After superb performances at state beauty pageant, Caneyville sisters to compete in national pageant in Gatlinburg, Tennessee

shaylee-hampton-11-21
shaylee-hampton-11-21

After winning the Kentucky Festival Young Miss Beauty Pageant, a Grayson County girl will now compete in a nationwide beauty contest, the AmeriFest Nationals, in July in Gatlinburg, Tennessee.

Eight-year-old Shaylee Marie Hampton, who was crowned Young Miss at both Caneyville and Falls of Rough over the summer to qualify for state competition, competed last weekend in the Kentucky Festival pageant in Lexington.

Doubling the Caneyville family’s pride, her three-year-old sister, Kinleigh Grace Hampton, who won the Toddler Miss Beauty Pageants at Caneyville and Falls of Rough, also qualifying her for state competition, came in First Runner-up at the Kentucky Festival pageant, earning an invitation to the AmeriFest Nationals as well.

Both girls competed in evening gown and an on-stage Q & A against dozens of hopefuls.

“Both girls are so honored to be representing Kentucky,” Selina Linder, Shaylee and Kinleigh’s mother, said about the distinction.

In what could have been a disastrous twist to the weekend competition was the fact that Shaylee competed even though she suffered from a serious case of the stomach flu. Linder said she stopped “getting sick” about two hours before the Young Miss competition began on Saturday afternoon, and that Shaylee never considered not competing, even as she struggled with the illness for the entirety of Friday night and into Saturday.

Linder, and the girl’s father, Jonathan Hampton, are grateful to the many people who contributed both financially and with services, which enabled Shaylee and Kinleigh to compete in Lexington.

“I don’t want to mention anyone because there were so many people who helped, I’m afraid I’ll leave someone out,” Linder said, “but we are thankful for all the help we received.”

Kinleigh Grace Hampton

By Ken Howlett, News Director

Contact Ken at ken@k105.com or 270-259-6000