Regatta Pageant
Madison Regatta queen, court about
to end a two-year reign
Franklin enjoyed it while it lasted
(July 2015) – The 2015 Miss Madison Regatta Scholarship Pageant will be held at 7 p.m. Monday, June 29, at the Madison Consolidated High School Auditorium. The chosen winner will serve throughout the Regatta festival as an ambassador to the community and take part in many festival events. Perhaps the highlight will be helping to present the Indiana Governor’s Cup trophy to the winner Sunday, July 5, at the Madison Regatta races.
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Photo provided Madison Regatta Queen Hayley Franklin (center), First Runner-Up Ellen Hawk (left) and Miss Teen Karrington True were allowed to serve in 2014 after the 2013 Regatta was cancelled because of high water. |
The winner also will receive the $1,000 Linda Harrod Ralston Scholarship and other prizes, such as gift certificates. The scholarship was named after the late Ralston. A Hanover, Ind., resident, Ralston volunteered to organize the pageant for many years before her death Dec. 30, 2013, at age 69. Betsie Chilton of Hanover now chairs the pageant.
Hayley Franklin, 25, now a City Councilwoman in Carrollton, Ky., won the pageant in 2013 at age 24. Due to the poor weather conditions, the races were cancelled that year, and Franklin and her court were allowed to serve out their duties as queen and court the following year, in 2014.
So Franklin essentially reigned for two years and was on the court for six years before she won the title. The court includes the first and second runner-up and Mrs. Congeniality. All four women are involved in the festival throughout the entire week.
“This year will be my first year where I’m not going to be in the Regatta at all, it will be bittersweet.” Franklin said.
The 11 women in the running this year are Abigail Walburn, 20, of Hanover, Amber Dunlap, 18, of Madison, Ashby Drake, 18, of Milton, Ky., Cassie Leach, 18, of North Vernon, Ind., Ellen Hawk, 20, of Lexington, Ind., Katelyne Temple, 20, of Bedford, Ky., Kayla Cieslinski, 19, of Madison, Kelsey Shaw, 22, of Madison, Olivia Crozier, 18, of Madison, Sara Kuner, 21, of Milton, Ky., and Holly Stockover, 19, of Columbus, Ind. Tickets to the pageant are $8 at the door.
Franklin will pass down the crown to the next winner at the pageant. The pageant is sponsored each year by the Xi Beta Upsilon Chapter of the Beta Sigma Phi Sorority.
Admission is $8 and tickets are available at the door.