Published: March 30, 2008 12:25 am            

Dyer named fair queen for 2008

Celebrities filled the main building at the Walker County Fairgrounds on Saturday afternoon.

Gene Autry and Annie Oakley shared honors to keep the musical segment of the opening ceremonies of the 30th annual fair moving at a steady pace.

The Fonz and Joanie from “Happy Days” took part in a dance routine with youngsters from the county, while Tim McGraw took the lead in the group’s singing of his hit song “Last Dollar (Fly Away).”

But the celebrity who stole the show near the close of the ceremonies was 16-year-old Jordan Dyer.

The Huntsville High School junior was crowned the 2008 Walker County Fair queen by outgoing queen Taylor Morrison.

Dyer was first runner-up to Morrison in the 2007 contest.

The seven queen contestants — Dyer, Jamie Letbetter, Jana Yates, Rebecca Bittinger, Natalie Gustafson, Makenzie Hayman and Randi Crapitto — and Morrison teamed up during the ceremonies to performance a 1950s dance routine to “Round Around the Clock” by Bill Haley and the Comets.

After the performance and a Power Point presentation about the tragic events of Sept. 11, 2001, the contestants anxiously waited for former fair queen Stephanie Klawinski Brock to open the envelopes containing winners of four awards.

Hayman, a 16-year-old junior from New Waverly High School, was selected first runner-up, while Letbetter, 17, a senior at Huntsville High School, was chosen second runner-up.

The Miss Congeniality award went to Yates, a 17-year-old senior at Huntsville High School.

The 2008 queen was announced Saturday, but they were judged March 22 on presentations of their projects entered in the fair, interviews and on other criteria.

The 30th annual county fair continues today with gates opening at 10 a.m.

Cowboy Church Services begin at 10:30 a.m. in the main building and the meat goat show starts at 6 p.m.

The meat goat check-in was held Saturday.

Dyer said she was shocked when Brock announced her as the new queen “because we all did an amazing job. If I was a judge, I couldn’t have picked a winner. I thought we all did a really good job.”

“I thought any of us had a good chance,” Dyer said. “I was really shocked, and I was really excited. It the was the dream of a lifetime.”

Dyer’s finish as first runner-up in 2007 was her first year to compete in the queen’s contest.

“I was astounded,” she said. “I went in saying if I don’t get anything it’s good. I will just keep running again. When I got first runner-up I was really surprised. I said I would just try again and so that is what I did.”

Dyer said she was jumping with joy when her named was called out Saturday afternoon.

“My heart was pounding so much,” she said. “I thought my legs were about to fall out from underneath me. I finally had done what I wanted to do. I put my dreams together and accomplished them.”

Tammy Winkler, who co-chaired Thursday’s fair parade with Scicily Pierce, said the 84 entries were the most entered that anyone could determine since the event was started.

Krystal Pierce also was a committee member.

Parade award winners announced Saturday were Queen’s Award — Jordan Dyer; President’s Award — Branded for Christ Cowboy Church; Exhibitor’s Excellence — 4-H Lamb Club; first place organization — Heritage Chamipons Academy; Business — Camp Coyote.

In addition, winners were named in the adult and youth canned goods categories. They were:

Adult — Best of Show, Saundra Syphrett; Patty Garcia, second place; and Lunette Boyce, third place.

Youth — Best of Show, Madison Hayman; Samantha Davis, second place; Sofia Conner, third; Travis Goodrum, fourth; Kayla Jo Whitley, fifth; Rebecca Hoke, sixth; Jennifer Poole, seventh and eighth.

        

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