First Attendant Ashlee Strickler
Queen Courtney Congrove
Second Attendant Ashton Hardman
(From Left to Right)

By MATTHEW FORTE
The Herald

Fans of Courtney Congrove wore green shirts that read, "Courtney, Our pick of the patch."

The judges agreed.

After Congrove's name was read, one of her fans replaced the "4" with "is" on his "Courtney 4 Queen" sign.

The three judges, after deliberating a full 300 seconds, choose Congrove, a Zane Trace senior. Ashlee Strickler, an Amanda-Clearcreek junior was chosen First Attendant and Second Attendant was Ashton Hardman, a junior at Logan Elm.

After Don Poling asked each of the six finalists a different question. Congrove's question asked about the most important thing her parents taught her.

"To be nice to everyone and treat everyone well, because everyone's equal," she answered.

Congrove said that as Poling read the judge's decision naming her as queen, she wasn't thinking anything.

"I just looked out to my family and just waved and said it's all because of them," she said.

Congrove wore a purple suit among candidates wearing mostly drab oranges and browns.

"Being tall, this is the first suit I tried on and I liked it and didn't have to try another one," she said.

Before the parade, the candidates eat dinner at J.R. Hooks Cafe and face the judges one-on-one. Congrove said she felt good during her interview and enjoyed her dinner of chicken and cranberry sauce.

As the new queen and her attendants smiled for photographs with family members, the 2004 court cried and hugged their chaperone Linda Ballou.

Congrove said she thanks her family, her school and all her friends and everyone else who supported her.

The last Zane Trace candidate to take the Miss Pumpkin Show crown was Leah Coey in 1994.

Local businesses that contributed to the prize package were Blocks Shoe Store, Rhonda's Hair Gallery, Chamber of Commerce, Christopher's don Boutique, Sharff's, Maggie and Me, Porters Car Wash, Donato's, The Movie House, Amanda Jillian photography.