Since 1963, a fresh-faced farm girl wearing the Chenango County Dairy Princess crown and sash has served as the chief ambassador of the county’s largest industry. As the wholesome representative for the local dairy industry, the reigning princess has graced parade floats, helped educate children about agriculture and served milk punch at countless meetings and events.

This year, however, when the reign of 2008 Dairy Princess Katy Kemmeren came to an end in May, there was no successor to crown.

“This is the first year there isn’t an actual princess,” explained Terry Ives, who chairs the Chenango County Dairy Promotion Committee and oversees the Dairy Princess Committee.

As a result, the duties and responsibilities Kemmeren has fulfilled for the last year have fallen on the shoulders of the county’s seven Dairy Ambassadors: Hannah Ives, Kaitlyn Stoltman, Elizabeth Brown, Malorey Muzzy, Emma Ives, Logan Stoltman and Eli Stoltman.

In order to wear the dairy princess crown, a candidate must be between the ages of 16 and 24 and be either the daughter of a farmer or sponsored by a farmer. While three of the current ambassadors are qualified to be princess, two will be going off to college this year and the other heavily involved in high school sports. None feel they have the time to commit to serve as princess.

“It is quite a commitment to attend all of the events,” said Ives, something to which Kemmeren can attest.