Make it With Wool Fashion Show contestants awarded at annual connvention

The Wyoming Wool Growers Auxiliary held their annual Make It With Wool (MIWW) Fashion Show and Awards Luncheon on Dec. 5 during the Wyoming Natural Resource Rendezvous Convention and Trade Show at the Ramkota Hotel in Casper. The event was sponsored by the Wyoming Wool Growers Association (WWGA). 

Seven of Wyoming’s 38 MIWW district contestants were invited to this culminating state event. They included Michelle Elser of Casper, Tera Boden of Buffalo, Evelynne Conklin of Banner, Madi Dunning of Encampment, Sawyer Hanson of Gillette, Emma Hill of Riverton and Karlie McDonald of Laramie.

Emma and Paige Sanders of Laramie were also invited to participate, although they were unable to attend due to a scheduling conflict.

Judging took place on Dec. 4. Judges Lisa Keeler, Sandi Snyder and Jaci Mathes evaluated each contestant’s garments and modeling based on construction quality, fit and overall appearance, appropriateness to the contestant’s lifestyle, coordination of fabric and yarn with the style and design of the garment, creativity of the design, versatility of the wool and the contestant’s presentation and poise. 

As the only contestant in the adult division, Elser was awarded first place and $100 donated by WWGA. Dunning was the winner of the junior division and received a $100 dollar cash prize as well as a partially paid trip to the National MIWW Contest in Fort Worth, Texas Jan. 19-21.

Conklin received second place honors and $75 donated by Richard and Dorothy Jean Davis. McDonald was awarded third place and $50 donated by Bernice Groves, and Hill came in fourth place, receiving $25 donated by the Campbell County Woolgrowers Auxiliary. 

The Top Adult Construction Award winner was Elser, and the Top Junior Construction Award winner was Conklin. Both individuals received a cash prize donated by the Roxanna Johnson Memorial. 

Additionally, Conklin received the Exemplary Construction and Creativity Award donated by the Wyoming Wool Growers Auxiliary, and Hill received the People’s Choice Award. 

All contestants received a length of Pendleton wool fabric. 

“I would like to thank everyone here today for their support of this program and the WWGA, Wyoming Stock Growers Association and Wyoming Association of Conservation Districts for letting us host this program in conjunction with their convention,” stated MIWW National Director Linda Johnson. “I also appreciate all of the contestants who have worked so hard to make an outfit this year. I am looking forward to the national contest in Fort Worth. This year’s theme is ‘All Western.’”

Hannah Bugas is the managing editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on the article to roundup@wylr.net.