Sarah Shipherd, 16, and her brother Kenton, 22, have grown to be very close saying they have similar personalities and often think the same thing at the same time.
“We look at each other and just know what the other one is thinking,” she said with a broad smile.  Sarah is reaching for the Miss Almond Blossom crown that would also make her Miss Ripon for the 2017 year at the Ripon Chamber of Commerce should she prevail.
Her brother, six years her senior, has recently joined the ranks of the Manteca Fire Department as a firefighter – being hired just last year. 
Prior to Ripon High School she went to Colony Oak School from kindergarten through the eighth grade saying she got “real lucky” because she had really nice teachers at that school.  She now plays volleyball at Ripon High and has long enjoyed riding a horse of her own, hoping to get a new one with its colt very soon – a Palomino. 
She said her family has a new barn just outside of Ripon with almond trees near the family home.  She loved riding her first horse through the orchards, she said.  The horse will hopefully be added as soon as possible, she said.  “We want it to be a good fit.”
Sarah hopes to attend Cal Poly at San Luis Obispo where she will major in Civil Engineering.  “It’s a cool idea to me just thinking about those tall skyscrapers.”
To contact Glenn Kahl, email gkahl@mantecabulletin.com.