At first, Haley Riley thought someone else had won.
But as she stood under the lights of the Charlie Grimes Agricultural Center at the Florida Strawberry Festival fairgrounds, all eyes turned to her.
There was cheering. There was applause. And then, there was Samantha Sun, gingerly placing a crown on Riley’s head.
The Florida Strawberry Festival had a new queen.
A Year On the Throne
It’s been almost one year since Riley, a Dover resident from an agricultural family, was crowned. On Saturday, Jan. 21, the Durant High School senior and FFA officer will pass on her title to a new queen.
“It’s sad,” Riley said. “But it’s a new chapter. There’s been so much growth. (For the new queen), I really recommend just enjoying every moment you’re in because you’re never going to have it again. I’m missing it already.”
After she was crowned in January 2016, Riley’s life and schedule became centered around the Florida Strawberry Festival and related events. She got to know her court members— First Maid Morgan Gaudens and court members Alex Aponte, Ashtyn Steele and Ashlyn Yarbrough — and her festival family, from General Manager Paul Davis to security director Tim Lovett.
“I think my best buddy is Mr. Tim,” Riley, the daughter of retired United States Army First Sgt. William and Heather Riley, said. “It’s like a family member gained. It was his first year and my first year, so we learned the ropes together.”
As she learned the ropes, the Plant City community learned about their new queen. Riley quickly became the face of the festival, introducing Josh Turner at an opening night concert and riding on a float in the festival’s Grand Parade. She met Commissioner of Agriculture Adam Putnam and Gov. Rick Scott, attended luncheons and assisted a local photographer in a photo shoot for police families.
But some moments held a special place in her heart. A favorite, she said, was showing her steer while wearing her FFA jacket with the Queen’s sash and crown.
Like the town she’s from, the outgoing queen is service-minded.
“People need to realize how much different leaders in our community give back,” Riley said. “They try to do good. I think everyone deserves their little moment to be thanked for everything they do.”
Even after a new court is sashed, Riley plans to carry on that tradition. The high school senior has been accepted to the University of Tampa, where she will pursue political science and Spanish.
“I don’t know what I want to do,” Riley said. “I’m hoping to be somehow involved in government. At some point, I want to be a senator in Florida. I’ve met so many new people and I’ve learned to be accepting of new viewpoints and opinions. Once you do that, you learn new things. I just look at things very differently now.”
As she helps prepare this year’s 22 contestants for the 2017 Florida Strawberry Festival Queen’s pageant, Riley is overwhelmed with gratitude for the Plant City community.
“Thank you for everything,” Riley said. “It’s been an amazing journey. I’m so thankful for Mrs. Di (Lott) and Mrs. Donna (Keel). I’m thankful for my church family at First Baptist Church of Dover and my family.”
Riley’s schedule will remain packed well past her high school graduation in June. She’s pursuing a title as an FFA state officer and hopes to participate in future pageants, including Durant’s Miss Cougar bodybuilding competition in the spring. During her first year of college, Riley will become a reserve deputy with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.
“I’m just really hoping to create an impact one day,” Riley said.
In the heart of the town she calls home, it’s evident she already has.
Contact Emily Topper at etopper@plantcityobserver.com.