Newly crowned Tama County Fair Queen Frances Jackson receives a hug from outgoing queen Katelyn Kucera during the Opening Ceremony of the Tama County Fair in Gladbrook on July 13. Jackson, from rural Garwin, won the honor among a field of four contestants. Jackson has been busy at work presiding over the fair this week and will move on to the State Fair Queen Contest at the Iowa State Fair in August. Darvin Graham/Sun Courier

After two long years, the Tama County Fair Queen crown has finally passed to the next successor.

Frances Jackson was crowned the 2021 Tama County Fair Queen in ceremonies held on July 13 at the Tama County Fair grounds.

Judging took place earlier in July with interviews and the presentation of a prepared speech.

Jackson takes over from Katelyn Kucera who was crowned in 2019 but continued on through 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic forced the 2020 fair to be canceled.

Jackson will preside over this week’s county fair shows, contests and activities and go on to represent Tama County at the Iowa State Fair on Aug. 14 during the State Fair Queen contest that begins at 7 p.m.

Jackson is a GMG grad and the daughter of Matt and Ann Jackson of rural Garwin. While in high school, she participated in cheerleading, band, National Honor Society, FFA, Spanish Club, speech and student council.

During her senior year of high school she was the president of the GMG FFA chapter and GMG Spanish Club.

Jackson is currently the Tama County Beef Queen and the President of the Garwin Roughriders 4-H Club in addition to being a member of the Tama County Council.

Jackson works at Earl May in Marshalltown and loves to help on her family farm.

Her plans are to continue her education at Iowa State this fall. She has been accepted into the first year honors program and plans to double major in accounting and ag business.

Hope Werner was also crowned as the 2021 Tama County Fair Princess during the ceremony. Werner, from rural Toledo, is a South Tama County grad and is the daughter of Eric and Michelle Werner.

The two were selected out of a field of four contestants that also included Ellie Behrens of rural Clutier and Rachel Silhanek of Tama.

A number of additional awards and honors were given out at the fair’s opening ceremony ahead of the queen crowning.

Fair scholarship recipients for 2020 and 2021 were honored. In 2020 scholarships went to Katelyn Kucera and Paige Jergens. The 2021 scholarship recipients included Frances Jackson and Dylan Hosek.

The annual Friends of the Fair Award was given out to a number of people and organizations for 2020 and 2021. Recipients for 2020 were Stan and Charlotte Upah and their Toledo businesses, U.S.S. Polaris and Upah Income Tax and Bookkeeping.

In 2021, the honors went to former fair board treasurer Jeanne Beenken, the Gladbrook EMS Department and Frank Albertson.

Following the awards, Spanky and Sons Auction conducted an auction of donated decor items with proceeds going toward future scholarships.