Leave it to a college nursing student to nurse a royal dream with a healthy shot of persistence.

Carlie Menefee did precisely that, winning the title of 2024 Bartholomew County 4-H Fair Queen on her third and determined try Saturday at Columbus’ Clarence E. Robbins Auditorium before an estimated 350 people. She will preside over the fair June 21-29 at the fairgrounds in Garden City.

And doesn’t it just make sense that a young woman who helps her family foster cats would have, well, at least a few lives seemingly to spend reaching her crowning achievement?

“It feels awesome — like a really great, accomplished goal,” Menefee said, cradling a bouquet of flowers while family and relatives proudly hugged her onstage.

“She has worked so very hard for this,” said grandmother Barb Day, who had just finished happily crying.

Heck, the 20-year-old IU Columbus junior was so keen on the contest’s smallest details that she even practiced walking across the stage with extra grace. Her prognosis: It might take a bit of everything to win — even donning her own sideline Pink Waves jewelry business’ homemade earrings for that extra touch during the interview process and the opening portion of the contest on stage.

“I was able to create them just how I wanted to match my outfits,” she said.

Despite such elegance, yes, Menfeee is more than aware of one maybe not-so-fair fair tradition: kissing a frog sometime around the frog jumping competition. Her lips already have been there and done that.

“It was gross,” she said, “and I guess I’ll have to do it again this year, but probably not ever again after this.”

Dad Patrick Menefee acknowledged that she has been tough ever since she was born prematurely at six months old, weighing only two pounds, six ounces.

“Carlie is not one to be turned away from anything,” he said.

She mentioned that the queen contest has given her more than a sense of determination.

“I think it definitely leaves you with skills that you can take into your adult life, like the interview skills and also public speaking,” she said.

Though she is a clear-cut winner at the moment, she immediately acknowledged being at a loss for apparently one of her possible duties of overseeing a cattle chute contest of sorts. Shoot, she has no idea what she’ll do — especially if herding cattle is as tough as well, maybe herding cats.

“Honestly, I don’t have too much experience with cattle, like actually handling them, so that will be a new experience for me,” she said. “I’ll just have to go for it.”

Just like never giving up on being a queen.

The queen’s court

First runner up: Sidney Johnson

Second runner up: Ella Engelau

Third runner up: Kyleigh Wolf

Miss Congeniality: Kyleigh Wolf