Sophia Shannon, a student intern and member of the Hoosier Ag Today news team, was crowned Miss Montgomery County on Saturday night, securing the title of fair queen ahead of the upcoming Montgomery County 4-H Fair.
The annual event, a staple of the regional agricultural calendar, is scheduled to run from Friday, July 10 through Wednesday, July 15 at the fairgrounds in Crawfordsville. This year’s marquee attractions include the Montgomery County 4-H Rodeo on opening night and a classic car show on Saturday, July 11.
Shannon, the daughter of Jonathan and Kelly Shannon, has established a prominent profile in the local and statewide agricultural community. A recent graduate of Southmont High School, she is completing her tenth and final year as a 4-H member. Her extensive competitive involvement spans diverse projects, including baked and preserved foods, beekeeping, woodworking, photography, and livestock categories including cattle, swine, sheep, and goats. Her past fair honors include being named Champion Junior Goat Showman in 2019, Champion Intermediate Goat Showman in 2023, and Reserve Champion Intermediate Sheep Showman in 2023.
“I am so grateful for the opportunity to have been named Miss Montgomery County,” said Shannon. “Competing in this program has allowed me the opportunity to gain public speaking and leadership skills. The group of girls I have been able to compete with have turned into life long friends.”
Shannon’s coronation follows a string of academic and extracurricular achievements. She was recently recognized at Southmont’s Senior Achievers and Scholarship Night, earning top honors and speech awards alongside multiple local and industry scholarships, including the Indiana Farm Bureau Scholarship, the Cole Petty Scholarship, the Nucor Foundation Scholarship, and the Rhoads Family Memorial Scholarship. She is a member of the National Honor Society and the National Technical Honor Society.
Her agricultural background extends to professional media and advocacy. As a student intern and member of the news team for Hoosier Ag Today, Indiana’s premier agricultural radio network and digital news source, Shannon has worked as a reporter and e-newsletter editor. Over the past year, she has covered major industry events such as the Fort Wayne Farm Show in January and the 97th Indiana FFA State Convention in Noblesville in June.
Within the FFA organization, she was part of the Southmont chapter team that won a state championship in the Agricultural Communications Career Development Event and was awarded her Hoosier Degree in 2025.
Locally, she also assists operations at Fresh Cut by Shannon Family Farms, her family’s seasonal U-pick flower business near Crawfordsville.
In the fall, Shannon will attend Oklahoma State University, where she plans to major in agricultural communication and animal science. She is also scheduled to represent Montgomery County at the Indiana State Fair Queen Pageant in January 2027.
