Waning pageantry

As interest in the nation's Miss America pageant fades, local pageant enthusiasts have mixed feelings about the future of scholarship pageants in the Beehive State.

Murray High School teacher Leesa Lloyd has been directing the Miss Murray pageant for the past 10 years.

"I am in a really good recruiting position here at the high school," Lloyd said of her ability to get girls involved in the annual pageant.

Lloyd said there normally are a dozen girls competing for the Miss Murray crown, but only eight turned out for this year's competition.

"Let me tell you, it's kind of a trend with local pageants," Lloyd said. "If you go look at the whole local pageants, there are maybe five, six, seven or eight competing."

The reigning Miss Utah, Julia Bachison of North Ogden, said local pageant interest goes up and down.

When Bachison competed in the Miss North Ogden pageant three years ago, there were only 10 contestants, the next year there were 12, and this year there were 16 with double crowns given out.

"I think that if the community has a strong title-holder who gets out in the community and works on her platform and really gets involved in the community there is a lot of interest," Bachison said.

Bachison, who was crowned Miss Utah on July 18, still doesn't know when she will be competing in the Miss America pageant.

In 2004, the Miss America Organization celebrated 50 years on television, but this year the organization found itself without a network. Country Music Television picked up the pageant in June, but on Aug. 25 the organization announced its decision to move the location of the pageant from Atlantic City.

Bachison said that the pageant will be held sometime in January, but she doesn't know where and on what date.

"The reason Miss America is having such a hard time is not as many people are watching it on TV," Lloyd said.

The nation's waning interest for the Miss America pageant may be affecting Utah's local pageants.

Lloyd said that when her mother directed the Miss Riverton pageant in the 1970s and 1980s, she always had 19 or 20 girls compete. This May there were only nine girls vying for the Miss Riverton crown.

Miss Riverton, Brittney Lindsey, said she has noticed pageant interest fading over the years.