Schwartzkopf in top 10 in state fair queen pageant

Carla Clark | For The Republic Marnie Schwartzkopf, poses for a photograph after being named queen, during the 2022 Bartholomew County 4-H Fair Queen Pageant at the Judson Erne auditorium in Columbus North High School, Saturday, June 18, 2022.

INDIANAPOLIS — Marnie Schwartzkopf, the 2022 Bartholomew County 4-H Fair queen, was among the top 10 finalists in the 2023 Indiana State Fair Queen Pageant.

The 2023 Indiana State Fair Queen is Claire Bishop of Hancock County. Ellie Acra, who was crowned the Decatur County 4-H Fair queen last year, was first runner-up. The contestants chose Grace McCarty of Johnson County as Miss Congeniality.

The 20-year-old Purdue sophomore from Hope was one of 80 county fair queens from throughout the Hoosier state to participate in the competition in Indianapolis Friday through Sunday.

The daughter of Jeff and Mary Schwartzkopf was one of 16 semi-finalists named early Sunday afternoon. A short time later, contestant officials announced she had advanced to the top 10.

While the winner and four runner-ups were identified at the pageant’s finale, the remaining five finalists, including Schwartzkopf, were not ranked, Mary Schwartzkopf said.

Once the 80 contestants from all over the state arrived at the Indiana Farmers Coliseum Friday, they stayed in the 6,500 multi-use indoor arena for the next two nights, Marnie Schwartzkopf said. She added that she was initially worried the experience would be intimidating.

“But what made it so much fun is that you got to know all these girls over a three-day weekend,” Schwarzkopf said. “By the time we got to the finals, I felt I could get excited for any girl who won the crown.”

Interviews were conducted on Friday, which Marnie said did become somewhat intense because each contestant was only given three minutes. Each of the contestants was trying to make a lasting impression in a very short period of time, she said.

“After arriving Friday morning, I found out I was Contestant 79,” Schwartzkopf said. “That meant I didn’t interview until 8:10 p.m. Friday night. I wouldn’t say the questions were tough. I was again asked why I’m pursuing a career in agricultural education.”

When that subject was brought up during the Bartholomew County pageant last June, Schwartzkopf said her career goal is to build up a successful agriculture program in a high school that lacks one.

Each contestant at the coliseum was asked some form of the question of why they felt they would be a good state fair queen or why she wanted the honor, she said.

Once the questioning was over, Schwartzkopf said she felt exhausted, so she just prepared to go to bed.

A highlight of the three-day event was a Hometown Holiday Gift Exchange, Schwartzkopf said each contestant was asked to bring an item unique to their home county, which were all exchanged Saturday evening.

Schwartzkopf’s gift was a mug with the original Cummins logo, a patch from the Columbus Visitors Center and some candy from Swiss Maid Country Market in Hope.