KINGWOOD — Preston County’s 27th Lady of Agriculture was announced Friday June 29.
But Natalie Phillips wasn’t there to accept the award in person — she was on her way to Nebraska to show animals at the Junior Nationals Hereford Show.
Her parents, T.J. and Bridget Phillips of Masontown, put her on the phone to learn she won. Phillips is the fourth generation of her family to work in agriculture. And winning honors runs in the family: her father was King Buckwheat, a cousin was a Lady of Agriculture, her aunt a runner-up to Queen Ceres and others in the family served in the Buckwheat Festival court.
In order to be named Lady of Agriculture, Phillips and the three other applicants underwent the same screening as candidates for King Buckwheat.
Judges, who are from outside Preston County, visit them on the farm to see their work in agriculture, review their written application and interview the young women.
Phillips has been showing cattle, “since she was little,” her father said. She has had a Reserve Grand Champion Steer at the Buckwheat Festival, won a Master Showman at the State Fair of West Virginia and other honors.
Other applicants for Lady of Agriculture in 2018 were Brooklyn Bolyard, daughter of Melissa and Roger Bolyard; Gabrielle Dean, daughter of Clinton Dean and Melissa Evans; and Abigail Shillingburg, daughter of Kitty and Steven Shillingburg.
Preston County FFA Alumni sponsor the Lady of Agriculture. The Kingwood Volunteer Fire Department began the competition, then handed it off to another organization before the FFA Alumni took it over.
The alumni give the Lady a $1,000 scholarship.
Lady of Agriculture 2017 Erika Ritchey told this year’s applicants that she wished them all “the best of luck.”
