Talent hits pavilion stage

By Marda Johnson/The Lebanon Reporter

Lebanon July 19, 2008 01:24 am

— Talent and entertainment could not be contained to the performers who signed up for Friday night’s 2008 Talent Contest at the Boone County 4-H Fair in the Witham Pavilion.
Masters of Ceremonies, Patrick Clements and Jordon Moody, fair royalty, and sometimes even the audience provided entertainment before the competition began, and while the judges made their final decisions.
Champions named by the judges were duo Gus and Ruby Westerfield as champions in the 3 to 7 division, Sally Everett in the 8 to 12 division, Blake Mohler in the 13 to 17 division and Tadd Peebles in the 18 and older division.
Clements and Moody warmed up the crowd prior to the competition with an ice breaker game that involved audience participation.
As the judges deliberated, Clements and Moody led a game of “Sit Down If ...” that started with everyone in the entire pavilion standing and ended with only those who could yodel left standing. Three teenage boys who remained standing were called to the stage, along with Whitney Galvin, 2008 Miss Congeniality. The ensuing “yodel-off” left Galvin the clear winner. This year’s fair queen, Meredith Naber, also accommodated the crowd when called upon to perform an impromptu piano solo during the break.
The evening was highlighted by a variety of acts presented by the talent competitors. Acts included vocal solos, a duet, a piano solo, a dance routine, a comedy act and a guitar duet.
Contestants were:
Ages 3-7 — Gus Westerfield, 3, and Ruby Westerfield, 5, with the duet “The Perfect Nanny;” Sara Smith, 7, Kiera Coffman, 6, Aria Summers, 6, Taylor Summers, 3, Bailey Neese, 8, Caitlin Neese, 5, and Gracie Johnson, 6, with a dance routine to “Tail Feathers,” and Ruby Westerfield with the solo “Swinging on a Star.”
Ages 8-12 — Tommy Kouns, 9, and Sammy Kouns, 6, with the novelty comedy act “Me and My Old Blue Jeans;” Kaitlyn Coddington, 10, with the piano solo “What a Happy Day;” Drew Peebles, 10, with the solo “God Bless the Broken Road;” Robbie Hine, 11, with the solo “Indescribable;” Sally Everett, 11, with the solo “I Miss You,” and Lindsey Williams, 12, with the solo “Born to Fly.”
Ages 13-17 — Elizabeth Ewigleben, 14, “I Write the Songs;” Hollin Milakovic, 15, with the solo “Ready to Run;” Abby Everett, 15, with the solo “Mamma Mia;” Alicia Estes, 16, with the solo “All That Jazz;” Rachel Skillington, 16, with the solo “I’m Not Afraid of Anything;” Alicia Estes, 16, with the solo “How Could I Ever Know;” Jackie Lee, 17, with the solo “Our Song,” and Blake Mohler, 17, with the musical art “This Time of Year.”
Ages 18 and older — Tadd Peebles, 18, with the solo “Angels;” Ben Forsythe, 20, and Kayleigh Edwards, 9, with the guitar duet “Blue Grass Stomp,” and Steve Howell, with the vocal solo “Mary Did You Know?”