairy princess. The winner is crowned each summer as “Princess Kay of the Milky Way.” The winner then spends a year as the goodwill ambassador of Minnesota’s dairy industry.
Because of the pandemic, this year’s Princess Kay finalists were selected via a process through “Zoom” technology rather than the usual in-person sessions, but nonetheless, a group of 10 finalists is now awaiting the next steps in the competition.
Former contestant Margaret Johnson answered some questions about the history of the Princess Kay competition, and gave an update on how this year has been unique. The contest, which began in 1954, was named via a statewide contest to come up with a catchy name, and that’s how Princess Kay of the Milky Way has become a familiar and well-loved annual program of the Midwest Dairy Association.
The program allows each county dairy princess within Minnesota to compete for the title of Princess Kay. In May, each contestant undergoes a personal interview, mock media interview, and gives a prepared speech. Judges then score each contestant, and 10 finalists are selected. The winning Princess Kay is traditionally announced the night before the Minnesota State Fair opens.
Johnson pointed out that in a normal year, the reigning Princess Kay “speaks at various banquets throughout the winter and spring, and then a lot of classrooms invite her to give a demonstration or farm talk, and then June (Dairy Month) is always her busiest month” as the Princess Kay will usually attend between 18 and 26 events at various locations throughout the state. But this year, all of the previously scheduled June events have been canceled, so the reigning Princess Kay (Amy Kyllo of Byron) is promoting the dairy industry via technology means instead.
Johnson said that this year, as always, there are requirements for anyone wishing to become a Princess Kay contestant. Applicants must be a high school graduate or in their final year of high school, no older than 24, never married, and with no children. The contestant and/or their parent(s) must also work in the dairy industry, or certain related fields. Details can be viewed at the Midwest Dairy Association website.
In a “normal” year, according to Johnson, the Minnesota State Fair is really the highlight of the Princess Kay program. Following the coronation of the winner on the night before the Fair begins, each of the finalists in immortalized in a butter sculpture during the Fair. Since 1965, Linda Christensen has been the official sculptor of these butter beauties. Each is created from a 90-pound block of butter, donated by AMPI (Associated Milk Producers Inc.).
Regarding the butter sculpting process, Johnson recalled, “It’s like 34 or 36 degrees in the cooler, so they sit in there with snowpants and gloves and a coat, and it takes between seven and nine hours to carve a butter head.” When asked about a favorite memory from her experience as a Princess Kay finalist, Johnson told of a breakfast at the Minnesota State Fair with some of the other finalists. “We arrived one morning and got cinnamon rolls,” she stated, “And we thought, ‘Oh, some butter would be really good with these cinnamon rolls. Where are we going to get some butter?’ So we went into the butter booth and chipped some butter off the back of one of the girls’ head.” Johnson explained that each finalist gets to take home their finished butter sculpture, as well as all of the excess butter than has been carved away. She said some finalists have kept their sculpture frozen for years, while others have used the 90 pounds of butter for a pancake feed or similar event.
Over the years, Fillmore County has had three contestants crowned as the Princess Kay. They are Janelle Gatzke Hahn (1969), Bridget Hendrickson Jacobson (1992) and Kelsey Olson (2001). This year’s 10 finalists are Emily Benrud (of Goodhue), Brenna Connelly (Byron), Mackenzie Craig (Alexandria), Emma Friauf (Glencoe), Taylor Jerde (Northfield), Katherine Maus (Freeport), Maggie Meyer (Grove City), Maggie Molitor (Rockville), Valerie Sauder (Pine Island), and Rebeckah Schroeder (Caledonia). With the Minnesota State Fair now canceled, there has not yet been an announcement regarding the next step in the Princess Kay selection process. A statement on the website of the Midwest Dairy Association states, “As we learn more about how the COVID-19 pandemic will continue to impact future events, an announcement will be made regarding coronation.”
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