Breanna Fulper is the Hunterdon County Dairy Princess and won the state title Saturday.
By: Linda Seida
Talk about a great birthday present.
Friday, Breanna Fulper of West Amwell turned 17. Saturday, she was crowned the 2004-05 New Jersey State Dairy Princess.
"She just made the cutoff for the pageant because you have to be 17 to be state princess," said Kristin Brucker, a spokeswoman for the American Dairy Association and Dairy Council Inc. in Basking Ridge. "The win was a great birthday present for her."
The pageant was sponsored by the council and the Mid-Atlantic Dairy Association.
Breanna won a $500 college scholarship from the pageant, which was held at the Ted Blum 4-H Center of Somerset County in Bridgewater.
Monday, Breanna was back to her classes as a junior at South Hunterdon Regional High School, but she began her official duties as the state’s dairy princess that afternoon by speaking to the New Jersey Farm Bureau Convention in New Brunswick, according to her mother, Cindi Fulper.
"She did a great job!" Mrs. Fulper said of her daughter’s participation in the pageant. "She’s completely at ease speaking in front of people."
Mrs. Fulper said Breanna’s reaction to winning the title was "just stunned." She thanked her family and friends for their support.
Breanna won the title of Hunterdon County Dairy princess in June. Her duties will include appearances at other county and state princess pageants, farm meetings and a variety of special events for the public.
The judges looked for the contestant who most effectively promoted milk and dairy foods based on a personal interview, a prepared speech, children’s educational presentation and product test. Participants also were evaluated on their communication skills, knowledge of milk and dairy foods, poise and personality.
Breanna lives with her parents, two younger sisters and brother on a 1,200-acre dairy farm, which is home to 300 Holstein cows. Originally a fruit and vegetable farm founded by Breanna’s great-grandfather in 1906. It then was changed into a dairy farm by her grandfather in the 1950s.
She owns six of her own cows, including two sets of female twins, which are very rare. She raised her first cow, Taylor, from a calf and then proceeded to raise all of Taylor’s offspring.
A member of the Hunterdon County 4-H Mount Airy Dairy Club, Breanna frequently shows cows. She also is vice president of Future Farmers of America, a 60-member student organization at her school committed to supporting the agriculture and farming industries.
Katherine Balliet, an 18-year-old Bridgewater Township resident, was named first alternate state princess. She received a $300 scholarship and was named winner of the educational presentation portion of the competition.
A 2004 graduate of Bridgewater Raritan High School, she was crowned the Somerset County Dairy Princess this past spring and is a member of five Somerset county 4-H clubs.
Katherine also will attend other county and state dairy princess pageants and assist the reigning county princess with appearances across New Jersey. She is a professional dog handler and also has shown sheep, goats and cows.