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The extra star in Miss Indiana State Fair’s crown is for family

By ANN ALLEN
Indiana Correspondent

SILVER LAKE, Ind. — Family means so much to Denae Pyle, recently named Indiana State Fair Queen 2010, that it is literally the shining star in the lovely-to-look-at, heavy-to-wear crown that symbolizes her reign as the 52nd queen in the fair’s 153 years.

“We’re very close,” she said. The ninth generation of her family to live in their carefully restored farmhouse, she relaxed for an interview in a cheery-yellow chair and explained, “we’re always there for each other.”

They were there for each other on the final day of this year’s fair, when Pyle was named queen from a field of nearly 90 young women. Her great-grandmother was so seriously ill that her grandmother elected to stay home with her, although she yearned to be present for the queen pageant.

No problem – Pyle’s brother taught their grandmother to phone-text message and as soon as the winner was announced, he texted the news to her, who turned to her mother and exclaimed, “She won!”

“Oh, Denae is so beautiful,” the older woman replied softly. “It’s hard to show my enthusiasm.”

Her words – the last any of the family could understand – trailed off and she never spoke again before she died a week later. “I’m so glad she was able to share the joy,” Pyle said. “She had been rooting for me all along.”

The youngest of Mike and Cindy Pyle’s three children, 19-year-old Denae, a sophomore at Purdue University where she is majoring in hospitality and tourism, was a 10-year member in the Silver Lake Rambling Farmers 4-H Club.

Named first runner-up in last year’s Kosciusko County fair queen contest, she opted to try for the crown again this year. She not only became queen but was named Miss Congeniality. As fair queen, she earned the right to vie for the state title, eventually becoming the first state fair queen from her county.

“The pageant ran for three days,” she said, “and they really kept us busy.”

According to pageant tradition, she and her mother went to the fair early, sharing a room with another contestant and her mother. The four quickly found common bonds and became fast friends, which helped pave the way for the tests that lay ahead.

 “On Friday, we had to meet and greet the other girls,” she said. “After that we had interviews with the judges. For three minutes, the only people in the room were three judges, a timer and me. They asked a question and then 30 seconds later asked another one.
“I didn’t feel I’d done well, but I managed to answer four of their questions. They told me later that the more questions you can answer, the better.”

The day didn’t end until 10 p.m. but by that time everyone was too hyped to sleep.

After a Saturday breakfast, the girls appeared in professional wear and then changed to formal wear before lunch and a visit to the fair itself and a public style show, for which she wore a dress she made two years ago in 4-H that won the 2007 fashion review.

 “Mom and I went for elephant ears and lemon shake-ups after that show,” Pyle said, with a giggle. “We just had to have them.”
Finally, after a dinner with the fair board, more changes between professional and formal wear and more meeting and greeting, came the pageant and the winner.

“I couldn’t believe it,” Pyle said. “I was sure the girl next to me would win. She was just as certain I would be chosen.”

The final question asked during Sunday’s judging was, If you were a judge, what would you look for?

“I told them I would look for genuineness,” she said. “That would be my advice to any other contestants – be yourself, be friendly, be hospitable – and get some sleep. It’s a cliché, but it’s true; just be who you are.”

Although she has yet to receive what she refers to as the “Queen’s Bible” of who to meet and what to wear, she knows her duties officially begin in January when she meets with members of the state fair board. After that, she’ll ease into her role as the eyes and ears of the fair coordinators and bring peoples’ opinions back to board members.

During the months of June and July, she will travel an estimated 6,500 miles while visiting an average of 35 county fairs and festivals to promote the Indiana State Fair.

“Being able to represent other people is the most exciting part of being fair queen,” she said. “I’ve received so many cards and letters of congratulations from people who are there for me; I want to be there for them.”

And her family wants to be there for her. “Dad’s not putting out any wheat this year,” she said. “He wants more time to travel with Mom and me.”

That doesn’t surprise Buni Leininger a bit. The wife of a state fair board member and an active participant in Kosciusko County 4-H activities, she said, “If you get one person in that family, you get the whole family.”

As for Queen Pyle, she can’t imagine it any other way.

“My glass is always half full,” she said. “There are so many things to be excited about. You have to have belief in yourself and be able to rely on support from others – especially family. That’s what it’s all about.”

Published on Sept. 30

10/14/2009