Formation | 1952 |
---|---|
Type | Beauty pageant |
Headquarters | Cincinnati |
Location | |
Membership | Miss USA |
Official language | English |
Key people | Melissa Proctor-Pitchford (State Pageant Director) |
Website | Official website |
The Miss Kentucky USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Kentucky in the Miss USA pageant. It is currently directed by Proctor Productions and it was formerly directed by Connie Clark Harrison, Miss Kentucky USA 1976. [1] [ citation needed ]
Tara Conner became the first Kentucky delegate to win Miss USA, after being crowned Miss USA 2006. She later finished as fourth runner-up at Miss Universe 2006. Elle Smith later became the second Kentucky delegate to win Miss USA, being crowned Miss USA 2021.
Three Miss Kentucky USA titleholders have also held the Miss Kentucky Teen USA title and competed at Miss Teen USA, including Conner. Two Miss Kentucky USA titleholders have also competed at Miss America, with one representing Wyoming.
Lizzy Neutz of Louisville was crowned Miss Kentucky USA 2022 on March 26, 2022, at The Center for Rural Development in Somerset. She represented Kentucky for the title of Miss USA 2022.
In 2006, it was reported that Miss Kentucky USA 2002, Elizabeth Arnold was in a relationship with celebrity Nick Lachey. [2] [3] That same year Tara Conner became the first Kentucky delegate to win the Miss USA title, putting Kentucky in the top five for the second consecutive year, after Kristen Johnson placed 2nd runner-up in 2005. She later came under intense scrutiny when it was revealed that she had been drinking underage, tested positive for the use of cocaine, and kissed Miss Teen USA Katie Blair, among other things. [4] Conner was allowed to keep her title, but was ordered into rehab for one month. After her rehab session, she resumed her reign until her year was completed.
In 2008, Miss Kentucky USA Alysha Harris was involved in an incident involving photos in which she was photographed dancing with New England Patriots wide receiver Randy Moss in a manner some saw as sexually suggestive. [5] [6] [7]
Kentucky holds a record of 16 placements at Miss USA.
Year | Name | Hometown | Age1 | Placement at Miss USA | Special awards at Miss USA | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2024 | TBA | TBA | TBA | TBA | ||
2023 | Madalyne Kinnett | Lexington | 21 | |||
2022 | Elizabeth "Lizzy" Neutz | Louisville | 22 | |||
2021 | Elle Smith | Louisville | 23 | Miss USA 2021 |
| |
2020 | Lexie Iles | Louisville | 23 | Previously Miss Ohio Teen United States 2016 (top 15 at Miss Teen United States 2016) | ||
2019 | Jordan Weiter | Louisville | 22 | |||
2018 | Braea Tilford [8] | Louisville | 25 | |||
2017 | Madelynne Myers | Louisville | 22 | |||
2016 | Kyle Hornback | Louisville | 20 | |||
2015 | Katie George | Louisville | 21 | Top 11 | Advanced to top 11 as fan vote winner | |
2014 | Destin Kincer | Whitesburg | 21 | |||
2013 | Allie Leggett[ citation needed ] | McCreary County | 19 | December 2017 Playboy Playmate of the Month [9] | ||
2012 | Amanda Mertz | Louisville | 25 | Monster Energy Girl [10] | ||
2011 | Kia Hampton | Louisville | 21 | Miss Congeniality | Later Pussycat Dolls member | |
2010 | Kindra Clark | Mt. Washington | 19 | |||
2009 | Maria Montgomery | Danville | 19 | 4th runner-up | ||
2008 | Alysha Harris | Carrollton | 20 | Later represented Kentucky at Miss United States International 2020 | ||
2007 | Michelle Banzer | Louisville | 24 | First minority woman to win state pageant [11] | ||
2006 | Tara Conner | Russell Springs | 20 | Miss USA 2006 |
| |
2005 | Kristen Johnson | Slaughters | 23 | 2nd runner-up |
| |
2004 | Lauren Stengel | Louisville | 22 | |||
2003 | Lori Mitchell | Scottsville | 21 | Reporter for WRCB in Chattanooga | ||
2002 | Elizabeth Arnold | Columbia | 24 |
| ||
2001 | Jo Pritchard | Hardin | 20 | |||
2000 | Jolene Youngster | Glasgow | 18 | |||
1999 | Lori Menshouse | Ashland | 25 | Previously Miss Kentucky 1997 | ||
1998 | Nancy Bradley | Franklin | 23 | |||
1997 | Rachyl Hoskins | Liberty | 22 | |||
1996 | Lorie West | Campbellsville | 22 | |||
1995 | Mitzi Jones | White Plains | 22 | Semi-finalist, finishing in 8th Place | ||
1994 | Kim Buford | Paducah | 26 | |||
1993 | Karen Gibson | Kevil | ||||
1992 | Angela Hines | Maysville | Finalist, finishing in 5th place | |||
1991 | Susan Farris | Benton | 24 | Runner-up state costume | ||
1990 | Tiffany Tenfelde | Lakeside Park | Top 6 finalist | |||
1989 | Veronica Hensley | Danville | ||||
1988 | Suzanne Pitman | Murray | ||||
1987 | Beth Ann Clark | Mayfield | 21 | Guinness Beer Spokesmodel, Swimwear Illustrated Cover Model of the Year 1989, Mrs. Kentucky United States 1999, Mrs. Georgia America 2001 | ||
1986 | Jackie Taylor | Paducah | ||||
1985 | Robin Overby | Calvert City | Miss Photogenic | 1st runner-up at Miss World USA 1979 | ||
1984 | Tammy Melendez | Murray | 25 | |||
1983 | Lee Ann Austin | Benton | ||||
1982 | Kristina Leah Chapman | Owensboro | 19 | 4th runner-up | ||
1981 | Denise Gibbs | Paducah | ||||
1980 | Lisa Devillez | Owensboro | 4th runner-up | |||
1979 | Linda Passmore | Hopkinsville | ||||
1978 | Linda Woodruff | Louisville | ||||
1977 | Sandy Smith | Princeton | ||||
1976 | Connie Clark | Benton | Miss Congeniality | Former director of the Miss Kentucky USA and Miss Kentucky Teen USA pageants under her married name, Connie Clark-Harrison | ||
1975 | Carol June Wallace | Somerset | 23 | Semi-finalist | Later Miss Wyoming 1976, [12] mother of Miss Kentucky 2002, Mary Catherine Correll | |
1974 | Charlesy Gulick | Williamstown | Best State Costume | |||
1973 | Nancy Coplen | Mayfield | ||||
1972 | Tamara Branstetter | Summer Shade | ||||
1971 | Patricia Barnstable | Louisville | 4th runner-up | |||
1970 | Joanna Smith | Morgantown | ||||
1969 | Regina Pryor | |||||
1968 | Kay Pinkley [13] | Miss Congeniality | ||||
1967 | Debbie Dibble | |||||
1966 | Jennifer Burcham | |||||
1965 | Julie Andrus | Mayfield | 3rd runner-up | |||
1964 | Johanna Reid | 4th runner-up | ||||
1963 | Mary Ann Arnold | |||||
1962 | Sally Margaret Carter | Lowes | ||||
1961 | Marcia Chumbler | Mayfield | Semi-finalist | |||
1960 | Barbara Joan Lovins | |||||
1959 | Sherree Owens | |||||
1958 | Shannon Beasley | |||||
1955-57 | Did not compete | |||||
1954 | Nikki Horner | |||||
1953 | Mary Stice | Semi-finalist | ||||
1952 | Jean Tingle |
1 Age at the time of the Miss Kentucky USA pageant
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