Brownwood High School senior Cate Smith has been a fixture at the Brown County Youth Fair since she was in the third grade. On Saturday afternoon, her decade-long experience culminated as she was crowned 2026 Queen.

“It’s absolutely amazing,” Smith said of receiving the honor. “I’ve grown up at the Brown County Youth Fair. Whenever I started to run for queen, my community has been behind me the whole way and I honestly couldn’t thank them enough. Their support means absolutely everything.”

Along with being named Queen, Smith was this year’s Overall Senior Reserve Champion in the Home Economics and competed in the goat, rabbit and steer divisions.

“I was in the fashion show Monday night, and I was really busy in the show ring this week,” Smith said. “I showed my doe Tuesday. Wednesday started with two market goats and I ended the day with two breeding rabbits and a market rabbit. And on Friday I ended with my favorite, which is showing cattle. Throughout the week I was in the ring helping the judges and the committee with anything they needed, from handing out ribbons to congratulating contestants.”

Smith, the daughter of Codie and Angie Smith, intends to continue her education at Texas Tech University.

“Both my parents went to Tech, and I plan on majoring in either animal science or nursing,” Smith said. “It’s between those two.”

When the Youth Fair is not going on, Smith is still heavily involved with both FFA and 4-H activities.

“I’m an FFA and 4-H officer and right now we’re getting started with our CDE season for public speaking and judging,” Smith said. “I’m really highly involved with that, and with the 4-H we have some duties, especially for volunteer service, along with getting ready for major stock shows that start in a couple of weeks.”

Asked what will be among her lasting memories from the week, Smith said, “It’s probably walking into the show ring with my steers. I started showing in fifth grade and just to be able to have an amazing Youth Fair and end it with something I love so deeply. I’m so thankful for the opportunity to step into the ring one last time and experience the Brown County Youth Fair. It’s so fulfilling and I will remember this week forever.”

Smith also received a $1,500 scholarship as top membership seller, part of the requirements in the Queen contest.

For those wishing to follow in her footsteps and run for Brown County Youth Fair Queen in the future, Smith offered the following advice.

“The big things will always work out in the end, so don’t be afraid to do big things,” Smith said. “Back in 2019, I ran for princess. The year before I lost to one of my good friends and the next year in 2019 I ran again, and she was there to crown me and support me, so my advice would be don’t ever give up. It’s nerve-racking at first, there’s so many things you do have to accomplish, but you have a team working behind you with your family and friends and other role models I learned from. And always try to be role model because you never know who is watching.”

The 2026 Brown County Youth Fair Queen runner-up is Brownwood’s Kailey Allenbrand, daughter of Zackary and Sabrina Quinn, followed by Zephyr’s Sydnee Simpson – daughter of Cody and Katie Simpson.