(Osgood, IN) – Machalea Cobler was crowned Miss Ripley County 2023 at Sunday night’s pageant at the Damm Theater in Osgood.
“I am just so shocked. It’s such a big honor. I kept dreaming of this moment since I was a little girl, and it’s so crazy that it came true today,” Cobler said.
Sophia Sullivan was 1st runner-up and won the Professional Wear Award; the 2nd runner-up was Deborah Murphy; Marissa Eckstein was 3rd runner-up; the 4th runner-up was Chloe Hunter, and Emilee Knueven was Miss Congeniality.
Eckstein was also named the recipient of the Kompassion Scholarship, which honors the memory of pageant committee member Kristy Sams.
Sams passed unexpectedly in June 2019 and helped her children with their 4-H projects for the Ripley County Fair. She was also involved in a number of other community activities.
The winner of the Kompassion Scholarship is chosen by the committee for the kindness and compassion displayed by a contestant throughout the queen pageant events.
Mackenzie Sparks won the Formal Wear Award.
The People’s Choice Award went to Kinsey Rohls. This award goes to the contestant raising the most money for this year’s chosen charity.
The contestants raised a total of $1,606, and they decided to give the money this year to families fostering children in Ripley County to cover needs such as safety-related home improvements, which may not be covered by foster care.
Cobler will reign over this year’s Ripley County 4-H Fair, which begins Sunday, July 23 at the Fairgrounds in Osgood.
A total of nine contestants took part in this year’s Miss Ripley County pageant.
WRBI’s Brent Lee served as the pageant’s Master of Ceremonies.
