As a sophomore at the University of Missouri studying agricultural leadership, communications and education, Tess Bauer’s expertise and passion is teaching agriculture. 

“My high school ag teacher was a big inspiration to me,” she said. “I want to follow in her footsteps and make an impact on other students like she made on me.” 

But what isn’t in her typical wheelhouse of knowledge is competing in pageants. 

“It was not something that I had ever done or was really comfortable with,” Bauer said. 

That didn’t stop her from entering, competing in and ultimately winning the title of 2026 Missouri State Fair Queen. 

“I was not a pageant person at all,” she said. “I was just myself the whole time.” 

Competing outside her comfort zone 

As the 2024 runner-up and 2025 St. Charles County Fair Queen, Bauer had never competed in a pageant before those two experiences. 

“My sister had won, and I’ve had cousins that have won,” she said. “It was just kind of a rite of passage that I had to at least try for.” 

Then Bauer decided to do what few title holders from her county had done before and compete at the 2026 Missouri State Fair. 

“I knew that it was going to be a really cool opportunity – something that would push me out of my comfort zone – so I decided to go for it,” she said.  

The transition from competing at her hometown county fair to the state fair was a big one for Bauer. 

“At the county fair, there were all the people that I knew; even the judges were familiar,” she said. “But at the state level, there were industry representatives and people from across the state who were definitely much more, not necessarily intimidating, but you knew that they had some big questions to ask you.” 

The two-day competition included in-person interviews, a talent competition, evening gown competition and on-stage questions. Throughout the process, Bauer felt nervous but ultimately leaned into her self-confidence. 

“I realized I didn’t need to necessarily fit the image of a pageant queen and could just be myself,” she said. “I think that’s ultimately kind of what set me apart from some of the other contestants.” 

Hearing her name called as the winner was a surreal moment for Bauer. 

“I was in complete shock,” she said. “Even just getting into the top 10, I was elated.” 

Representing agricultural success on a state level 

Holding the title of Missouri State Fair Queen is an honor to Bauer, specifically because of what it means to her. 

“I’m just really proud to represent St. Charles County,” she said. “It’s one of the fastest-growing counties in the state, so being able to show that agriculture is still alive there and that those roots still run deep has been really cool for me.” 

Looking forward to the future, Bauer is excited to pursue a career in agricultural education. 

“The plan is to be a high school ag teacher and FFA advisor in a rural area,” she said. 

Bauer’s time at Mizzou has played a big role in furthering her passion for agriculture and preparing her to represent the industry on a state level. 

“CAFNR has really prepared me for being able to share what I know about agriculture with others,” she said. “As a teacher, I’m going to have to embed that seed into the younger generation.” 

Throughout her reign as Missouri State Fair Queen, Bauer’s goal is simple: She aims to learn more and share more about the field of work she’s laid her roots in. 

“Having the opportunity to learn from industry professionals and gain more knowledge is something that I think is going to help me a lot in my future career,” she said.