As winner of the Rockton Fair Ambassador title in January, Pasuta is eligible to enter the three-day competition, which begins today (Friday, August 15) and wraps up Sunday. During the competition, she will showcase her agricultural knowledge, poise, self-confidence and public speaking skills while the large group of candidates from across rural Ontario is whittled down to seven and eventually, the three finalists.

"My speech is almost written," she said last Thursday, explaining that only the top seven contestants will get an opportunity to present their speeches. A preliminary round of interviews with a panel of judges will narrow the field considerably.

Pasuta has chosen to speak about the impact of Agricultural Societies on their surrounding rural communities. She can draw from her practical experience of having grown up on the family farm, a 130-acre cash crop operation on Campbellville Road near Mountsberg. She can also draw from her involvement in the agricultural community that includes being a junior associate at the Rockton Fair for a number of years as well as secretary-treasurer of the Junior Association for the past three years. In fact, her association with the Rockton Fair goes back to her early years, when she was entered in the baby contest by her parents, Robert and Elaine Pasuta. Her dad, a former president of the Hamilton-Wentworth Federation of Agriculture, is now councillor for Flamborough's Ward 14.

Kayla's interest in agriculture has also piqued her interest in becoming a member of the local Junior Farmers. She plans to attend a meeting of the group in Ancaster next Tuesday to learn more about it.

A former member of the Mountsberg Baptist Church youth group for a couple of years, Kayla recently helped out as a volunteer at the church's Vacation Bible School. Last week, she landed a job as a part-time cashier for the Zellers store at Clappison's Corners and, in September, she'll begin her second year of studies in bio-medical sciences at the University of Guelph. Her eventual goal is to obtain a medical degree and become a surgeon.

During her four years at Waterdown District High School (WDHS), Pasuta played starting centre for the Lady Warriors' basketball team. She prefers to spend most of her leisure time reading.

"I'm a bookworm," she said, adding that suspense and murder mystery novels, "anything to get my adrenaline going," are her favourites.

Since winning the Rockton Fair Ambassador's crown, Pasuta has attended many social functions where she has enjoyed the opportunity to spread the word about the important role that agriculture plays in communities across Ontario. If she wins the CNE title, she'll also be promoting the benefits of rural agricultural life while representing the Toronto exhibition at different functions around the province. In addition, she'll be expected to attend the CNE during its running this year from this weekend until September 1.

This year is the 130th season for the CNE and the 37th year for the Ambassador of the Fairs competition, said Marcy Kuzemchak, a media relations officer for the event. For more information about the CNE and the Ambassador of Fairs contest, visit the website at http://www.theex.com/whatson.php?menu=01:01:01.