Leah Lai of the Lindsay Agricultural Society has been crowned the winner of the 2023 Ambassador of the Fairs program at the Canadian National Exhibition (CNE) in Toronto.
Celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, the Ambassador of the Fairs program is a longstanding CNE tradition that aims to educate and celebrate Canada’s rich history in agriculture. The program has seen more than 3,000 contestants from over 100 communities across Ontario over the past 50 years.
Representing the Lindsay Agricultural Society, Lai competed with almost 50 contestants and was one of seven semi-finalists who participated in the final round on Sunday (August 20).
Three finalists were then interviewed and judged on a wide range of criteria including knowledge of the CNE and Canadian agriculture, poise, self-confidence, public speaking, and overall impression, with Lai selected as the winner. The first runner-up was Taryn Kennedy of the Ilderton Agricultural Society, with Luke McBride of the Kincardine Agricultural Society the second runner-up.
The other four semi-finalists were Kelsey Lennox of the Arthur Agricultural Society, Diane Van Staveren of the Collingwood Agricultural Society, Abigail Peel of the Howick-Turnberry Agricultural Society, and Kiara Driscoll of the Seaforth Agricultural Society
As the 2023 winner, Lai will participate in a series of official duties at Canada’s largest fair including special appearances, while also representing her local agricultural community. The exclusive year-long role of Ambassador of the Fairs will take her across Ontario as a representative of the CNE and all agricultural fairs in the province.
