Pageant crowns Queen for 2004

Beautiful young ladies could be found in abundance at the 2004
Miss North Thompson Fall Fair and Rodeo Queen Pageant.
An enthusiastic audience packed the Barriere Elementary
School gymnasium to see Ashlynn Harris and Holly Rose
Vesper crowned fall fair queen and princess for the year
ahead.
The five contestants modeled evening gowns,
answered impromptu questions from the judges, and
performed a lively dance routine before judges
made their decisions.
Retiring Queen Sarah Bazinet and Princess
Valerie Berger performed a humorous “I want to
be a cowboy sweetheart” dance routine, spoke
eloquently of their year representing the community,
and shed a few tears of farewell.
Donna Kibble, president of the North
Thompson Fall Fair & Rodeo thanked all of
the pageant organizers, sponsors, and everyone
who helps the community and the fair.
Flowers were presented to pageant committee
chair Leslie Stirling, Lorraine Griffith, Marina
Brem, Bev Murphy and official flower girl
Emily Clare. Ed Salle, master of ceremonies,
was also thanked with a gift.
Leslie Stirling thanked sponsors of the event,
Gilbert Smith Forest Products, Tolko Industries, the
North Thompson Star/Journal and Barriere and
District Chamber of Commerce. Stirling stated that this
year the pageant had more sponsors than candidates.
Avariety of awards were presented that had been earned
by pageant contestants throughout the summer. Soon-to-be
Queen Ashlynn Harris received awards for speech, knowledge,
resume writing and received the Barriere and District Chamber of
Commerce bursary. Princess-to-be Holly Rose Vesper received awards
for talent and friendship.
Royalty from many other towns were very much in attendance as was MLA
Kevin Krueger and representative for MP Betty Hinton, Darshan Lindsay.

by Jill Hayward
North Thompson Star/Journal
Sept 6, 2004