Queen Contest

For the first time in six decades, there will be no Farm Queen at the Maryland State Fair. Gone are the crowns and the gowns. And the fate of the traditional sashes is in question. Beginning this year, the young woman who most impresses the judges with her poise and her knowledge of farming in Maryland will be named the Maryland Farm Bureau Agricultural Ambassador. And she will accept the title wearing a black blazer with a Farm Bureau insignia instead of a formal dress. The state Farm Bureau and the fair are attempting to modernize the longstanding Farm Queen contest and draw more participants with the new name and other changes.

The glamour was back at the Howard County Fair this year as three young women wore formal gowns and high-heeled shoes into the show ring to compete to be the county's spokeswoman for agriculture. Organizers put a new name -- the Miss Howard County Farm Bureau Contest -- on a competition that looked a lot like the Farm Queen contest that was held for six decades until last summer. Emma Bullock of Ellicott City won the competition yesterday, which welcomed back dressy gowns after the women wore less formal dresses last year.

Teri Bildstein, Miss St. Michaels Fire Prevention Queen, won the Maryland Fire Chiefs' Association annual queen contest Sunday at the group's fall conference at the Sykesville-Freedom District Fire Department.First runner-up was Kristi Wilson, 17, Miss Winfield. Second runner-up was Beth Bauerlein, 17, Miss Hampstead.Contestants were required to represent a volunteer fire company and be between 16 and 24 years old.The eight contestants, four from Carroll County, were interviewed individually by three judges, then appeared before the members of the Maryland Fire Chiefs' Association and its Ladies Auxiliary.

Farm queens are returning to Maryland, but they will not reign at the Maryland State Fair. Two days after the Maryland Farm Bureau restored the traditional formal dress, shiny tiaras and royal title to its annual competition, the fair's board of directors voted to end its six-decade association with the contest. The fair's board unanimously decided Thursday night that the right decision was made last year when the fair and the farm bureau abandoned the farm queen for the more modern, inclusive title of agricultural ambassador.

Here is a list of the remaining fire department carnivals around the county:* June 5 to 10: New Windsor, Atlee Avenue. Lunch is from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and dinner platters at 4 p.m.; rides and games open at 6 p.m. A parade is at 7 p.m. Wednesday. Information: 635-6373.* June 12 to 17: Taneytown, Memorial Park, Route 140. Dinner is at 4 p.m., games and rides at 6 p.m. A parade is at 7 p.m. Wednesday. Information: 756-6253.* June 19 to 24: Sykesville, Route 32 and Freedom Avenue. Dinner is at 6 p.m., games and rides at 6:30 p.m. A fire prevention queen contest is Friday.

Sunshine Genco, chosen from a group of five contestants, became the Manchester Fire Prevention Queen for 1995-1996 at the Manchester Carnival on July 4.Cindy Reed was first runner-up.All five contestants were well-versed in fire prevention. Each had thought of her own way to teach fire prevention throughout the year to the community.After interviews by a panel of three judges, each contestant answered two questions."I went to school with all the girls I was running against. Everybody had wonderful answers," recalled Ms. Genco.

The farm queen to be crowned today at the 51st Annual Howard County Fair may actually turn out to be the suburban farm queen.Only one of the six contestants in this year's competition actually lives on a farm. The rest are 4-H members from "minifarms" -- or "farmettes," as organizers put it -- raising rabbits or riding horses in the suburbs."There used to be at least one girl from a dairy farm, another maybe from a grain farm and one who raised sheep or goats on her folks' farm," said Annette Fleishell, secretary of the Howard County Farm Bureau Women's Committee, which organizes the event.

WESTMINSTER -- Poised, smiling and articulate, Heather Hull of Westminster was chosen as the 1992 Carroll County Farm Queen Sunday evening.Miss Hull, 17, of the 1000 block of Sullivan Road, will be a senior at Westminster High School this fall.She won $250 and will represent county farmers during the next year as she speaks to community groups and attends the state fair."It's a great honor and privilege to represent the farmers of Carroll County. You guys are the hardest working business people I know," she said after being named farm queen.

A NEW MOUNT Airy Fire Prevention Queen was crowned July 20.Anne Marie Histon, a 15-year-old junior at South Carroll High School, received her title during a ceremony held that evening at the Mount Airy carnival grounds.Amanda Cauffman, the first runner-up Maryland State Miss Fire Prevention Queen and a Gaithersburg resident, delivered a speech and gave flowers to Anne Marie and Christina Gue, the departing Miss Mount Airy.Christina, a 16-year-old student at South Carroll, also holds the title of Miss Maryland Fire Chiefs Queen.

The Maryland Farm Bureau wants to bring royalty back to county fairs. After renaming the six-decade-old competition last year to the Agricultural Ambassador Contest and giving up crowns and formal gowns in favor of businesslike blazers, the farm bureau's board of directors decided Tuesday to return to the tradition. The blazers are out. The tiaras are back. The winners will again be named farm queen. "Last year, we made a change, we tried it out," said state bureau President Earl Hance.

The Maryland Farm Bureau wants to bring royalty back to county fairs. After renaming the six-decade-old competition last year to the Agricultural Ambassador Contest and giving up crowns and formal gowns in favor of businesslike blazers, the farm bureau's board of directors decided Tuesday to return to the tradition. The blazers are out. The tiaras are back. The winners will again be named farm queen. "Last year, we made a change, we tried it out," said state bureau President Earl Hance.

For the first time in six decades, there will be no Farm Queen at the Maryland State Fair. Gone are the crowns and the gowns. And the fate of the traditional sashes is in question. Beginning this year, the young woman who most impresses the judges with her poise and her knowledge of farming in Maryland will be named the Maryland Farm Bureau Agricultural Ambassador. And she will accept the title wearing a black blazer with a Farm Bureau insignia instead of a formal dress. The state Farm Bureau and the fair are attempting to modernize the longstanding Farm Queen contest and draw more participants with the new name and other changes.

TOMORROW - "Family Fun" Day Times TBA *Racing Pigs 8:30 a.m.-noon Indoor exhibit entry and judging 9 a.m. Breeding swine, breeding sheep and breeding beef heifers shows 9 a.m. Rockets displayed 9 a.m. Wildlife display open 10 a.m. Llama and alpaca shows - dairy ring 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Petting barn open 10 a.m.- 10 p.m. Raffle/information booth open 10 a.m.- 10 p.m. Antique tractor display 11 a.m.- 5 p.m. Mobile ag science lab open 11 a.m.- 7:30...

Winfield Community Volunteer Fire Department will hold its annual carnival Monday to July 15 on the carnival grounds next to the firehouse at 1320 W. Old Liberty Road. Dinner platters will be served in the air-conditioned hall from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. daily. Rides, games and food booths will open at 7 p.m. Discounted ride nights will be Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday; coupons, which are required, are available at the firehouse. The Miss Winfield fire prevention queen contest will be held Monday night.

LEONARDTOWN -- Outside, sheep are being blow-dried, cow dung cleaned from the road and cotton candy wiped from children's mouths. Inside, 11 young women stand around in evening gowns, straining to subdue the butterflies in their stomachs."

A NEW MOUNT Airy Fire Prevention Queen was crowned July 20.Anne Marie Histon, a 15-year-old junior at South Carroll High School, received her title during a ceremony held that evening at the Mount Airy carnival grounds.Amanda Cauffman, the first runner-up Maryland State Miss Fire Prevention Queen and a Gaithersburg resident, delivered a speech and gave flowers to Anne Marie and Christina Gue, the departing Miss Mount Airy.Christina, a 16-year-old student at South Carroll, also holds the title of Miss Maryland Fire Chiefs Queen.

Winfield Community Volunteer Fire Department will hold its annual carnival Monday to July 15 on the carnival grounds next to the firehouse at 1320 W. Old Liberty Road. Dinner platters will be served in the air-conditioned hall from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. daily. Rides, games and food booths will open at 7 p.m. Discounted ride nights will be Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday; coupons, which are required, are available at the firehouse. The Miss Winfield fire prevention queen contest will be held Monday night.

Castles, Maypole dances, a May Queen contest and a human chess game will help bring the European medieval period to life tomorrow at Liberty High School in Eldersburg.A group of students headed by Liberty senior Rachael Bradley is organizing what they hope will become an annual event that focuses on the period prior to the cultural Renaissance that swept Europe in the 14th century."We started a Renaissance Club at school last year, but we're doing the medieval period for this since South Carroll just had their Renaissance festival," Rachael said.

MARK YOUR calendar for the 71st annual Mount Airy Volunteer Firemen's Carnival to be held July 20-25 at the Mount Airy carnival grounds at Twin Arch Road and Route 27.Ricky Baker, past president of Mount Airy Fire Company, is the chairman of the carnival committee this year. Bill Lawton, first vice president of the fire company, is co-chairman.This is the largest fund-raising event of the year for the fire company and promises excitement for the whole family, with food, live entertainment, rides and games, including ride-all-night for one price from July 20-22, a $6,000 cash giveaway, the Mount Airy Junior Fire Company raffle, and the Firemen's Parade at 7 p.m. July 23.The fire company auxiliary will serve buffet dinners every evening from 5 p.m. in the air-conditioned activities building on the carnival grounds.

Shoveling manure is not usually part of the talent division of a beauty pageant.But Laura Johnson, who was chosen Sunday as the 52nd Howard County Farm Queen, isn't afraid to get the queen's finest -- blue jeans and a black polo shirt -- smudged with dirt."