“And the 2026-2027 Dogwood Trail Maids are Francis Watkins, Sadie Turner, Millie Cross, Ava Bindon, Piper Philips, Avery Payne, Molly Harbison, and Anna Grace Goffinet.” When pageant board member Jeri Servos made the announcement, the crowd and contestants cheered as the girls received awards.
One of those cheering was Katelynn Horne, pageant contestant in the top fourteen. A sophomore at Fairhope High school, Horne participates in theatre and yearbook.
Katelynn attended sign-ups, or as the group calls it, application day, in September. Soon after, the Club hosted an informational meeting for parents, and then pageant rehearsals came into full swing. Horne described her experience with application day as “exciting” and “intimidating” due to the large number of girls who attended the event.
The next step in the process was to complete a Google Form, the official application. This application would be the deciding factor in who qualified to participate in the pageant. Only 50 participants at most are allowed to partake in the process, so waiting to see who gets selected can be intimidating. Chosen participants received a practice schedule.
“We practice every Tuesday and Sunday from either 5-7:30 p.m. or 5:30-8 p.m.. That’s what we’ve been doing every week since September to now Jan. 14,” Katelynn said.
All 43 of the participants had their hands full with pageant preparations throughout the months leading up to the pageant. One of these preparations was the task of making a skit that was Flower Power themed, and two minutes or fewer. Katelynn’s skit consisted of a flashy battery-powered lava lamp that she spoke to like the lamp was her therapist. She named the lamp Lana and amused the crowd with her peppy personality. Katelynn practiced for weeks making sure she nailed her act down before the big show.
“By the time we got up there, it was just muscle memory. I think I had at least a part of the other participants’ skits memorized too because we went over them so much. My costume was from amazon as well as a few accessories I included from my grandma’s closet,” Katelynn said.
Contestants also wrote essays about how acts of service increase understanding of community. Contestants were given a month and a half to finish their essays. Each essay was then judged and factored into the participant’s overall score.
“I really enjoyed getting to write my essay because it showed that the pageant was not just about how good you looked or how well you could curtsy, but it was also about who you are as a person,” Katelynn said.
Contestants were judged on multiple personal factors during the pageant itself, including growth and character. Optimism is an important part of the process, affecting both preparation and the role of Dogwood Trailmaids. It shows their dedication to promoting goodwill and community spirit.
“You have to make sure your social media life is clean but the main rule for the girls is always being optimistic and having a good attitude towards the people around you,” Katelynn said.
After months of hard work and memorization, focusing on poise, posture, and her skit, Katelynn Horne was finally ready to showcase her creations to the community. While all the contestants hoped to be among the eight chosen as Trailmaids, Horne appreciated the friendships forged during the process.
“Even if I’m not one of the girls that gets chosen, I’m glad I got to experience all the wonderful people I got to meet,” Katelynn said.
Before the Final winners of the pageant were announced, awards were given separately to contestants who showed the most optimism, scored highest on the essay proportion, and exhibited kindness to others. Winners received a 1500 dollar scholarship to college.
The Dogwood trailmaids have been a large part of Baldwin county’s community and give young women the opportunity to give back to the community and experience self-growth.
“[I appreciate] all the wonderful skills and things I learned from participating in such a meaningful program,” Katelynn said.
