Pierroz wins talent night

Katie Pierroz got the Miss Fun in the Sun pageant off on the right foot by taking top honours in the talent portion Sunday night at Robert Moore School.
Dressed in a rainbow of colours, Pierroz, 17, pirouetted her way to the top of the judges’ scoresheets–something she was surprised to find out.
“Everybody did so well. I had no idea that I would be the one to win,” she said afterwards.
In fact, the competition was quite stiff as all five candidates displayed a wide range of interests. Angela Barron sang and played flute for a song from “The Prince of Egypt” while Laura Wickstrom read several original poems.
Ashlee Wilson led a cheerleading squad in an original routine, and Jennifer Cooper leaped and bounded through an athletic gymnastic display.
In addition to their solo acts, all five queen contestants also participated in a fashion show entitled “A Salute to the Millennium,” which saw them dress up and dance appropriately for their chosen decade.
Barron bebopped in the style of the ’50s, Wilson got groovy in a ’60s kind of way, Pierroz was funky a la the ’70s, and Cooper “just wanted to fun” in the ’80s.
Wickstrom rounded out the century with a defining ’90s attitude–cool, capable, and confident.
“Each of the girls have a unique talent and are very different. I had a lot of people say they enjoyed the versatility,” organizer Sue Danku noted.
“I think it went very well,” she added. “I’m very proud of the girls–they put a lot of hard work into it.”
Meanwhile, the possibility of winning the queen crown with her headstart in the talent portion is the farthest thing from Pierroz’s mind.
“I haven’t really though about that–I’m not in it to win,” she noted. “It’s really been fun so far and I don’t think I want it to end.”
The five candidates have been busy so far, staging a car wash, face-painting, and children’s games, helping out Meals on Wheels, running a dunk tank during Mall Days earlier today, and selling buttons.
Tomorrow they’ll ride a float in the Canada Day parade and then hold a picnic basket auction at 12:30 p.m. at La Place Rendez-Vous.
The big moment–the crowning–happens there at 2 p.m.
Joining the five queen contestants on the float tomorrow will be Kaitlyn Shortreed, who captured the 1999 Fun in the Sun Mini-Queen title–and the big teddy bear–Saturday afternoon.
She officially was crowned Sunday during the queen talent night.
Judges Roberta Oliver, reigning FITS Queen Raelle Ducharme, and last year’s First Princess Adia Huss-Solomon must have had a hard time choosing a winner.
“I think it’s wonderful. I’ve never been the Mini-Queen before,” the five-year-old said after being named the winner.
“It will be a nice experience for her,” proud mom, Susan, remarked.
Other competitors included Keely Jolicoeur, Brooke McNally, Samantha Bell, Bridgette Maki, Farrah Flinders, Charlotte Bombay, Kennadi Herbert, Caitlyn DeBenetti, Shelby Monahan, and Julie Anne Marten.
Each of them received a Beanie Baby for participating.
George and Gloria Wood, who sponsored the Mini-Queen contest for the 18th year in a row, were pleasantly surprised by the late entries this year.
“All the contestants signed up after Monday–we weren’t sure if we could do it or not until then,” he said. “But we really were pleased that it’s gone so well.”
Gloria Wood, who read three questions to each little girl, also was impressed with all the contestants.
“They’re all great contestants, and you can tell that by the judges’ scores,” she noted.