1997 Hopkins County Dairy Festival Queen
Shelbi Charles
Local Milk Production and Number
of Dairy Farms "On The Decline"
When 1997 Dairy Festival Celebrated
by: Bobby McDonald
Hopkins County, that had once led the nation in the number of dairy farms in a single county and led the state for milk production, was see a trend of less milk and dairy farms, when the area paused to celebrate Hopkins County Dairy Festival Week in 1997. In March of 1997, the county lost 15 dairy farms and production from the previous year was down over 7 million pounds. The local dairy industry was changing to larger farms and more cattle per farm. Much of the local production was moving to the Panhandle of Texas. However, Hopkins County still had 20.74% of the states production, located within her borders and 328 of the 1566 producers in the state.
Bulk milk priced dropped 74 cents per cwt in June 1997 with a fall in block cheese prices deemed the "culprit." Local dairy farmers were "feeling the squeeze" of lower prices.
The year also found 12 month certificates of deposit at 5.15% interest and the North Hopkins FFA Dairy Cattle Judging Team had won fourth in the Texas FFA Contest. Team members were Casey Janway, Jason Vaughn, Seth Thompson, and Dusti Evans. Milk was prcied at $1.99 per gallon, in the local grocery stores.
Meanwhile, Associated Milk Producers, Inc. (AMPI) and Mid-America Dairymen (Mid-Am), the two largest milk cooperatives in the nation were talking of a merger.
Shelbi Charles is congratulated by her father, Ronnie Charles, after being named 1997 Dairy Festival Queen.
And, in Sulphur Springs, the local police department was talking of a "Clean-Up" in the Pacific Park area of the city, following the death of Irdis Wooten, who was killed in the 500 block of Carter Street in what was described as a "shoot-out." And, rabid skunks were a problem in Hopkins County, with local pet owners being encouraged to vaccinate their pets and make certain that they report any unusual behavior to local veterinarians.
Rekayla Pryor and Jandi DeWitt, senior cheerleaders at Sulphur Springs High School, had been selected to cheer at Kilgore College for the coming year. Valedictorian for the 1997 Class at Sulphur Springs High School was Donna Tris, with both Shaunna Wrigley and Elizabeth Christensen being selected as co-salutatorians. Julie Sapaugh, a teacher in Waco and former SSHS grad, had been "tapped to give the commencement address" when 213 seniors graduated from SSHS.
At the movies in 1997, it was the every popular "Titanic" that grossed over $600 million at the box office. "Men In Black" was the second high grossing movie of the year, with "The Lost World...Jurassic Park" coming in third. "Liar, Liar" was fourth, with "Air Force One," in fifth place. Other top movies of the year included: "As Good As It Gets," "Good Will Hunting," "My Best Friend's Wedding," "Tomorrow Never Dies," and "Face Off."
At Como-Pickton High School, it was Amanda Humphrey and Laura Black who were the top grads and Vivian Layne Moore and Angela Tullis were the top grads at Yantis, for 1997. Linda Kneifl and Rocki Ward were the top grads at North Hopkins High School and MaRanda Gallander and Angie Garmon were tops at Saltillo. Jesse Weaver and Caryn Lewis were valedictorian and salutatorian at Miller Grove High School and Sulphur Bluff's top grads were Jennifer Brown and Jamie Reynolds.
Country and Western singers George Jones and Johnny Rodriguez were slated for a concert in the Hopkins County Civic Center. Did George show-up?
And, it was in May of 1997 that thirty people were killed in the small Central Texas town of Jarrel, when an F-5 tornado ripped through the town leaving total destruction in its path. Local volunteers went to their aid, as well as a number of local churches assembled "care packages" for the victims.
Shelbi Charles atop the Queen's float as she rode in the 1998 Dairy Festival Parade.
Local Chamber of Commerce CEO, Billy Sam Elliott, had announced that a new movie theater was coming to Sulphur Springs and would be open by December of 1997. And, Sulphur Springs High School was celebrating the best scores ever on the Sophomore TAAS test scores!
The spring of 1997 found Texas Park and Wildlife officials "stunned" over a large fish kill in the lake and a cougar had killed a 400# calf in the Mahoney Bottom Area of Hopkins County.
Nationally, the Timothy McVeigh Oklahoma bombing trial was unfolding in Denver, Colorado, and McVeigh received the death penalty.
And, speaking of the "death penalty" a proposal for Pilgrim's Pride Industries, of Pittsburg, to locate a processing facility in Sulphur Springs died when an outcry of local citizens caused the poultry giant to make other plans.
On the "Pop Music Chart" it was Elton John's "Candle in the Wind 1997," a tribute to Princess Diana, that topped the charts, with Jewel's "Foolish Games" being the number two song for the year. Other popular songs included: "I'll Be Missing You," by Puff Daddy and Faith Evans; "Un-Break My Heart" by Toni Braxton; "Don't Let Love Go" by En Vogue; "I Believe I Can Fly" by R. Kelly; and LeAnn Rimes' "How Do I Live." The Spice Girls had made popular "Wannabe" and Whitney Houston's "I Believe In You and Me" was a favorite. Michael Bolton had produced "Go The Distance" and Seal made a hit of "Fly Like An Eagle." Babyface sang "Every Time I Close My Eyes" and Paula Cole ask in her song, "Where Have All The Cowboy's Gone?"
Well, many of the cowboys were in Hopkins County, as was evident by the popular songs on the Country and Western Charts. It was Tim McGraw and Faith Hill's song, "It's Your Love" that became the first song since 1977 to remain at the top of the charts for six weeks. The song was at the height of its popularity, during Dairy Festival Week 1997. Both LeAnn Rimes and Trisha Yearwood had recorded the popular "How Do I Live" and were dualing for radio time, as Deana Carter made popular "We Danced Anyway." Alan Jackson had produced a string of hits in "There Goes," "Love Gets Me Everytime" and "Who's Cheatin' Who." Neal McCoy had brought us the popular hit "The Shake" and LeAnn Rimes was also singing "The Light In Your Eyes." Tracy Byrd had opened 1997 with "Big Love" and Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood had joined forces to bring us "In Another's Eyes." John Michael Montgomery made popular "How Was I to Know" and Clay Walker had the hit "Rumor Has It." But, it was Reba McEntire that might have reflected the mood of Hopkins County youth, when she sang "I'd Rather Ride Around With You!"
Twelve young ladies entered the Hopkins County Dairy Festival Contest, vying for the 1997 Queen's title. They included: Maci Mattison, sponsored by Hopkins-Rains Farm Bureau; Kaylee Bartley representing Mother's Culture Club; Adrian Bradford as the Kiwanis Club representative; Amanda Vaculik, sponsored by Northeast Texas Farmers Coop; Amy Roundtree representing City National Bank; Cheryl Champagne, representing Alliance Bank, Shelbi Charles representing First Federal Savings Bank; Erin Johnston a representative of the Waverly Club; Amy Poteet representing First State Bank of Austin; Keri Reed, representing First American Bank, Andi Stewart, representing the Rotary Club; and Amy Shing representing Dial Study Club.
Tim Taylor served as President of the Hopkins County Dairy Festival Board in 1997 and Jim Thompson served as vice-president. Melanie Helm was the board secretary and Judy Van Winkle served as treasurer. Carrie Crowson was the reporter, with Lynda Hager serving as pageant director. Other board members included: Kim Anderson, Talley Bell, Pam Black, Mike Blount, Mary Campbell, Patricia Chase, Tony Cook, Larry Crowson, John Deel, Jason Dietze, Jill Dietz, Bruce Fielden, Tim Fuller, Jerry Gibby, Peggy Gibby, Clayton McGraw, Rafael Riojas, Sandi Wallace, and Barbara Taylor.
Theme for 1997 was "Milk....It Does The World Good" and floats and staging were representative of milk's appeal around the world. "Little Ambassadors" in Dairyland included: Megan Massey and Jackson Massey; Taryn Smith and Ben Watson; Kaci Crowson and Arthur Harbin; Courtney Cook and Garrett Grey; Abbey Eddins and Blake Barnett; Christina Cook and Jace Orren; Alissa Welch and Kade Koon; Jordan Fleming and Drew Hanna; Brooke Crowson and Benjamin Martin; Whitney Morgan and Maselyn Walker; and Elizabeth Cook and Justin Sewell.
Hopkins County native, Kaci Brown, returned home to be the featured entertainer for the 1997 Dairy Festival Pageant. She sang "Where The Boys Are," "Zing Went The Strings of My Heart," and "When You Wish Upon a Star." John Ginn served again as the Master of Ceremonies.
For the first time, a Youth Division, was added to the Ice Cream Freeze-Off and over-all winner was one of those youth, Matthew Howell. Taking second place in the 1997 Freeze-Off was Annie Mae Abrons.
When the Dairy Festival Candidates engaged in their "appointment with the cow" in the Milking Contest, it was Kaylee Bartley who was named the "top milker," followed by Shelbi Charles in second place.
And, on pageant night, when the judges finally totaled their scores it was seventeen year old, Shelbi Charles, daughter of Ronnie and Shirley Charles, representing First Federal Savings Bank, that was named queen. First runner-up was Amy Poteet, with Amy Roundtree winning the second runner-up position. Kaylee Bartley was selected by her fellow contestants for the Miss Congeniality Award.
Dairy Festival Queen Shelbi Charles in a "Got Milk?" ad with her
"milk mustache!"
We found 1997 Hopkins County Dairy Festival Queen Shelbi Charles living in nearby, Longview, today. She graduated from Sulphur Springs High School in 1998 and attended college at Northeast Texas Community College. She graduated in 2001, as a licensed vocational nurse and then returned to NTCC and received her RN nursing degree in 2005. She is currently working as a pediatric case manager in home health, in the Longview area. She's a member of Mobberly Baptist Church.
"I absolutely love nursing!" exclaims Shelbi. "I've worked in both pediatrics and on the cardiac neonatel intensive care unit and find the work most rewarding!"
"Participating in the Hopkins County Dairy Festival gave me a much broader knowledge of my hometown and the community surrounding it," explains Shelbi. "My parents, Ronnie and Shirley Charles, were involved in the dairy industry, as owners of M&W Feed, so I knew something about that segment of the industry, but really had no idea about the people and the actual work that was required on a dairy farm. The contest opened my eyes to this part of the dairy industry!"
"My grandparents were from Sulphur Springs, also, Charlie and Mary Charles and Mary Moore," continues Shelbi. "Today, my grandfather, Charlie Charles, my parents, and my sister, Shelly Burton and her husband Jerry, and their children, Shaden and Shaddox, all live in Sulphur Springs. My other sister, Shara, is married to Darren Roden and they have a daughter, Charli Shay Roden."
After moving away from Sulphur Springs, Shelbi agrees that part of what makes Hopkins County such a great place is the "small town" atmosphere and she readily credits the Dairy Festival as being one of those events that perpetuates this segement of our community. "The Dairy Festival brings the community and families together," says Shelbi. "You don't get that feeling just anywhere!"
Shelbi remembers here talent presentation from 1997 as being the song "Can't Help Loving Her Man" from the musical Showboat, and wearing a yellow pant suit. "The week of the pageant I was sick and I can remember how hard it was to practice and get everything right," recalls Shelbi. "But, her friend Dr. Bill Dietz prescribed her antibiotics and 'saved the day' for her!"
Today, Shelbi Charles works as a pediatrics nurse in nearby Longview,
and treasures her memories of Dairy Festival.
"One of my favorite memories of Dairy Festival was riding on the float in the annual parade. Our team worked really hard to build 'Auntie Mama Cow' that rode on the float with us," remembers Shelbi.
"I would encourage any young lady contemplating entering the contest to definitely make the time to participate," states Shelbi. "It will be an experience that you will remember always and you will grow as a person, because of your participation.
"I will forever cherish the memories of my year as Dairy Festival Queen, and looking back can now appreciate the experience even more, since moving away from Sulphur Springs," says Shelbi Charles. "I'm looking forward to returning and sharing in my hometown's celebration of 50 years of one of it's cornerstones as a community!"