Josh Hankins with USA Rice announced the participants and winners of the Delta Rice Queen Contest in Merigold recently, with Dobbs Roberts of Tunica County named first runner-up.
The pageant was part of the 31st Annual Rice Festival held in downtown Merigold, Thursday, Sept. 16.
Dia Chawla from Leflore County was crowned as the first Delta Rice Queen and received a $2,000 scholarship to the school of her choice. Roberts received a $500 scholarship.
Both girls will represent Delta Rice Promotions, Inc. and assist with promoting Mississippi and both rice and rice production.
Scholarships were made possible by Mississippi Farm Bureau, Horizon Ag, Farmers Grain Terminal and Delta Rice Promotions, Inc.
The contest to name the Rice Festival’s first Delta Rice Queen consisted of two parts:
• Senior girls from Delta rice counties wrote essays on the importance of Mississippi Rice Production.
• Contestants then took part in an interview process where they presented their essays and answered questions from a different set of judges.
Hankins served as one of the judges and made the announcement of the Runner-Up and Queen at the Rice Festival held in Bolivar County.
Merigold was the perfect venue for such an event with attendees enjoying rice dishes from local restaurants, seeing exhibits, shopping with vendors and enjoying live music and children’s activities.
