Miss Arkansas USA

The Miss Arkansas USA competition, previously known as Miss Arkansas Universe,[1][2] is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Arkansas in the Miss USA pageant and the name of the title held by that winner.

For the state pageant affiliated with Miss America, see Miss Arkansas.
Miss Arkansas USA
Formation1952
TypeBeauty pageant
HeadquartersLenexa
Location
Membership
Miss USA
Official language
English
Key people
John M. Vannatta
Jason Vannatta
Jennifer Vannatta-Fisher, State Pageant Director
WebsiteOfficial website
Kelly George, Miss Arkansas USA 2007

The state pageant was directed by Premier Pageants from 2002 to 2007 before becoming part of the Vanbros organization, headquartered in Lenexa, Kansas. In 2007, Vanbros has chosen Bentonville, Arkansas as the new host city of the pageant and will be extending the competition from one day to three in the hopes of encouraging more contestants.[3] Other host cities for the pageant have included Little Rock, Magnolia and West Memphis.[4][5][6]

The only Miss Arkansas USA to win the Miss USA title is Terri Utley of Cabot in 1982.[7] Five Miss Arkansas USA titleholders were former Miss Arkansas Teen USA titleholders who competed at Miss Teen USA. The most recent placement was Savannah Skidmore in 2019 placed in the Top 5, the state's highest placement since 1982.

Haley Rose Pontius of Conway was crowned Miss Arkansas USA 2020 on November 17, 2019 at The Fort Smith Convention Center in Fort Smith. She represented Arkansas for the title of Miss USA 2020.

Miss Arkansas USA 2021 will be held at The Fort Smith Convention Center in Fort Smith on May 23, 2021.

Results summary

Placements
  • Miss USA: Terri Utley (1982)
  • 1st runner-up: Margaret Haywood (1955)
  • 2nd runner-up: Nancy McCollum (1956)
  • Top 5: Savannah Skidmore (2019)
  • Top 10: Chanley Painter (2009), Abby Floyd (2016)
  • Top 15/16: Jineane Marie Ford (1954), Helen Garrott (1957), Donna Needham (1959), Ann Smithwick (1968), Mary Dial (1970), Jessica Furrer (2005), Adrielle Churchill (2010), Kelsey Dow (2012)

Arkansas holds a record of 14 placements at Miss USA.

Awards
  • Miss Photogenic: Jennifer Sherrill (2004)

Winners
Color key
  •   Declared as winner
  •   Ended as runner-up
  •   Ended as one of the finalists or semifinalists
Year Name Hometown Age1 Placement at Miss USA Special awards at Miss USA Notes
2021 To be announced May 2021
2020 Haley Pontius Conway 23 Previously International Junior Miss 2017 & Miss Teen International 2013
2019 Savannah Skidmore[8] Calico Rock 23 Top 5 Previously Miss Arkansas 2016 after Savvy Shields was crowned Miss America 2017[9]
2018 Lauren Weaver Greenwood 21 Previously Miss Arkansas Teen USA 2014
2017 Arynn Johnson Hot Springs 19 Previously Miss Arkansas Teen USA 2015 & semi-finalist at Miss Teen USA 2015
2016 Abby Floyd[10] Searcy[10] 19 Top 10
2015 Leah Blefko Fayetteville 21
2014 Helen Wisner Fayetteville 25
2013 Hannah Billingsley Franklin 22 Married to Shay Mooney of Dan + Shay[11]
2012 Kelsey Dow Jonesboro 21 Top 16
2011 Lakynn McBride White Hall 20
2010 Adrielle Churchill Dover 24 Top 15 Former National Sweetheart 2005
2009 Chanley Painter Conway 24 Top 10
2008 Rachel Howells Alma 21
2007 Kelly George Sherwood 24 Contestant at National Sweetheart 2004 as Miss Maryland
2006 Kimberly Forsyth Cabot 26
2005 Jessica Furrer Conway 22 Top 15
2004 Jennifer Sherrill Sherwood 19 Miss Photogenic
2003 Taylor Carlisle Jacksonville 21
2002 Amber Boatman Norphlet 23
2001 Jessie Davis Harrison
2000 Whitney Moore Cabot 22
1999 Allison Heavener
1998 Kami Tice Huntsville
1997 Tamara Henry Little Rock 25
1996 Tiffany Parks 20 Previously Miss Arkansas Teen USA 1993
1995 Kristen Bettis
1994 Hannah Hilliard Little Rock
1993 Kati Fish Hot Springs
1992 Jona Garner
1991 Angela Rockwell
1990 Kathryn Harris Pine Bluff 18
1989 Paige Yandell Greenwood Previously Miss Arkansas Teen USA 1987
1988 Melissa Staples Calion Previously Miss Arkansas Teen USA 1984
1987 Sheri Smeltzer Smackover
1986 Rhonda Blaylock Springdale
1985 Susan Dean Osceola
1984 Shelly Boyd Manila
1983 Debra Baltz Paris
1982 Terri Utley[7] Cabot 20 Miss USA 1982[7] 4th runner-up at Miss Universe 1982
1981 Lynnanne Derryberry Jerusalem
1980 Susie Owens Jacksonville
1979 Cynthia Caldwell Jacksonville
1978 Donna Funderburk El Dorado
1977 Debra Duree Texarkana
1976 Sonia Kay Jines Conway
1975 Robin Fields Hot Springs
1974 Gina Huddle
1973 Christal Phiffer[1] Texarkana[1]
1972 Susan Tichenor[12] Pine Bluff[12] 21[12]
1971 Paula Keith[13] Little Rock[13] 20[13]
1970 Mary Dial[14] Malvern[14] 21[14] Semi-finalist
1969 Leonette Reed
1968 Ann Smithwick[5] Jacksonville[5] 19[5] Semi-finalist
1967 Katy Wurst[15][16] Fort Smith[15][16] 19[16]
1966 Peggy Jones
1965 Jeri Haynie[4] El Dorado[4]
1964 Barbara McGlothlin
1963 Cheryl Bechtelheimer 2nd runner up at Miss American Beauty 1964 (Title for US Rep to Miss International pageant)
1962 Linda Riggan Leola
1961 Mickey Lambert
1960 Gene Chambers
1959 Donna Needham Semi-finalist
1958 Nancy Hill
1957 Helen Garrott Semi-finalist
1956 Nancy McCollum 2nd runner-up[17]
1955 Margaret Haywood Jonesboro 1st runner-up Miss World United States 1955, 1st runner up at Miss World 1955 as Miss USA; 2nd runner-up Miss Dixie 1955
1954 Jineane Marie Ford Semi-finalist
1953 Jackie Stucker
1952 Barbara Wathen

1 Age at the time of the Miss USA pageant

References
  1. "Pageant Winners". Hope Star. April 3, 1973. Retrieved August 20, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. "March 24". The Courier News. March 24, 1969. p. 1. Retrieved August 20, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. Prudenti, Richard Dean (April 25, 2007). "Pageant Company Selects Bentonville For Events". The Morning News. Retrieved April 26, 2007.
  4. "To Perform". El Dorado Daily News. April 4, 1967. p. 15 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. "Named at ASU". Northwest Arkansas Times. May 6, 1968. p. 8. Retrieved August 20, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. "Miss Universe for State to Be Named". Northwest Arkansas Times. February 18, 1971. p. 2. Retrieved August 20, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. Coghlan, Curtis (May 14, 1982). "Miss Arkansas Crowned Miss USA". The Daily Journal. p. 4. Retrieved May 20, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. Christman, Jennifer (November 25, 2018). "PAPER TRAILS: Former Miss Arkansas wins Miss Arkansas USA crown". Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
  9. "New Miss Arkansas named after Shields wins Miss America". Arkansas Online. September 12, 2016.
  10. Rolf, Carol (December 13, 2015). "Searcy woman named Miss Arkansas USA". Arkansas Online. Retrieved August 20, 2016.
  11. Michaud, Sarah; Tracy, Brianne (October 21, 2017). "Dan + Shay's Shay Mooney Marries Hannah Billingsley — All the Wedding Details!". People Magazine.
  12. Associated Press (April 17, 1972). "Miss Arkansas Universe named". Hope Star. p. 6. Retrieved August 20, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. "Shorts". The Camden News. May 11, 1971. p. 2. Retrieved August 20, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. "Arkansas Beauty". Northwest Arkansas Times. May 1, 1970. p. 18 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. "UA Freshman Places Second in Contest". Northwest Arkansas Times. May 1, 1967. p. 8. Retrieved August 20, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. "Magnolia Girl Wins Contest". Hope Star. May 1, 1967. p. 1. Retrieved August 20, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. "Clergyman's daughter may be Miss Universe". Oshkosh Daily Northwestern. July 19, 1956. p. 17 – via Newspapers.com.
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