Area Women Will Compete In State Pageant

Jun 2, 2003 | Headline News

Rehearsals begin today for a week of activity leading up to the naming of a new Miss Missouri at Mexico.

Among the 37 women competing are Miss Trenton, Bobbie Bagby, and Miss Green Hills, Lauren Burton, both of whom were crowned during local preliminaries held at Trenton in January. State pageant executive Steve Maxey believes that both young women are right in the hunt for the state title, which will be awarded during Saturday night’s finals on the campus of the Missouri Military Academy.

“Both Bobbie and Lauren are being viewed as contenders for the title and even through their pageant experience is limited, both bring strong talent and experience that will make them viable competitors,” Maxey said.

And once again, the state stage will be filled with many familiar faces from the Trenton pageant program as 15 of those competing at Mexico have either been Miss Trenton or have been runners-up in this year’s or past preliminary competitions. Among that group are Caitlin McIntosh, Kelley Rohlfing and Cora Zweifel, all former Miss Trenton titleholders. Six of this year’s Miss Trenton contestants are in the state pageant as well, including Amber Etheridge, Rachel McLaughlin, Rachel Espy and Amber Wendel in addition to Miss Bagby and Miss Burton.

Maxey said there is no clear winner in this year’s pageant.

“Shandi Finnessay, the reigning Miss Missouri, was a clear choice from last year’s contestants, but there is no outright contender at this point in the competition,” Maxey said.

Eight of this year’s contestants have been Top 10 finishers in the past two or three years, but Maxey believes each of them will have to prove themselves to again be ranked in the Top 10, which will be named on Saturday night.

Contestants begin to meet with the panel of judges on Tuesday in the private interview competition and preliminaries will take place on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday nights, featuring the women in swimsuit, talent and evening gown events. Maxey believes that both Miss Bagby and Miss Burton could easily be named as preliminary winners and hopes to hear each of their names called out on Saturday night as a Top 10 finalist. He went on to say that the Miss America program is looking for women who are typical of today’s youth and not a programmed or professional contestant – a strength he finds in the favor of both local contestants.

“Bobbie and Lauren have extensive experience in entertaining as well as meeting the public, yet are new faces to the pageant stage with natural qualities that should be appreciated by the judges,” Maxey said.

Persons wishing to send cards and greetings to the contestants may do so by contacting them individually at the Miss Missouri Pageant on the campus of the Missouri Military Academy in Mexico, MO 65265. Lots of area fans are expected to attend all or part of the preliminaries and tickets will be available at the door. Preliminary competitions begin at 8 p.m. with Saturday night’s finals set to begin at 7 o’clock.

Maxey encourages fan support and hopes that the local ties of both Miss Bagby, originally from Salisbury, and Miss Burton, a Chillicothe resident, will provide lots of local fans and each of them will be looking for something to cheer about.