Formal wear and 4-H performances give Knake a voice for women in agriculture

SYRACUSE Jenna Knake feels more at home competing in the saddle than when wearing a pageant formal dress, but the combination of the two gives her a voice to support women in agriculture.

He started in 4-H with a Shetland pony nine years ago and credits his 4-H club, Better Ba-Cs, for the foundation of success.

Knake: It’s been a big part of everything I’ve done throughout my career, moving in the FFA and other things. This has developed my passion for agriculture, horses and cattle and almost everything else.

She competed for the state Teen Miss Agriculture in a pageant in Missouri and was the first runner-up in the national pageant

Knake: With the whole pageant thing, I can say I’m not a pageant girl. I’m the type of girl who is in the mud and with cows and horses 24/7 but this is a farming contest based more on your scholarship and leadership skills so I decided to take the chance.

With the Nebraska crown, she has performed at the Capitol, visited farms and wore her crown and sash at county fairs.

Knake: My platform for this entire contest has been supporting women entrepreneurs in agriculture. I also respond to younger girls, teaching them that getting out of their comfort zone and into the farming industry is a great way to do it through FFA, 4-H and many other things.

At the Otoe County Fair, he competed in a horse show with Star, a 15-year-old gelding who was raised on the family farm.

Even though Star had never been to a county fair before, Dennis and Avoca’s 17-year-old daughter Amy Knake said she was just recovering from an injury and she also wanted to give him a chance outside his comfort zone.