Queen crowned at county fair

Posted: Saturday, August 15, 2009 12:00 am | Updated: 5:10 pm, Tue Sep 15, 2009.

Peter Adelsen Staff Writer | 0 comments

GREENTOWN - This year's Miss Howard County Fair Queen was a surprise only to herself.

Shannon Williams came in to Tuesday's pageant crowning as more or less wanting to have fun.

"I was more expecting to have fun with it," she said. "I wasn't serious, I was more excited to have fun and meet a lot of the girls. I wasn't expecting to win."

And win she did. She entered the evening gown portion of the event as the last person introduced and left the pageant as queen.

"It taught me a lot that even though you are not expecting something that you can still succeed," she said. "You don't have to be perfect in every single way. I only have so many qualities to offer."

This was her first big pageant, she said, although she participated in a small pageant at Purdue University.

Her next contest will be at the Indiana State Fair in August where she will be representing Howard County, but that may be her last pageant.

"As far as pageants go, I think I'm done, because they are a little too nerve racking."

Williams will be a junior at Purdue University this fall and is majoring in family and consumer sciences education.

Third runner-up Kelsey Priday, who had a boisterous fan base in the stands, was happy with her effort this year and of who won queen. She was first runner-up last year.

"I prayed a lot and I was confident," Priday said. "I did my very best and I am so happy for the queen. She will be a great queen."

The first runner-up and Miss Congeniality was Morgan Stout, a 2009 graduate of Western High School; the second runner-up was Rachael Lindgren, a 2009 graduate of Eastern High School who will attend Purdue; third runner-up was Kelsey Priday, a junior at Northwestern High School; fourth runner-up was Courtney Wisher, a senior at Eastern High School.

The 21 contestants competed in interview, active sportswear and formal wear.

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