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Miss 2008

Louisiana 2008

Blair Albene
Miss Louisiana 2008

Jun. 21, 2008

The Miss Louisiana America pageant will be held in Monroe, LA June 19-21, 2008.

Miss Louisiana America 2007 Amanda Joseph will be on hand to crown her successor.

Final Results

Miss Lincoln Parish Blair Abene, anchored by a powerful performance of Puccini’s “Nessun Dorma,” claimed the crown of Miss Louisiana 2008. She is from Hammond.

Blair, 21, is a student at Southeastern Louisiana State Univeristy majoring in Vocal Performance and Mass Communications. Her platform is TART - Tourette's Awareness Reaching Teens. She was the 2nd RU '07, 1st RU '06, T 10 '05, and began competing in '04.

“I am ecstastic, I can’t even believe this is real,” Abene said. "Louisiana is like no other state.”

Abene also claimed several community service awards just before receiving the big prize. She was also presented with the academic award and she was a preliminary talent winner Friday night.

The rest of the top five were Miss La Bonne Terre Jennifer Soileau, first runner-up; Miss Southeastern Louisiana University Brandy Hotard, second runner-up; Miss Lafayette Michelle Mayer, third runner-up; and Miss City of Roses Courtney Haynes, fourth runner-up.

The remaining semifinalists were: Miss Northwest Lady of the Bracelet Mandi Ridgedall, Miss Louisiana Watermelon Festival Aaron Beeson; Miss Bossier City Katherine Joy Putnam; Miss Crescent City New Orleans Hope Anderson; and Miss Louisiana Jazzland Kristen Hillard.

The Internet people’s choice award went to Miss Northwestern Lady of the Bracelet Mandi Ridgdell.

Friday Prelim Results

Miss Lincoln Parish Blair Abene won the talent competition on the second night of preliminaries at the 2008 Miss Louisiana Pageant, while Miss Lafayette Michelle Mayer took the fitness and swimsuit competition.

Abene sang "Nessum Dorma," an Italian aria by Puccini.

"My voice teacher suggested that I try it even though it is an aria that is a male part," she said. "It fit my voice well."

Mayer said she was in "complete and utter shock" that she won. "All the girls are so beautiful," she said.

The night was filled with appearances by past Miss Louisianas, and featured evening wear and on-stage question competitions as well. Contestants answered questions running the gamut from their opinion of reality television, to whether they approve of a controversial pay raise for Louisiana legislators.

Thursday Prelim Results

Miss Shreveport Hannah Moore took the swimwear and physical fitness competition, while Miss Northwestern Lady of the Bracelet Mandi Ridgdell took the talent competition on the first night of preliminaries at the Miss Louisiana Pageant.

"I forgot my number, I didn't think I was even close, there was so much talent tonight," Ridgdell said. She sang "Life is Just a Bowl of Cherries."

Moore was pleased with her victory and said she had dedicated herself during the months leading up to the competition to a strict fitness regimen featuring weight training.

"It feels phenomenal," she said. "I want to thank the Miss Shreveport Group because I couldn't have done it without them," she added.

Moore is a student at Centenary College, while Ridgdell attends Northwestern State University.

The competition was interspersed with "Wizard of Oz"-themed dance numbers and performances by past winners of the competition.

Louisiana Trivia:

Louisiana is another on the list of states that have not produced a Miss America. They have placed many times in the top ten at Miss America. In 1997, Mette Boving took to the semifinals. In 2004, Jennifer Dupont was first runner-up! That's fairly close. In fact, three other Miss Louisianas were first runners-up to Miss America and they are Patricia Brant, Erica Schwartz, and Faith Jenkins in 2001. The most recent to place in the top five was Katherine Putnam, 3rd runner up in 2010.

Heather Dupree was a first runner up to the Quality of Life award and Erica Schwartz was a second runner up to the Quality of Life award.

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Miss Louisiana 2008 Delegates
Ark-La-Miss Fair Lauren Abshier of Monroe Sep. 22, 2007 University of Louisiana - Monroe Vocal : Blue The Governor's Program on Abstinence New	Bossier City Katherine Joy Putnam of Oak Grove University of Louisiana - Monroe - Senior, Piano Performance Classical Piano : Hallelujah Chorus The Miracle of Music T 10 '07, Return '05 T 10	City of Pineville Meghan Melder of Pineville Flute Promoting Education - Preventing Drop-Outs New	City of Roses Courtney Haynes of West Monroe Dec. 22, 2007 Vocal : When You Say You Love Me Heroes Inside New 4th RU MAO Community Service
Crescent City New Orleans Hope Anderson of Monroe Jan. 5, 2008 University of Louisiana - Monroe - Junior Ballet en Pointe : It's About That Walk Love the Skin You're in Occup:Student / Dance Teacher 19, New (5'11.5) T 10	Dixie Gem Peach Lauren Lyles of Pineville Piano : Habanera from Carmen Great Schools: Promoting the Arts Across America New	Holiday in Dixie Ravayna Tracey of New Orleans Vocal : How Far Organ Donation -The Gift of Life New	La Bonne Terre Jennifer Soileau of Hammond Jan. 5, 2008 Southeastern Louisiana University - Senior, Elementary Education/ School Administation Vocal : I Who Have Nothing You Are My Sunshine: Promoting Self-Esteem in Louisiana's School Children 23, 1st RU '07, 2nd RU Natl Swthrt '07, Return '04. '03 1st RU
Lafayette Michelle Mayer of Baton Rouge Feb. 24, 2008 University of Louisiana at Monroe College of Pharmacy - Doctorate of Pharmacy Dance : You Raise Me Up Type 2 Diabetes Awareness and Prevention 24, Ret. '07, T 10 '06, 3rd RU '05 3rd RU	Lincoln Parish Blair Abene of Hammond Southeastern Louisiana University - Vocal Performance/ Mass Communication Operatic Vocal : Nessun Dorma TART - Tourette's Awareness Reaching Teens 21, 2nd RU '07, 1st RU '06, T 10 '05, Return '04 Winner Friday Prelim Talent, MAO Academic Award	Louisiana Gulf Coast SaSha Williamson of New Orleans Jan. 5, 2008 University of Southern Mississippi - Speech Communications Dramatic Vocal : Part of Your World Project Redline, Inc New (MS-MAO Ret '07, '06)	Louisiana Jazzland Kristen Hillard of Covington Southeastern Louisiana State University - Senior, Piano Performance Classical Piano : Selections from the Gershwin Preludes Children's Miracle Network T 10 '07 T 10
Louisiana Port City Jenny Russell of Natchitoches Jan. 12, 2008 Vocal : Stormy Weather Healthy Lifestyles New	Louisiana Tech University Lacy Thibodeaux of Sulphur Dec. 8, 2007 Louisiana Tech University Jazz Dance : Sparkling Diamonds Introducing International Culture to Louisiana New	Louisiana Watermelon Festival Aaron Beeson of Calhoun Jul. 26, 2007 Louisiana Tech University - Graduate, Psychology Vocal : I Will Be Alzheimer's Awareness T 10 '07 T 10	Minden Kayla Divlebliss of Minden Louisiana Tech University Jazz Dance Girlz Impact: Mentoring Girls One Step at a Time New
Northwestern Lady of the Bracelet Mandi Ridgdell of Sorrento Feb. 8, 2008 Northwestern State University - Senior, Theatre Vocal : Life is Just a Bowl of Cherries Children's Miracle Network & Push America New T 10 Thursday Prelim Talent	Shreveport Hannah Moore of Athens Oct. 27, 2007 Centnary College Tap Dance : My Strongest Suit The Great Exchange New Thursday Prelim Lifestyle and Fitness	Slidell Amanda Perrin of Slidell Nov. 17, 2007 Our Lady of the Lake College - Senior, Nursing Jazz Dance : You Can't Stop the Beat The ABC's of Smoking 22, New (4'11)	Southeastern Louisiana State University Brandy Hotard of Port Allen Feb. 2, 2008 Southeastern Louisiana State University Vocal : Anyway Alzheimer's Awareness New 2nd RU
Southwest Louisiana Jennifer Barbre of Kinder Vocal Children's Miracle Network New	Spirit of the Red Kimberly Rusley of Bossier City Jan. 12, 2008 Vocal : I'm Afraid This Must Be Love Preventing Teen Pregnancy Through Education New	St.Tammany Parish Andera Pang of Baton Rouge Jan. 12, 2008 University of Louisiana - Monroe - College of Pharmacy Classical Piano Healhty People 2010-Promoting Heart Disease Awareness and Prevention Return '07	Stockshow Valeria Williams of Cottonport Southern University - Graduate, Political Science Vocal : If I Had My Way Character Counts! Cool to have Character Return '07
ULM Erica Durr of Marthaville Nov. 3, 2007 University of Louisiana - Monroe - Toxicology Opera : Chi il Bel Sogno di Doretta The Children of Domestic Violence 19, Return '07

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