One of my favourite sections of the site (even if I’ve never settled on the perfect name for it!), a look at all the Miss Idaho Teen USA titleholders who’ve gone on to compete at Miss USA or in other state pageants. It’s always inspiring to see where their journeys have taken them — whether they won a crown early on, competed once or twice and then hung up the heels or kept showing up year after year, showing persistence in their quest to walk the Miss USA stage.
Nine former Miss Idaho Teen USA titleholders have competed at Miss USA, including Idaho’s only Miss Teen USA titleholder Brandi Sherwood (1989). Brandi was Idaho’s first contestant to make the cut at Miss USA in over thirty years and their only top five placement. When Brook Lee won Miss Universe, Brandi became the first contestant to hold both the Miss Teen USA and Miss USA titles. Close to 20 years later Kim Layne (2012) also placed first runner-up at Miss USA.
Elizabeth Barchas (1998) is one of only a few “Triple Crown” titleholders, having competed at Miss Teen USA, Miss USA and Miss America.
Top 8/10/11/12*
1
Kimberly Weible (1999)
Non-finalist
6
Amy Jo Ambrose (1995), Elizabeth Barchas (1998), Amanda Rammell (2003), Marissa Wickland (2009), Claira Hollingsworth (2011), Hannah Menzner (2014)
* Where the semi-finalists are cut in multiple stages before the top 5 or 6
1997
1
Brandi Sherwood (1989)
1999
1
Amy Jo Ambrose (1995)
2001
1
Elizabeth Barchas (1998)
2004
1
Kimberly Weible (1999)
2007
1
Amanda Rammell (2003)
1980s
1
Brandi Sherwood (1989)
1990s
3
Amy Jo Ambrose (1995), Elizabeth Barchas (1998), Kimberly Glyn Weible (1999)
2020s
0
Winners highlighted in italics. Stats may be inaccurate, especially for the 1980s & 1990s as I am reliant on newspaper archives which do not list all contestants.
1980s
2
Laura Bathe (1984), Brandi Sherwood (1989)
1990s
4
Sarah Elizabeth Polk (1994), Amy Jo Ambrose (1995), Elizabeth Barchas (1998), Kimberly Glyn Weible (1999)
2000s
3
Amanda Rammell (2003), Shareece Pfeiffer (2008), Marissa Wickland (2009)
2010s
5
Claira Hollingsworth (2011), Kimberly Layne (2012), Hannah Menzner (2014), Kate Pekuri (2016), Gabriella Simpson (2017)
2020s
0
Idaho, District of Columbia, Missouri, Utah
Winner
9
Brandi Sherwood (1989), Amy Jo Ambrose (1995), Elizabeth Barchas (1998), Kimberly Glyn Weible (1999), Amanda Rammell (2003), Marissa Wickland (2009), Claira Hollingsworth (2011), Kimberly Layne (2012), Hannah Menzner (2014)
2nd runner-up
1
Shareece Pfeiffer (2008)
Unknown
1
Laura Bathe (1984)
