Junior Miss Gentry Shepard, an eighth-grader from Bangs, and Princess Kensi Willis, a fifth-grader from Early, were crowned Monday night during the Fashion Show. [Photo by Derrick Stuckly]

The 70th Brown County Youth Fair began Monday, highlighted by the Fashion Show in the Home Economics Building, where the fifth annual Junior Miss and Princess were crowned as part of the festivities.

Bangs eighth-grader Gentry Shepard, the daughter of Brian and Misty Shepard, was selected Junior Miss.

Early fifth-grader Kensi Willis, the daughter of Daniel and Shelly Willis, was chosen as the Princess.

“It feels kind of crazy,” Shepard said. “I’ve been running for three years and have put a lot into it, and I’m just very happy and excited.”

Shepard spoke about what she is looking forward to most in her role as Youth Fair royalty.

“Meeting all the kids is what I’m most excited for,” Shepard said. “I used to be one of those little girls who used to say, ‘Oh my gosh, it’s a queen!’ So I’m very excited to meet those kids.”

As for the rest of Shepard’s week at the fair, she said, “I’m showing a pig and a steer.”

Willis said of her Princess achievement, “It feels great because I get to show all the little kids how it is to be Princess. And maybe next year if any of them run they might look at me and think of me as their role model.”

Regarding what she’s looking most forward to during her Princess reign, Willis said, “Seeing the little kids in the ring bringing their animals in after at all that hard work they’ve done, and letting them try their hardest to show those animals.”

As for the rest of fair week, Willis said, “I’m showing breeding and market goats, breeding and market rabbits and breeding heifers.”

The rest of the 70th Brown County Youth Fair runs Tuesday through Saturday at the Brown County Fairgrounds.