HURON — “And your Miss State Fair is Carrie Wintle,” said Carly Goodhart, last year’s Miss State Fair Pageant winner.
Confidence, intelligence and talent were displayed by all of the six contestants at this year’s Miss State Fair Pageant, held Saturday afternoon on the Farm Bureau DakotaLand Stage on the state fairgrounds.
This year’s Miss State Fair Pageant winner and recipient of a $700 scholarship, Carrie Wintle, dazzled the audience and the judges with her performance of “The Final Countdown,” played on an electric keyboard, and will reign over the 2018 South Dakota State Fair.
Wintle was also awarded the Mary Ellen Vaillancourt Kindness Award, which includes a $150 scholarship, decided based on the contestant that left the most positive, genuine and kind impression on the judges in the interviews prior to the pageant. Mary Ellen Vaillancourt was formerly the executive director of the Miss State Fair Pageant and the mother of Miss South Dakota 2010 Loren Vaillancourt.

Taking the crown as Miss Wheel Jam and winning a $700 dollar scholarship was Cameron Schroder from Huron. Schroder shined on stage Saturday, with her captivating performance and stage presence. She sang, “Dream a Little Dream of Me.”  
Both winners will now be eligible to compete at the 2018 Miss South Dakota Pageant, scheduled for next spring in Hot Springs.
The six contestants for this year’s titles competed in areas including personal interview - held Friday evening - talent, evening gown and fitness in swimwear, with the panel of this year’s judges chosing semifinalists and the two winners.
Goodhart and Kaitlin O’Neill, winner of last year’s Miss Wheel Jam Award, emceed the pageant this year.
The first runner up and winner of a $200 scholarship was Heather Egbert, and the Miss Congeniality Award, which is voted upon by the contestants themselves, went to Annie Woodmansey.
Wintle was named the top talent winner, and Schroder was chosen as the top interview.

Photo by Angelina Della Rocco of the Plainsman
The 2017 Miss State Fair and Miss Wheel Jam, Carrie Wintle, left front, and Cameron Schroder, right front, receive their crowns from the previous year’s titleholders, Carly Goodhart and Kaitlin O’Neill following Saturday’s pageant on the state fairgrounds.