The parish has new royalty associated with the Allen Parish Fair Association with the crowning of new Jr. and Miss Allen Parish queens Saturday, August 27, at the Allen Parish Civic Center in Oberlin.
Miss Allen Parish is Maurie Grace Dickey, who wore the number four on her dress. Her court consists of Isabella Smith, first place, who was contestant number three; Kaydin Strother, second place, who was contestant number two; and Kendya Guillory, third place, who was contestant number five.
Other honors bestowed on the contestants during the evening pageant included Smith being named Miss Photogenic and receiving the People’s Choice Award in the amount of $80. Guillory received the Director’s Award, and Dickey received the Interview Award. Miss Congeniality was bestowed on Strother. Ad awards in the amount of $310 was received by Guillory and $600 by Smith.
In the Jr. Miss competition, Avery Williams, contestant two, was crowned. Her court consists of Brynlee Perry, first runnerup, contestant three; Ainslie Willis, second place, contestant one; Mali Layne Rodriguez, third place, contestant four; and Alissa Darbonne, fourth place, contestant number five.
Other awards presented to the contestants included Willis receiving Miss Congeniality honors, Director’s Award and Interview Award. Rodriguez received the Miss Photogenic Award. Perry received the People’s Choice Award in the amount of $47.
District Judge Judi Abrusley, 33rd District, presented the outgoing Miss Allen Parish Peyton Warren and Jr. Miss Maurie Dickey, both with a set of luggage and a $500 scholarship on behalf of Allen Parish District Attorney Joe Green and the Allen Parish Fair Association.
Judges for the event were Alisa Yelverton, Jacqueline Shilo-Gradnigo and Nicole Trumps.
Yelverton is from Sabine Parish. She is the past pageant director for the Natchitoches Meat Pie Festival and the Ashland Spring Festival. Involved in pageants for over 20 years, she also served as a past board member of the Louisiana Association of Fairs and Festivals. She served for 12 years as district director for the association, pageant director for Queens of Queens, vice president and past president.
Shilo-Gradnigo resides in Opelousas. She has over 25 years of pageant experience. She also held several titles during her pageant years. She is a coach, judge, MC and a pageant mom. Both of her daughters also held several titles before retiring from pageant life. She is a member of the Louisiana pageant judges association, the National Association for University Women and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporate. She also served her country as a second Lt. Military Intelligence Officer and served in the Louisiana National Guard.
Trumps has a background in directing, coordinating, emceeing and judging for over two decades. She believes every gift and talent is created within each person to affect the lives of others. As an active volunteer, she believes in giving back to her community and making a difference in the world. Some causes close to her heart include the American Cancer Society, Wounded Warriors, Toys for Tots and the Dreams Foundation.
The new queens also received roses from Judge Abrusley.
The Allen Parish Fair will be observed November 16, to November 19, 2022.
