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Fair Face Wins Fair Scholarship

Photo from Somer Harvey

Plant City, Hillsborough County Fair Harvest Queen Somer Harvey poses with her trophies. Photo from Somer Harvey

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By GEORGE WILKENS

gwilkens@tampatrib.com

Published: January 7, 2009

PLANT CITY - Durant High School junior Somer Harvey has won the Harvest Queen Scholarship Pageant held for the first time at the new home of the Hillsborough County Fair.

The 16-year-old Plant City resident was among 17 contestants in the Nov. 7 competition at the fair's new permanent home on State Road 60 at Sydney-Washer Road in Dover.

As winner of the 10th annual pageant, Harvey was awarded a $1,000 scholarship, trophy, sash and flowers. She also will represent the Hillsborough County Fair at events throughout her one-year reign.

Contestants ages 16 to 19 who live in Hillsborough County were judged on their smiles, personalities and overall appearance.

Harvey is president of Durant's FFA chapter and regularly competes in that organization's speaking competitions, last year finishing fifth at state finals.

Her speaking talents came in handy at the pageant when, as one of five finalists, she was asked a question on stage.

Although Harvey has competed in several pageants, including at her school, this was her largest to date.

"It was really fun," she said. "A lot of my friends were in it, so it was fun to compete with them." As for winning, "It was a shock, because I was one of the youngest" contestants.

Somer said she plans to enter more pageants, including the Florida Strawberry Queen competition, but probably not until 2010. "I want to wait and get more experience and practice," she said.

November's event marked the county fair's first full five-day run since it vacated the Raymond James Stadium parking lot three years ago.

Before that, the fair was held at the Florida State Fairgrounds for nine years. For the past two years, the county fair board held a whittled-down version of the fair in the form of a youth livestock exposition at Winthrop Town Centre in Riverview while awaiting construction of permanent facilities on the site of a former phosphate mine.

Reporter George Wilkens can be reached at (813) 865-4433.

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