Nine compete in Little Miss Worland pageant

WORLAND – Nine young ladies from Worland, Ten Sleep and Thermopolis competed Saturday in the Little Miss Worland pageant at the Worland Community Center.

The Little Miss Worland was a preliminary pageant for the Little Miss Wyoming organization. Little Miss Wyoming began in 2006 and is a fast-growing non-profit scholarship pageant. The board of directors has grown to a group of 12 very experienced people with Teri Mahaffy currently sitting as the Executive Director and President of this non-profit organization.

Mahaffy said for the past three years they have not had preliminary pageants but rather had an open Little Miss Wyoming Pageant. She said numbers have declined in recent years so they opted to bring back the preliminary pageants.

Little Miss Wyoming is a non-profit youth scholarship pageant for girls ages birth-15 in categories of birth to 2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-9, 10-12 and 13-17. "We have competitions in interview, casual wear, party dress, photogenic, personality, talent, community service, and academic excellence," Mahaffy said.

The Little Miss Wyoming state finals are June 4-7 in Sheridan at the Holiday Inn. Overall and beauty winners are required to compete at the state finals, she said.

Mahaffy said all of the competitors from the Little Miss Worland advanced to the state finals but not all are required to participate.

There were competitors in four of the six age categories.

Results are as follows:

Birth to 2:

Tiny Miss Worland - Phoenix Comstock, 9-month-old daughter of Heather Comstock and Steven Macy of Worland -

Worland Tiny Beauty - Mia Gentilini, 22-month-old daughter of Jessica Salzman-Gentilini of Worland. She also won Miss Photogenic.

Worland Tiny Princess winner - Elena Christensen, 2-year-old daughter of Harmony and Colter Christensen Worland

Personality winner - Kazaria Cooper, 1-year-old daughter of Kia Macias and Willie Cooper of Worland

3-4 years old:

Tot Miss Worland – Eden Scheaffer, 4-year-old daughter of Krista Barcelon-Scheaffer and Scott Scheaffer of Worland. She also won Miss Photogenic.

Worland Tot Beauty - Vivian Sinn, 3-year-old daughter of Tessa and David Sinn of Worland. She also won Personality and Talent awards.

5-6 years old:

Petite Miss Worland - Kinley Macias-Hall, 5-year-old daughter of Kia Macias and Thomas Hall of Worland. She also won the Personality award.

7-9 years old:

Little Miss Worland - Trinity Wenzel, 7-year-old daughter of Ashley and Mike Settlemire of Ten Sleep. She also won Photogenic and Personality awards.

Worland Little Beauty - Donna Searle, 7 of Keith Searle and Tara Sonesen of Thermopolis. She also won the Talent award.

Mahaffey said there are 41 preliminary pageants across the state prior to Little Miss Wyoming. Contestants can compete in as many pageants as they like but can only win overall in won pageant.

There will be princess camp on May 9 prior to the state finals.

See photos of the winners on page A12.