News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Fentress County’s Fairest of the Fair Winner Cady Gunter said pageants are more than skin-deep.
Gunter will participate in the state fair pageant, beginning Friday in Murfreesboro. Gunter said her mind changed when she participated in the 2023 Fairest of the Fair pageant.
“That was my very first pageant I had ever done and I learned it’s a lot more than just a beauty contest,” Gunter said. “It’s about how you carry yourself on the stage and just how well you publicly speak, especially with the state pageant it’s how well you can interview with people and be professional.”
Gunter said the hours leading up to the pageant can be nerve-racking. Gunter said as of now she is calm and looking forward to the statewide pageant set to begin on Friday.
“I’m not nervous yet but usually before I do something get nervous as I am doing it,” Gunter said. “So I will probably be nervous right before I go on that stage Friday but right now I feel very calm and cool.”
Gunter said she has received assistance from her sister Sara, and previous Fentress County Fairest of the Fair winners Hannah Hull and Hannah Conatser to practice her on-stage walk, introduction, and interviews. Gunter said the help with interviews has been a big help as she is still new to the pageant scene.
“I had never done an interview before until winning the fairest of the fair,” Gunter said. “So doing interviews like these and with other people has helped me prepare for the big interview to come Friday morning. It does make me feel a lot more prepared and confident that I can talk to these judges.”
Gunter said her humanitarian project is helping foster care children in Fentress County. Gunter collected and distributed 191 suitcases and duffle bags as oftentimes foster care children do not have any means to carry their belongings. Gunter said she will present her project at the pageant and hopes her project will get more exposure so she can continue to expand her project.
