Trish Bennett, Editor
CIRCLEVILLE – Elizabeth Nedved, a 17-year-old Circleville High School senior, claimed the title of Miss Pumpkin Show 2015 at the contest held Wednesday on the main Pumpkin Show stage. She is the daughter of Darline and Rob Nedved of Circleville.
First attendant was Taryn Smith, a 17-year-old senior from Zane Trace High School and daughter of Bonita Maynard and Steven Smith of Adelphi.
Second attendant was Madison Haupt, an 18-year-old senior from Logan Elm High School and daughter of Lisha and Matt Haupt of Laurelville.
Nedved laughed as she recounted her first thought at being named Miss Pumpkin Show.
“I thought, ‘Hold yourself together. Don’t cry. You’re wearing too much makeup to cry,'” she said.
Her goal as the reigning Queen, she said, is to inspire little girls and meet new people over the next year.
Smith said she was in shock when her name was called as first attendant, but she was very happy. If there was a difficult part of being a Pumpkin Show candidate, she said it would be speaking in front of the large crowd gathered for the contest.
“It was definitely speaking in front of all those people,” Smith said. “You look out there, and the crowd just goes for miles.”
Haupt said she was thrilled to be named second attendant, and she couldn’t think of a single negative aspect of her journey to the Pumpkin Show stage. She said she couldn’t let herself consider not being named to the 2015 court.
“I think you have to be prepared to win, because you have to plan a whole week around it,” Haupt said.
Judges for the contest were Donna Warner of the West Jefferson Ox Roast, Ron Keller of the Millersport Sweetcorn Festival and Vicky Mettler of the Fall Festival of Leaves in Bainbridge.
Gift bag contributors for the Queen and her court were TransCounty Title Agency, The Savings Bank, Wittich’s Candy Shop, Christopher’s Boutique, Amanda Furniture Antique and Craft Mall, Lora Elaine’s Nail Studio, Gibby’s Eatery & Sports Bar, Ellery S. Elick Pickaway County Treasurer, Kingston National Bank, Maggie & Me, Classicutters, Wagner’s Flowers, Block’s Shoes, Cakes by Marsha (Marsha Few), R&M Tires, Circleville Pumpkin Show Souvenir Booth, State Farm Agency Kip Nungester, Academy Travel Inc. (Beth Smalley, Disney Travel Consultant), The Circleville Herald, Jack Pine Studio, Pizza Cottage of Circleville, Skin Clarity (Christine Martin), Berger Health System, Sheffield at Sylvan, The Family Dental Center of Circleville, 2 Old Broads and a Geezer, Pickaway County Community Action, R.L. Collins & Co., The Milton Banking Company, Citizens Land Title, Scioto Valley Coffee, Circleville Noon Rotary, Adena Health Center of Circleville, Judy Wolford Pickaway County Prosecutor, Creative Chaos, Sweet T’s Custom Apparel, Lindsey’s Bakery, Sharff’s Fashions, Just In Time Lawn Care (Justin Jacobs), Especially For You, JM Printing & Graphics, The Pickaway County Commissioners and Health Care Logistics.
This article originally appeared on The Pickaway News Journal
