With the end of the school year coming to a close, the annual Miss Piute Pageant commenced May 3, 2024.
Every year the pageant, put on by Kierra Hoyt and Brooke Gleave, is a day for the girls of Piute County to show off their talents, interview skills and pretty dresses to judges and county members. The girls are from ages three all the way up to 21. Tiny Tots, Tots, Miniature Miss, Jr. Teen, Teen and Miss Piute are the age categories that girls can compete in.
On Friday, May 3, the competitors arrived at the school to do the interview portion of the pageant. The girls must make a portfolio for the judges to see and then answer questions. This portion of the pageant teaches girls how to be still, think quickly, dress properly for interviews and connect with the judges. After the interviews, the girls get ready for their performances for the county.
In the opening number, the girls wave as they are announced to the crowd. Then it is time for the talent portion. Each competitor prepares a talent of their choice. This year, many played the piano, danced and sang to the crowd. Even the tiny tots! The talent portion of the competition can be scary for some, but each girl pulls through and gives an amazing performance. Doing a talent shows courage, skill and showmanship. One of the best parts of this pageant is that even though girls are competing against each other, all the other competitors are sitting in the crowd cheering everyone on. Cheers and chanting from the older group of girls are heard all throughout the pageant, encouraging the other contestants to feel more comfortable and excited.
The next part of the pageant is the model walk with a personal description of the contestant. The girls show off their pretty dresses on the stage. Each girl beams with beauty as Teresa Westwood and the 2023 Miss Piute, Kinley Shakespear, read off who the girl’s parents are, their favorite color and holiday, what their hopes and dreams are, plans for the future and more. The girls elegantly walk across the stage, doing a full turn every once in a while so their whole dress can be seen.
The final part of the pageant is the crowning ceremony. Group by group the queen and attendants are announced. Every single girl who competed is given a sash, rose and crown. The royalty is as follows:
Tiny Tot Queen – Nora Lee, 1st Attendant – Blair Dalton, 2nd Attendant – Amelia Hardman
Tot Queen – Julia Bagley, 1st Attendant – Sadie Dalton, 2nd Attendant – Addelynn Willis
Mini Miss Queen – Lakyn Gleave, 1st Attendant – Laney Gleave, 2nd Attendant – Skylar Drew
Junior Teen Queen – Whitlee Westwood, 1st Attendant – Jesica Springer, 2nd Attendant – Lilly Nowers
Teen Queen – Sage Nowers, 1st Attendant – Miriam Thomas
Miss Piute – Ari Hurdsman, 1st Attendant – Maleigha Millett
Congratulations to all! Each girl shined bright and did amazing. Look out for Piute Royalty during July 4th and 24th, as well as during Butch Cassidy Days.
– by Ari Hurdsman
Feature image caption: Pageant winners from left to right: Junior Teen Whitlee Westwood, Tot Julia Bagley, Miss Piute Ari Hurdsman, Teen Sage Nowers, Tiny Tot Nora Lee, Mini Miss Lakyn Gleave. Courtesy of Krista Dalton.
Ari Hurdsman – Junction
Ari Hurdsman is a junior journalist at the Byway. She just recently moved to Ephraim, Utah, where she is a freshman at Snow College. She enjoys writing about Piute sports, and she’s really good at it! In her free time, she enjoys singing, dancing, reading and hanging out with friends and family.