third in state pageant

By JAINE TREADWELL

Features Editor

Dec. 14, 1999 11 PM

Jenny Davis didn’t come home from the Miss Alabama Agriculture Pageant in Mobile driving a brand new red Mustang GT convertible but she did come home with a top finish and a resolve to try again in a couple of years.

Jenny, a senior at Pike Liberal Arts School, was named third alternate in the pageant and was the only high school student to place.

Many of the young women who represented their home counties in the pageant are college students and some of them are in agriculture related fields of study.

"I was impressed with their knowledge of agriculture and agribusiness," Jenny said. "Miss Alabama Agriculture is a spokesperson for the Alabama Farmers Federation and all phases of agriculture and the more you know the better representative you will be."

Jenny won the Pike County Miss Agriculture pageant in August to earn the opportunity to participate in the statewide pageant. She also won the talent division of the pageant and represented Pike County in that competition which was also held in Mobile in conjunction with the Alabama Farmers Federation’s annual convention Dec. 4-7.

Jenny said the competition was weighted toward the judges’ interview.

"I think the judges had probably made their decisions by the time we walked on stage on Monday night," Jenny said. "There were 57 contestants and the judges always had their eyes on us."

Jenny said each contestant was interviewed individually by the judges for 10 minutes. "And three judges can ask a lot of questions in ten minutes."

"My interview went good I thought," Jenny said. "The judges said they were impressed with my knowledge of ag-facts in Pike County. I was very comfortable talking to them about farming and they also talked to me about my interest in genealogy. That interview gave me good experience if I’m fortunate enough to get to represent Pike County again in a couple or three years when I’m in college."

Jenny said three days under the microscope kept all contestants on their toes and it was a good learning experience.

"Knowing that someone is watching you really makes you aware of everything you do, from your table manners to the way you interact with others," Jenny said. "Most of the time, you don’t even think about those things but it’s different when someone is watching."

The contestants had time to relax and get to know each other. Jenny said she enjoyed meeting young women from across the state and renewing friendships with some of the contestants she knew from other endeavors.

"The pageant was a part of the Alabama Farmers Federation Convention and we attended some of their functions," Jenny said. "We got to hear Steven Windham and Terry Everette speak and we learned a lot about programs that affect the farmers. We also got to do some shopping and see some of the sights of Mobile. We all had a great time."

Jenny said she was grateful to the Pike County Young Farmers for the experience and she was honored to have been selected third alternate.

"I knew the competition was going to be real stiff and I didn’t go down there thinking I might win," she said. "I tried my hardest, though, and I had a great time. I would like to go back again when I’m older. It was that much fun."

Jenny is the daughter of Ashley Davis and Ronnie and Teresa Colvin, all of Brundidge.