Competitors wolf down ice cream at Jefferson County Fair

August 22, 2007|By DAVE McMILLION

LEETOWN, W.Va. - Ah, the trials of being fair royalty.

One night, you're dressed in fine attire and carrying flowers and the next, you're in a livestock barn cramming down ice cream.

Miss Jefferson County Fair Victoria Holler joined other youths at the fair Wednesday night for an ice cream eating contest.

Holler and the rest of the group each were given a pint of vanilla ice cream with the challenge of who could down it the fastest.

Dozens of spectators sitting around the edge of the barn screamed for their favorite contestant as they gobbled.

Holler and West Virginia Dairy Princess Michelle Walls laughed between bites, and a fair official leaned over and pushed the block of ice cream up to Holler's face.

Junior Miss Jefferson County Fair Lilly Runion dumped the entire ice cream box across her face and flapped her hands in excitement.

The approached worked, as Runion came in first place.

Walls, 19, of Kearneysville, W.Va., said after the event that she expects to be involved in a lot more ice cream eating and milk chugging contests in the coming months as West Virginia Dairy Queen.

"This is kind of a starter for me. I think I did OK," said Walls, who recently was crowned at the West Virginia University's Jackson's Mill 4-H camp in the central part of the state.

"I'd shake your hand, but I'm sure you don't want to," Walls said.

Ice cream eating contests, the hay bale toss and the biggest bubble gum bubble all have been a part of the county fair as long as anyone can remember.

"I know well over 20 years they have been doing this stuff," fair spokesman Locke Wysong said.

The fair continues through Saturday at the fairgrounds off Leetown Road. Today's highlights include Allegro School of Dance at 7 p.m., Kids in Motion at 8 p.m., bull riding at 8 p.m., kiss a pig contest at 8:30 p.m. and a sheep style show at 8:45 p.m. A greased pig contest and cow chip bingo will be held about 9 p.m.

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