Though it happened in Springfield, history was made for Monroe County over the weekend with staggering success in the Miss Illinois County Fair Queen Pageant in addition to a longtime friend of the Monroe County Fair getting some much-deserved recognition.

Marking the county’s best-ever showing in the state pageant, 2025 Monroe County Fair Queen Riley McDermott was ultimately named first runner-up Sunday night at the end of the Illinois Association of Agricultural Fairs Convention.

This achievement comes just a year after her predecessor Haley Bode found herself among the 16 finalists in the pageant, itself a first for the county.

Monroe County Fair Association President Don Schrader – who was present at the convention alongside several other fair board members – offered congratulations for McDermott and her tremendous performance this past weekend.

“That was an all-time first,” Schrader said. “We were so proud of her. She did such a great job throughout the whole competition. She just made the Monroe County Fair, Monroe County look great.”

McDermott also spoke with the Republic-Times following the pageant, recalling how she originally joined last year’s Monroe County Fair pageant on a bit of a whim.

“I went into the Monroe County pageant just for fun, just to have the experience of pageantry, something I’d never done before,” McDermott said. “It was definitely something new for me and took me out of my comfort zone.”

She understood that, among the fair queen’s many appearances throughout the year, participation at the state pageant was typical.

McDermott set herself the goal of following in Bode’s footsteps, and she was stunned when she pulled it off – only to go a few steps further.

“Hearing my name called as a top 16 finalist was just such a surreal moment for me, and I don’t think it’s quite sunk in yet that I was first runner-up in the state,” McDermott said. “There are so many girls there who have been doing pageants their whole life, such talented girls, and knowing that I was right up there with them kinda gives me a sense of pride in myself and the hard work that I’ve put in these past few years.”

She was broadly enthusiastic about the experience as whole, expressing her gratitude for being able to participate while also recalling the anxiety that came with participating on the state stage.

It was the thought of her loved ones and fair friends cheering her on that helped keep her calm and steady during the state pageant, she said.

Just as with the county fair, McDermott had fine things to say about standing on stage with her fair queen peers at the state level, remarking on how several of them are also students at the University of Illinois like herself – including 2026 Miss Illinois County Fair Queen Krista Phillips of Effingham County.

She spoke about the support she felt during the festivities and referred to her fellow contestants as friends.

McDermott also had plenty of fond things to say about her own hometown fair.

“Going to the fair has always been something I look forward to every year,” McDermott said. “Some people only go once or twice a week, but I would be at the fair every single day until almost everyone had gone home. Being a part of the fair and entering in the fair – whether it was the fine arts department or the vegetable area – being part of the Monroe County Fair has always been extremely special to me.”

As she mentioned, joining the county fair pageant was a bit out of her comfort zone, though she ultimately decided that earning the title of fair queen would provide her with an excellent platform to advocate for agriculture in her community.

With roughly half a year as fair royalty under her belt, she voiced appreciation for all those who have supported her during her time wearing the crown.

“The Monroe County Fair Board and the pageant directors and everyone who goes to the fair, I consider them family,” McDermott said. “Everyone there is extremely supportive. I would consider our fair to be one of the best ones around, honestly.”

McDermott further discussed her time as fair queen, recalling all of the parades she’s appeared in alongside 2025 Little Miss Monroe County Fair Vivian Hewitt.

She holds particularly close to her heart the memories of people seeing her and commenting on her, making her feel like a role model – a position and responsibility she doesn’t take lightly.

“There have been so many amazing opportunities,” McDermott said. “I haven’t had a bad memory in this role… Seeing and hearing those comments from the public and seeing the support has definitely been my favorite part of this role.”

With a few months to go before this year’s county fair, McDermott expressed her anticipation to continue supporting local agriculture as well as the next group of Monroe County Fair pageant contestants.

While McDermott shined on stage in Springfield, another local was recognized at the convention as longtime Harrisonville Telephone Company President and CEO H.R. Gentsch received the Friend of the County Fair Award.

Schrader likewise commended Gentsch for his recognition, noting how he is the first individual from Monroe County to receive such a distinction.

“It’s meant for an individual who is not involved on the fair board or anything. It’s just a community person that shows support to the fair,” Schrader said. “We felt this fall when we had the chance to nominate someone that he was the individual to be nominated.”

Gentsch had plenty to say about his company’s relationship with the Monroe County Fair which really began with a booth in 1988.

That display continuing in the years since, the relationship deepened with the start of Customer Appreciation Night in 2001, with HTC providing Thursday evening fair attendees with a dollar coupon redeemable at any of the food booths.

Gentsch said the event has helped to generate an estimated $90,000 in donations to organizations like the Waterloo Optimist Club, Waterloo FFA and others serving food on Thursdays during fair week.

He also mentioned the musical entertainment provided by HTC since the first Customer Appreciation Night, with some performances being local and others coming from as far away as Texas.

Gentsch further noted the various events HTC has supported over the years including the Little Miss Monroe County Pageant and FFA Fun Night.

He also noted HTC has provided free internet access on the fairgrounds for a number of years.

Gentsch lauded the fair for the role it plays in showing just how important agriculture is for Monroe County residents.

“We’re real happy to involve our employees,” Gentsch said. “Anytime the fair needs some special equipment that we have or any kind of assistance that we can offer, we’re ready, willing and able to do that, and have done so.”

Gentsch said he was incredibly grateful when he found out he was being recognized.

“When I was first told about it, I was quite surprised and questioned whether I was worthy of that type of recognition by the fair, but I am humbled and honored to receive that,” Gentsch said. “It’s something that I accept on behalf of our employees because they’ve been involved. When the fair is needing something, our employees are out there doing the work for them. Glad to do that. Done that for a long time. Look forward to doing that in the continuing years ahead.”

With a stellar start to the year for the Monroe County Fair, Schrader expressed his pride in McDermott and Gentsch as well as his gratitude for all those who help make the fair the success it is every year.

“Monroe County put a mark up at Springfield this weekend at the fair convention,” Schrader said. “The fair board is just so proud to be in a community where the people and the businesses support the county fair like they do.”