MINNEAPOLIS — August Otto, a 16 year-old from Delano in Wright County, and Eleni Solberg, a 16 year-old from Stewartville in Fillmore County, were given the royal chicken treatment on Sunday, August 26, after winning the third-annual Poultry Prince and Princess Contest: A Scholarship Program of Minnesota 4-H and Gold'n Plump®. The program recognizes the knowledge, leadership and skills of Minnesota's youth in the state's poultry industry by awarding two teenagers with poultry ambassador titles and $1,000 academic scholarships.
The Poultry Prince and Princess Contest took place August 23 through 26, 2012, for eligible Minnesota State Fair 4-H poultry participants. Otto and Solberg stood out among the dozen contestants to take seats on the poultry royalty court after ranking highly in a poultry showmanship competition, chicken BBQ contest, and final round Q&A. Runners up included:
- Alex Oelke, 16, of Otsego for Sherburne County
- Quinn Jaeger, 18, of Red Wing in Goodhue County
- Mary Sarah Sauber, 16, of Motley in Cass County
- Mary Boyle, 16, of Otsego in Wright County
Sunday's finals required the top six contestants to showcase their poultry knowledge, confidence and personality with questions like 'How often do most hens lay eggs?' and 'What goes into preparing your chickens to be shown at the State Fair?' Last year's winners, Brandon Severns, of Good Thunder in Blue Earth County, and Amy Anderson, of Cambridge in Isanti County, were in attendance to pass on the festively feathered royal garb. Along with $1,000 scholarships, the Poultry Prince and Princess will have the opportunity to expand their speaking, interview and presentation skills through industry and publicity appearances during their year-long term and will receive royal portraits rendered by the official State Fair artist, Joe Heffron.
"Our hope is to continue a fantastic tradition that shines light on the vitality of our state's poultry industry and supports agricultural education," said Rory Bidinger, brand advocacy and marketing manager for GNP Company™, the company behind the Gold'n Plump brand.
"It's important that we create opportunities for young adults to lead and learn in our local communities," said Brad Rugg, director of 4-H Fairs and Animal Science Programs, University of Minnesota Extension Center for Youth Development.
About GNP Company
Based in St. Cloud, Minn., GNP Company is a family-owned provider of premium chicken products to retail, deli and foodservice customers throughout the Midwest and in other parts of the country, sold under the Gold'n Plump® and Just BARE® brands. The company officially changed its name from Gold'n Plump Poultry to GNP Company in 2011 to better distinguish between the company and its brands. It employs about 1,600 people and partners with nearly 350 family farmers in Minnesota and Wisconsin to produce wholesome, high-quality chicken. For more information about the company, visit gnpcompany.com; for product information visit goldnplump.com and justbarechicken.com.
About Minnesota 4-H Extension Program
Minnesota 4-H is an after-school youth development program provided through the University of Minnesota Extension. The 4-H mission is to engage Minnesota youth in quality learning opportunities that enable them to shape and reach their full potential as active citizens in a global community. Last year, more than 123,000 kids throughout Minnesota participated in 4-H and learned invaluable life skills. According to a 2009 report from a Tufts University national study, 4-H youth are more than twice as likely to be civically active and make contributions to their communities, and are 47 percent less likely to have risky or problem behaviors. For more information about the program, visit extension.umn.edu/youth/mn4-H.
View photos of the 2012 contest online at Gold'n Plump's Facebook page www.facebook.com/GoldnPlump.
Source: Gold’n Plump
