FALCON HEIGHTS, Minn. -- Move over, England... Minnesota has its own royalty, in the form of a modest new dairy princess.
Mary Zahurones, an 18-year-old college student from Pierz, was crowned the 58th Princess Kay of the Milky Way in an evening ceremony at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds Wednesday night.
As Princess Kay, Zahurones will serve as the official goodwill ambassador for Minnesota's nearly 4,500 dairy farmers. Mary is the daughter of Chuck and Pat Tax of Pierz, and will attend the University of Minnesota Twin Cities this fall as a pre-med student studying biology and chemistry.
Zahurones, who calls her win a "blessed feeling," represents Morrison County.
Twelve county dairy princesses competed for the Princess Kay of the Milky Way title. Stephanie Kasper of Owatonna, representing Steele County, and Theresa Twohey of Stewartville, representing Olmsted County, were selected as runners-up.
To say winning Princess Kay is a cool opportunity is no exaggeration: One of Zahurones' first duties as princess will be to sit in a rotating cooler for about six hours Thursday to have her likeness carved in a 90-pound block of butter. Each of the 11 other finalists will also be the subject of butter carvings.
Throughout her year-long reign as Princess Kay of the Milky Way, Zahurones will make public appearances helping consumers make a connection with Minnesota's dairy farm families.
(Copyright 2011 by KARE. All Rights Reserved.)