Miss America

To most Americans, watching Miss America is ten times more exciting than Miss Universe. There is something about competing against other states. True, Miss America is not as exciting as basketball nor is it as nail-biting as baseball but what convinces people to watch this contest is the fact that it will name the state that really has the right to lay claim to the title of being the home to the most attractive woman in America (at least for that year). If the results happen to favor their hometown, people get thrilled with the idea of being able to rub that fact to their friends from other states to feel some sense of pride.

The locals of Arizona are not at all lacking in terms of things to brag about to their friends when it comes to the Miss America pageant. It can be argued that when it comes to the Miss USA pageant, Arizona is not to be taken for granted. Apart from good placings in the semi-finals, Arizona has also had a couple of special awards during its many years of participation in the said competition. Arizona is not to be left out when listing states with actual achievements at Miss USA, actually. Although it has never won the Miss USA crown in its own right, it still has the Miss America 1980 title courtesy of Jineane Ford’s technical win. Arizona has produced lots of second runners-up as well which include Jane Nelson (1965), Susanne Pottenger (1971), Diane Martin (1987), and just recently Alicia-Monique Blanco (2009). Arizona has two third runner-up awards listed on its resume too courtesy of Ruth Hayes (1969) and Sherry Nix (1973).

In terms of special recognitions, Arizona has a Miss Congeniality award from Cara Jackson (1999), a Miss Photogenic award courtesy of Jineane Ford (1980) and three Best costume awards from Daria Sparling (1984), Michelle Ducote (1985) and Maricarroll Verlinde (1991).