Ties to the Westmoreland Fair run deep in Emma and Addison Heeter’s family.
The twins’ dad has been involved with the fair for years, their grandfather attended the first fair in 1954, and their mom was crowned fair princess twice.
Perhaps it is only natural that Emma and Addison were crowned the Westmoreland Fair queen and princess, respectively, during this year’s fair.
“It is a privilege and very exciting,” Emma said.
The 17-year-old twins from Indiana County have shown animals at the fair since they were 8. They began showing at the Derry Township Agricultural Fair when they were 4.
“We were just counting down the days until we were able to show at this fair,” Addison said.
This year, Emma and Addison showed lambs and cattle at the Westmoreland Fair, but in the past, they’ve also shown goats and steers.
The pair lives on a 90-acre farm in Clarksburg, helping take care of their family’s roughly 80 cows and 15 flocks of sheep.
2022 was the first year that the twins competed in the queen contest, which is open to Westmoreland agricultural organization female members who are between ages 16 and 20.
Both said they were nervous for the competition. Four girls vied to be crowned queen at the Aug. 19 contest.
Queen applicants must give a one-minute speech onstage and answer a question on the spot. This year, the fair asked the girls, “How did 4-H impact your life at a young age?”
As queen and princess, Emma and Addison attended fair shows and handed out ribbons to winners. The pair also had the chance to ride in a truck during the Demolition Derby.
Emma added that as fair queen, she had to be on her “best behavior, as always.”
Since the beginning of her reign, she has been invited to two other Pennsylvania fairs – the Indiana County Fair and West Alexander Fair. Fair queens cannot run for queen at other fairs, the twins explained.
Looking to the future, the twins plan to major in animal science at Penn State after they complete their senior year of high school at River Valley High School.
Both expressed gratitude for the royal honor at this year’s fair.
“I think it was really fun and exciting to be along your sister throughout the whole thing and watch her win queen,” Addison said.
The event concludes Saturday evening at the fairgrounds in Mt. Pleasant Township.
