The small town of Corn is home to a trio of rising stars in the culinary and crafting world. The Gossen siblings—Korben, Kendallyn, and Bailey—turned heads and won big at the 2024 Oklahoma State Fair in Oklahoma City with their ingenious and carefully crafted entries. Their success reflects their hard work in perfecting their craft and the support and inspiration they receive from one another and their family.
Kendallyn Gossen: State Champion and Grand Champion in Wheat Baking
Kendallyn, at just 13 years old, took home the prestigious title of State Champion and Overall Grand Champion in the wheat baking contest. Reflecting on her achievement, Kendallyn shared, “I was so excited and surprised that I won! There is a lot of great competition at the contest.”
Her winning entry was a shining challah bread, a recipe she had refined two years earlier after competing in the same contest. “Two years ago, I entered my challah bread at the state competition and got second,” she explained. “I learned that multiple egg washes help make your bread shinier, and I think that helped me win this year.”
In preparation for the contest, Kendallyn baked four loaves the day before, selecting the best one to present to the judges. She’s already planning with a new recipe in mind for next year. “I hope to keep working on my bread recipes for next year,” she said eagerly. Her favorite part of the fair? “Definitely winning the bread competition,” she admitted.
Furthermore, Kendallyn showcased her sewing skills by crafting an intricate Hobbes from Calvin and Hobbes for the Washita County Fair. Her work earned her the Champion title and Best of Show at the county fair and a first-place win at the state fair.
Bailey Gossen: Best of Show in Multiple Categories
Bailey also made her mark at the state fair, walking away with two Best of Show titles at 12 years old, wowing the judges with her cinnamon swirl bread and embellished sweater design. Bailey’s inspiration came from two places close to home—her mom and her own individuality. “My mom saw the sweater design online, and I already had the sweater, so I thought I’d try to make one like it,” she explained. As for her bread, “My mom had a new white bread recipe that looked really pretty, so I decided to use it for my cinnamon swirl bread. When we entered it, we had never even tasted it before. So I was really excited that it won!”
Bailey’s talent extends beyond bread and sweaters. Embroidery is one of her favorite handwork activities. Bailey created a beautifully embroidered floral heart that earned her Champion at the Washita County Fair and secured first place at the state fair. She also won third place for her handmade clay earrings, inspired by her cousin Kailey, who has an earring-making business. Sculpting these wearable art pieces was Bailey’s first time making flower- shaped clay earrings, adding another creative skill to her growing repertoire.
When asked how winning Best of Show for her bread and sweater felt, Bailey exclaimed, “I was really excited and never would have expected that both of them would win! I was hoping to win one, but never expected to win two Best of Shows!” Her advice to others: “Instead of buying things online, it’s cheaper and more fun to see if you can figure out how to do it yourself.”
Korben Gossen: Champion in Specialty-Shaped Bread
At 14, Korben Gossen’s imagination led him to create an eye-catching beehive-shaped bread buzzing with creativity, earning him the Champion title in the specialty-shaped bread category. The idea was all his. “I tried some other designs of bread, and I didn’t like them, so I just came up with the beehive,” Korben said. His attention to detail went beyond just the bread to making bees to complete the showpiece.
The most challenging part? “Making the bees,” he admitted. “I had to make 15 bees look the same, and they are hard to make.” Despite the difficulty, Korben’s hard work paid off, and he was thrilled with the result. “It means a lot to me,” he said about winning Champion. “I worked really hard on my bread, and it feels good to be rewarded for my efforts.”
Additionally, Korben demonstrated exceptional talent with his decorated cake at the Washita County Fair, earning him the Champion and Best of Show title. His impressive creation also placed second at the state fair.
Korben’s advice to other aspiring bakers? “If you mess up, you can make your bread again, and no matter what, it’ll still taste good.”
With their family’s encouragement and support, the trio will continue achieving great things in the future. As they look ahead to new projects and recipes, it’s clear that these young talents from Washita County are just getting started.