Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
Grab your cow bells and whistles because Alyssa Bott can use all the "good luck" noise she can get Sunday afternoon when she competes against 87 other contestants for the title of Indiana Fair Queen in Indianapolis.
Really, by Sunday the judges will have narrowed their selection to the top 10 gals based on an interview held Friday and a for-fun fashion show Saturday.
Bott, 18, is the 45th Kosciusko County Fair Queen who starts classes at Ball State University the day after the pageant. She plans to major in elementary education and special education.
She is the daughter of Mike and Tammy Bott of Warsaw.
The 2000 graduate of Warsaw Community High School looks forward to the competition, which takes place in the Pepsi Coliseum on the State Fairgrounds at 3 p.m. Sunday, following the Little Miss and Mister Contest, which begins at noon.
Admission to the Indiana State Fair Queen Pageant is $5.
"I'm comfortable on stage and not afraid of people. I love the attention," she frankly admits, and as a former WCHS cheerleader, she has no trouble being in front of a crowd.
Bott, a petite redhead, says her eyes are blue. They change with the color she's wearing, and for this interview they were slate gray in contrast to a bright yellow blouse.
She was a Fair Queen contestant three years, winning this year. She is the first queen to be given a budget that allowed her to purchase a purple business suit for Friday's interview and a black, silver-beaded evening gown courtesy of the fair board.
She also was a Miss Kosciusko County contestant twice, finishing as fourth runner up this year.
Following the Miss Kosciusko pageant, a judge suggested she cut bangs to frame her face, a recommendation she hasn't followed so far.
Audience members are invited to cheer, clang bells and blow whistles when their favorite is announced. This year the local favorite will be the 34th contestant to introduce herself to the judges.
"My friends are really backing me up and helping me," Bott said, "and between family and friends there ought to be a lot of noise."
