The North Thompson Fall Fair & Rodeo Association’s Ambassador Program has a rich history that dates back to 1950, this program has the honour of being the third oldest Royalty Pageant in the Province of British Columbia!
Originally called ‘The Queen Pageant’, the Association changed the name in 2012 to the ‘NTFFRA Ambassador Program’ in an effort to better reflect the purposes of the program now being offered. At that time, the Program Committee made a number of improvements to the curriculum, bringing it up to modern day standards without losing its valued traditions.
The NTFFRA Ambassador Program is geared towards building self-confidence, personal awareness and self-motivation, all the while having “a whole lot of fun”. The committee stresses that this is not a “beauty contest”, or a “most popular girl contest”, rather a search for the newest Youth Ambassadors to proudly represent the North Thompson Fall Fair and Rodeo Association and the entire North Thompson Valley.
The NTFFRA Ambassador Program is open to any young lady enrolled in grades 9 through 11, who is a resident of the North Thompson Valley. Home schooled young ladies are welcome to participate.
Each year the new candidates are provided with training in the areas of public speaking, self-defence, equine awareness, hair and skin care, modelling, dancing, resume writing, proper etiquette, North Thompson Valley information and history, and the history of the NTFFRA. In some years other training is provided when available.
Candidates also have an opportunity to travel as a group to other communities as they help to promote their area and participate in the candidate training process.
A number of bursaries are available to the candidates who take part in the program, and these are awarded at the annual NTFFRA Ambassador Coronation held in late August.
The committee is sensitive to the financial burdens that for some may be a reality; therefore, the cost to both the candidates and their families is kept minimal. Fund raising, community service, and the many wonderful candidate sponsors who step forward each year are the biggest part of the program’s success.
This program starts at the beginning of each year with a call for candidates, being presented in the schools by a recruitment committee during a lunch hour for any young ladies who may be interested. The candidate search is also advertised through valley media outlets. Registration forms are completed by candidates and signed by a parent or guardian, and a ‘meet and greet’ is then held for candidates and their parents/guardians to meet with the current royalty and the Ambassador Program Committee. Once all the candidates have been signed up the program is underway for the calendar year, which annually includes these events:
• NTFFRA Ambassador Apron Auction & Banner Night – Feb/March
• NTFFRA Ambassador ProgramSpeech & Talent Show – May/June
• NTFFRA Ambassador Program Coronation Ceremony – Late August
The North Thompson Fall Fair and Rodeo Association appreciates and thanks all of the committee members and candidates who have participated in this program since the first crowning was held in 1950, and to all of the young ladies who have worn the North Thompson Fall Fair & Rodeo royalty crowns since that time, and say, “Thank you for being such sparkling ambassadors of our Association and of the North Thompson Valley, we have greatly enjoyed working with each and every one of you, and we remember you fondly each year.”
Don’t miss the upcoming North Thompson Fall Fair & Rodeo Ambassador Coronation onFriday, August 22, at 7 pm in the Barriere Lions Hall. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Please come out and support the candidates Tickets $10 at the door.
If you would like more information on the North Thompson Fall Fair and Rodeo Association’s Ambassador Program please go to our website at: www.fallfair-rodeo.com, or email: ntfallfair@gmail.com
The Queens/Ambassadors of the North Thompson Fall Fair & Rodeo
1950 – Sylvia (Sheaves) Winter1951 – Toki Miyashita1952 – Connie (Gillette) Reichelt1953 – Rose (Fornelle) Dalla Loma1954 – Shirley (Johnson) Kettleson1955 – Carroll (Bigham) Scott1956 – Karen (McKenzie) Watson1957 – No Queen Crowned1958 – Rozanne (Genier) Shannon1959 – Betty (Johnson) Hystad1960 – Lynn (Gaudreau) Lazzara1961 – Laura Evans1962 – Audrey (Williamson) Rilcoe1963 – Alice (Leavitt) Scott1964 – Barbara (Salle) Gair1965 – Anne de Mambro1966 – Bev (Fennell) Fraser1967 – Anne (Stewart) Carmichael1968 – Mary (Chamberlain) Honda1969 – Linda (Johnson) McLure1970 – Martha Matthew1971 – Sue (Johnson) Carpenter1972 – Connie (Irving) Falk1973 – Angela (Proulx) Trenholm1974 – Shyanne (Doyle) Johnson1975 – Kathy (Goodanetz) Parker1976 – Sharon Price1977 – Brenda Edwards1978 – Christine Livingstone1979 – Kathy (Paige) Fenrick1980 – Launa (Lindoff) Bray1981 – Nola (Desmond) Rasmussen1982 – Diane (Bedard) Loychuk1983 – Barb (Haines) Spooner1984 – Christie (Paula) Provenzano1985 – Tannis (Baines) Wills1986 – Tricia Stamer1987 – Shana DeNeef1988 – Heather (Bowden) Lewis1989 – Corry (Webber) Fay1990 – Corry (Webber) Fay1991 – Elizabeth (Schilling) Ekin1992 – Karen (Kempter) Cleland1993 – No new Queen Crowned1994 – Cynthia (Beddington) Phiefer1995 – Laura Chrystall & Josea Hartfield1996 – Nicole Paquin1997 – Allison Kirkwood1998 – Elizabeth Andrews1999 – Joan Wichmann2000 – Veronica Wilks2001 – Rachelle Mutch2002 – Rozalind Ewashina2003 – Sarah Bazinet2004 – Ashlynn Harris2005 – Dani Noble2006 – Cailynn Fraser2007 – Farran Lyons2008 – Amanda Coder2009 – Kayla Holowaychuk2010 – Alexandra Brown2011 – Hannah Allen2012 – Aliya Bieber2013 – Jenna Zietsov
