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STANFORD — Sixteen beauties competed for the Miss Lincoln County Fair Pre-Teen crown on July 2 at the Teddy Gilbert Pageant Pavilion, but only one young lady walked away with the title.

Tatum Shearer, who wore the number 9 on her pageant button, was deemed as the No. 1 candidate by the judges as she was named the 2019 Miss Pre-Teen winner.

When asked what her three wishes in life would be, Shearer, 8, the daughter of Cheyenne and Andie Shearer of Hustonville, said they would be to find a cure for cancer, to be Miss Kentucky one day and that no kids would ever have to be in foster care again. The Hustonville Elementary third-grader said she would like to be a marine biologist when she grows up because she loves to work with sea animals. Fuller House was listed as her favorite television show.

Along with her crown and sash, Shearer was presented a $30 cash award. She also received a $50 clothing allowance to be used at the Miss Pre-Teen Kentucky pageant in Louisville in October where she will
represent Lincoln County.

Each of the Miss Pre-Teen contestants was judged on personality, appearance, poise and an off-stage interview with the judges. The contestants modeled in casual wear and a dress.

After a tough night of evaluation, the judges decided to pair the field down to a Top 7. Those top contestants included Shearer along with Mia RaeAnn Oney, Zari Ramirez, LeeAnn Everett, Lindsay Jade Bryant, Mia Kate Bodner and Brayli Ann Maloy.

Maloy, 8, was named the Miss Pre-Teen first runner-up. She is the daughter of Jimmy and Jenny Maloy of Waynesburg and will be a fourth-grader at Waynesburg Elementary in the fall. Maloy’s three wishes were to have one more day with her Mamaw, to marry Mason and to have a phone because it’s not fair that her brother does. When she grows up, Maloy said she would like to be someone who helps with animals because it is what she and her Mamaw did together. Her favorite television show was Paradise Run.

As first runner-up, Maloy received a $15 cash award and gift.

Bryant, 12, was named the Miss Pre-Teen Interview winner for her off-stage interview with the judges held prior to the pageant. She is the daughter of Kelley and Mark Bryant of Stanford.

The three wishes of the LCMS seventh-grader were that everyone would accept God as their savior so we could be at peace, that no child would ever go hungry and that no one would have to suffer from bullying. Bryant, whose favorite TV show was Liv and Maddie, said she hopes to become an orthodontist when she grows up so that everyone would have a beautiful smile.

Throughout the pageant, members of the crowd were encouraged to vote for their favorite contestants for the People’s Choice Award. This year’s People’s Choice winner was Kerrington Ellise Stamper, 11, of Hustonville. She is the daughter of Aaron and Jennifer Stamper and a sixth-grader at Lincoln County Middle School.

Stamper’s three wishes are to pursue her goal of going to Haiti on a mission trip, to find a cure for her sister’s auto-immune disease and to one day open her own stables to teach others to ride. Her career goal went along with her third wish as she said she hopes to become a horse trainer who teaches special needs children to ride. Her favorite television show was Fuller House.

The remaining Miss Pre-Teen contestants and their parents were: Adalynn Ray McNew, 9, daughter of Tammy and Aaron McNew, Kings Mountain; Zoe Karissa Smith, 11, daughter of Jason and Amy Smith, Waynesburg; Kyleigh Benedict, 11, daughter of Maurice Bell and Kristian Benedict, Stanford; Sharla Lynn Alford, 12, daughter of Jonathan and Shelley Alford, Waynesburg; Zari Ramirez, 8, daughter of Katlin Ramirez, Crab Orchard; Alexia Snow, 10, daughter of David and Jennifer Goodwin, Stanford; Alayna Bodner, 12, daughter of Berek and Ashley Bodner, Crab Orchard; Shelby Howard, 11, daughter of April Howard, Crab Orchard; Mia RaeAnn Oney, 8, daughter of Mike and Marsha Oney, Stanford; Mia Kate Bodner, 10, daughter of Berek and Ashley Bodner, Crab Orchard; LeeAnn Everett, 10, daughter of Brittany Newby, Stanford; and Adeline Hubble, 11, daughter of Genna Wethington and Matt Hubble, Kings Mountain.