Miss Arkansas USA & Teen USA 2016 results recap

On Sunday afternoon Abby Floyd was crowned Miss Arkansas USA 2016 and Makenzie Sexton won the Miss Arkansas Teen USA title.  Sorry for taking so long to get this up!  As far as my records go, Abby is the first Miss titleholder from Searcy, while Makenzie is the first Teen from Cabot since 1991.

Abby was Miss Arkansas Teen USA 2013 and is the first Miss AR Teen USA to win Miss AR USA since 1996 (see the history of former AR Teens competing in Miss here).  She is the ninth former Teen to win a state title this year, and the fourth from 2013.  In a rare twist of fate, Makenzie was Abby's fourth runner-up at Miss Arkansas Teen USA 2013.  Even more unusually, four of that top five have gone on to hold consecutive Miss AR Teen USA titles: Abby, Lauren Weaver (third runner-up 2013, Miss AR Teen USA 2014), Arynn Johnson (first runner-up 2013, Miss AR Teen USA 2015), and Makenzie  (fourth runner-up 2013, Miss AR Teen USA 2016).

Another fun bit of trivia: Makenzie's mother Tonya Snodgrass was Miss Missouri USA 1992.  The following year Tonya crowned Stephanie Nunn as Miss Missouri USA 1993.  Stephanie is the mother of Miss Missouri Teen USA 2016 Dallas Ezard! 

Abby placed second runner-up in last year's pageant, her first year of eligibility in the Miss division.  She is the second 2RU in a row to go on to win the title.  In addition to Abby and Makenzie, Miss AR USA first runner-up Haley Pontius and second runner-up Sierra Gorton were also Teen 2013 semi-finalists.  Haley was competing in the Miss division for the first time, while Sierra was fourth runner-up last year.  Third runner-up and the winner of the Swimsuit award was Miss Arkansas Teen USA 2009 Allison Kusenberger who has alternated between third and second runner-up for the past five years.  Next year is her final year of eligibility and I would love to see her finally take it!  Fourth runner-up was Interview winner Tarole Harris, who last competed in Hawaii in 2012.

n the Teen competition, all four runners-up were competing for the first time.  It was going to be hard to top last year's exceptional top five but this year's group was up for the challenge!  Like last year there were four blondes and a brunette in the top five, and whilst they looked less like sisters than last year's blondies, I'm still glad I wasn't a judge who had to split them.

---

Full results

Miss Arkansas USA 2016: Abby Floyd (2RU 15, AR TUSA 13, SF AR TUSA 12)
1RU: Haley Pontius (NF AR TUSA 14, SF 13, NF 12)
2RU: Sierra Gorton (4RU 15, SF AR TUSA 13) 
3RU: Allison Kusenberger (2RU 15, 3RU 14, 2RU 13, 3RU 12, AR TUSA 09, SF AR TUSA 08)
4RU: Tarole Harris (NF HI USA 12)

Semi-finalists:
Destiny Gann
Deivory Howard 
AnnaLisa Meredith 
Hanna Moss
Adrianna Morehouse
Stephanie Salvatori 
Rylee Schwaller 
Skyla Weeks (SF AR TUSA 13)

Congeniality: Hanna Moss
Photogenic: Abby Floyd 

Interview: Tarole Harris 
Swimsuit: Allison Kusenberger
Gown: Abby Floyd 

Abby Floyd, Haley Pontius, Sierra Gorton, Allison Kusenberger, Tarole Harris

Miss Arkansas Teen USA 2016: Makenzie Sexton  (1RU 15, 4RU 14, 4RU 13) 
1RU: Alexia Vannucci 
2RU: Kailey Hula
3RU: Caroline Long
4RU: Caleigh Coenen

Semi-finalists:
Caroline Adair
Justice Barnes 
Laney Boyer 
Courtlyn Jackson (SF 15, NF 14) 
Alexandria Paladino (NF 15)
Maddison Smith 
Tabatha Taylor 
Dani Winberry

Congeniality: Caroline Long
Photogenic: Kailey Hula 

Interview: Caroline Long 
Swimsuit: Makenzie Sexton
Gown: Alexandria Paladino 

Makenzie Sexton, Alexia Vannucci, Kailey Hula, Caroline Long, Caleigh Coenen