It was a magical night June 8 for one Colusa teenager.
Alllison Traynham, 17, was crowned Miss Colusa County before hundreds of people who packed the grandstands opening night of the 2023 Colusa County Fair.
The upcoming Pierce High School senior was chosen from a field of five contestants that also included Shelby Dunlap and Teresita Salazar, of Maxwell; Sophia Deniz, of Princeton; and Letzy Ambriz, of Arbuckle.
Traynham is the daughter of Jen and Don Traynham, of Colusa. She is involved in sports and school leadership. She has also raised and sold a market hog at the fair for the past seven years, and is a current member of the Junior Fair Board.
Traynham plans to attend a four-year university after she graduates in 2024 to get her degree in agriculture business administration.
“I’m excited for all that I have to look forward to in school, in our community, and in my future,” Traynham said. “In addition to fulfilling my duties as my high school’s Associated Student Body treasure, FFA president, and cheerleading for my fourth and final year, I have the privilege to help my school’s Bears Boutique, a thrift store that accepts donations of clothing, including formals and graduation dresses, for students to choose from at no charge. I love that students can feel special during their once-in-a-lifetime experiences – and I am proud to be a volunteer.”
Traynham put a positive and original brand on the Colusa County Fair, in keeping with the 2023 theme “Summer Tans and Cattle Brands,” and she was dazzling in a royal blue sequined gown.
Yet, contestants were judged on far more than what spectators just saw on stage, said first-time Master of Ceremonies, Brendan Farrell.
Personality interview, worth 40 out of 150 points, places an emphasis on maturity, individually, personal standards, and future goals. On-stage personality and communication skills count for 35 points; academic achievement and extracurricular activities count for 25 points; community involvement is worth 25 points; poise and personal confidence of beauty count for 15 points, and commitment to the program, which measures attendance, attitude, and interaction with the other contestants during the rehearsal season, is worth 10 points.
“There are multiple things the judges look at,” Farrell said.
The Miss Colusa County Pageant is sponsored and organized by members of The Stagehands Theatre, with Devin Kelley as the longtime pageant director. Jake Sutton was the stage escort.
In some ways, the 2023 pageant was a near repeat of the 2018 Mini Miss Colusa County Pageant, in which Traynham won the talent competition and crown.
Shelby Dunlap, who went toe-to-toe with Traynham in the 2018 Mini Miss pageant to earn the first runner-up title, once again took home the first-runner up sash and crown in the 2023 Miss Colusa County Pageant last Thursday.
Dunlap, 17, is the daughter of Sherman and Tammy Dunlap. She will be a senior this fall at Maxwell High School. She plays volleyball and softball and was recognized as all league MVP.
Dunlap has been an FFA officer the past three years.
In her speech, Dunlap paid homage to her younger sister, who has cerebral palsy, which she said has inspired her to get a doctorate degree in physical therapy.
She first plans to attend junior college after high school to play softball and work with a sports trainer before transferring to a university.
Maxwell’s Teresita Salazar, 16, was chosen Miss Congeniality by the other contestants. She is an upcoming junior at Maxwell High School, where she plays basketball, soccer, and softball. Salazar is involved in FFA and Future Business Leaders of America.
Traynham, who was crowned by 2022 Miss Colusa County Chasey Miller, earned a $500 scholarship with the title. She began her duties immediately after the pageant. She reigned over the remaining fair events and participated in the Lions Club Parade and Jr. Livestock Auction, before embarking on a 12-month representation of her home county at various fairs and community events, in addition to becoming a role model for young girls who aspire to wear the sash and tiara befitting a princess.
Dunlap will fill in on duties that Traynham will not be able to attend.
On Friday, young men from Colusa County’s high school donned high heels and lipstick in the Jr. Fairboard’s spoof of the Miss Colusa County Pageant.
Luke Miller, from Pierce High School, won a $500 scholarship with the title “Mr. Cinderfella” and $1,000 to a school program of choice.
The First Runner-up was Lucas Poyner, from Colusa High School.■