Fair Queen encourages 4-H participation

Amy Lee VanLandingham, the 2005 El Paso County Fair Queen, may have been born in California but most of her memories are of Falcon.Her parents, Jerry and Lynn VanLandingham, bought their home on five acres in Falcon when Amy was in first grade. The acreage allowed horses, and VanLandingham said she always looked forward to riding her horses after school.The fair queen said she believes joining the 4-H Plainsmen club had a positive influence in her life, providing the character-building traits needed to become a successful adult. “The program teaches children responsibility and leadership skills, while also being a lot of fun,” she said. “It was a huge part of my life, and I worked on 4-H projects all year, working toward that one week when I would compete at the county fair.”VanLandingham joined the 4-H club when she was 9 years old, and began raising chickens, rabbits, lambs, dogs and showing horses, along with creating arts and crafts projects. She holds the county record for the highest amount paid for a fryer rabbit – $1,000. Participating in the Catch-a-Calf event held every year at the fair, she won a steer, and began raising market beef.She attended D 49 schools, and excelled in academics and sports, receiving awards in mathematics, lettering in tennis and track. VanLandingham is now majoring in accounting at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs.Her reign as fair queen allowed her to meet many wonderful people and improve her public speaking skills, VanLandingham said. She encourages other young women to enter the El Paso County Fair Queen competition because it is “a very positive experience.”VanLandingham’s next goal is to “finish college and get on with my life.” However, before her reign is over she wants to urge parents to enroll their children in 4-H programs. Club enrollments begin in September, and children between the ages of 5 and18 are eligible to join.Below is a list of 4-H Clubs in the Falcon area: