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Royalty represent festival and city at WestFest

By WENDY SLEDD

Special to Leader-Press

 

Copperas Cove Rabbit Fest royalthy spent the holiday weekend laboring on behalf of the Rabbit Fest and the City of Copperas Cove representing both at WestFest, the annual Labor Day festival about 90 minutes northeast of Copperas Cove.

The royalty attended the WestFest pageant as visiting royalty for the third consecutive year, meeting and greeting the contestants and snapping photos with both the incoming and outgoing royalty. Young Miss Rabbit Fest Kayla West was excited to see teen contestants such as herself competing on stage.

“There were six girls total in the pageant and it was exciting to watch and see who would win,” West said. “Their Czech dresses were so beautiful.”

The royalty returned to WestFest on Sunday to participate in the Kolache baking contest and eating contest. Ms. Rabbit Fest Trish Stutz had never made kolaches before the contest but put forth her best effort.

"Making the kolaches for the first time was somewhat difficult," Stutz said. "The hardest part was keeping the filling inside the center while they were baking. And it was very time consuming to wait for the dough to rise."

Although Stutz did not win the competition, she enjoyed learning to cook and create a new dish and learning about the Czechoslovakian culture that surrounds the European country’s food.

The royalty also got behind the wheel to support the Copperas Cove Fire Department’s open house and fundraiser. Titleholders ages 18 and older each took a test drive in a vehicle from Benny Boyd Dodge which provided funds for the fire department. Parents of royalty under age 18 also took test drives with the royalty riding in the passenger seat.

Sr. Ms. Rabbit Fest Robin Scheafnocker said the experience was doubly rewarding.

“Driving the Dodge Ram truck was great fun,” Scheafnocker said. “Being able to help the fire department made it even better.”

The royalty also assisted for the second consecutive year with Emancipet Killeen’s annual Howl at the Moon Glow Walk event. The titleholders literally kicked off the evening joining in on the Zumba and gettting others to dance along with them. Then they judged the Hottest Dog of Summer contest and presented the awards. The royalty competed in the howling contest, each demonstrating their very best howl at the moon with Rabbit Fest Ambassador Edith Natividad taking second place.

The evening wrapped up as the royalty provided a bridge of bubbles at dusk as dogs and their owners took their glow walk around the Killeen rodeo arena. Then the royalty danced the night away to celebrate the good work of Emancipet to save the lives of animals.

This week, look for the royalty to serve as the judges and emcee of the Gatesville Spur Fest Pageant.

 

 

 

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