Deadline Soon for Dixon May Fair Royalty Court Applications

Brianna Boyd
Special to Dixon Patch

All Solano County youth who plan to enter the Dixon May Fair’s Royalty Court competition must submit their applications by Friday to the fair’s office.

The girls who make up the royalty court are some of the most recognized individuals at both the Dixon May Fair and Dixon May Fair Parade. They receive thunderous applause every year when they ride their horses in the parade and are often competitors in some of the most popular May Fair competitions, including the hog calling and cow milking contests.

Proudly wearing their sashes and crowns, the girls serve as representatives for the historic fair throughout the year.

 “Last year, they rode in eight parades as a group serving as ambassadors for the Dixon May Fair,” said Rhonda Rayn, who has coordinated the royalty court competition since it began about 15 years ago. “It’s to encourage people to come to the fair and it makes people aware that we have a Dixon May Fair. Some places that we go to are pretty big places that haven’t been exposed to our fair.”

The Royalty Court competition is open to any Solano County youth between the ages of 9 and 18. Several boys have also competed in the past, and they serve as ambassadors. The girls, meanwhile, compete within four categories – queen, princess, junior princess and little miss.

The fair’s little miss award goes to a girl between the ages of 9 and 11. The junior princess contest is open to any girl between the ages of 12 and 14. All girls 15 years and older compete together, Rayn explained, and the teen with the highest score is crowned queen and the second place recipient is named the princess.

The 2010 royalty court included Queen Sasha Lyons of Dixon, Princess Danielle McCants of Vacaville, Junior Princess K’la Duncan of Dixon and Little Miss Macy Neilson of Dixon.

“They’re a good group of girls,” Rayn said. “They’re so thoughtful of each other. They were wonderful representatives.”

The girls participated in a number of parades in the area, including the Dixon May Fair, Vacaville Fiesta Days, Winters Youth Day, Roseville Christmas Parade, Woodland Holiday Parade, and the Livermore Rodeo.

After the Woodland parade, the girls volunteered to visit the area convalescent homes and hospitals. They stood outside with their horses, dressed in their Western attire, and the residents and patients were able to visit with them and see the animals.

Rayn remembers that one particular convalescent home resident was over 100 years old and was so excited to see a horse again.

“The girls do all their own community service and promote the fair,” Rayn added. “Some of them have gone to the schools and talked to the kids about entering.”

There are several components to the competition that all youth entering must follow. As part of the application due Friday, which includes a $50 sponsorship fee, candidates must enclose a typed essay, addressed to the public, describing why he or she would like to be a Dixon May Fair representative. This essay can include past awards, future plans, goals and community involvement, as well as school and grade level information. The candidates must also include two photographs, one of just themselves and another with their horse. These photos will be used for public review and judging.

All candidates must be entered and scored in the Royalty Court Horsemastershop Class that will be during the Dixon May Fair Junior Horse Show April 23.

All candidates must also be available for interviews with Dixon May Fair board members, who will serve as the competition judges, prior to the fair’s opening.

The Royalty Court competition is scheduled for the evening of May 4, the first night of the five-day fair.

While she has not received all the applications, Rayn expects to see a couple repeat contestants this year.

“We have quite a few who keep coming back and I think it’s because they just enjoy doing it,” Rayn said. “They enjoy coming and they enjoy going to the parades. It’s  competition, but it’s a friendly competition. They all get along really well.”

For more information  on the Royalty Court, contact Rayn at 330-9103.

The 136^th annual Dixon May Fair will open Wednesday, May 4, and entertain thousands of visitors through Mother’s Day on Sunday, May 8. For more information, visit www.dixonmayfair.com

Also, the May Fair would like to remind all youth entering livestock in the fair that the final day to have sheep, goats and swine ear-tagged is Saturday. Fair officials will be at the May Fair grounds from 9 to 1 p.m. For more information, contact the May Fair office at 678-5529.