The new Osoyoos Royalty pose for photos. From left are Princess Bailey Toepfer, Miss Osoyoos Emma Fernandes and Princess Tianna Morgan. (Richard McGuire photo)
When the Cherry Fiesta parade made its way down Main Street last Wednesday morning, the new Osoyoos Royalty waved to the crowds from their float.
Miss Osoyoos Emma Fernandes and Princesses Tianna Morgan and Bailey Toepfer were crowned just the night before in a pageant at the Sonora Community Centre. Already though, they had mastered the “royal wave.”
They’ll be doing a lot more waving as they tour the province over the next year, promoting Osoyoos and rubbing shoulders with other “Royalty” or “sparkleheads,” as the Royals call themselves.
Although participants, including the outgoing Royalty team, came armed with plenty of tissues, there were fewer tears than at last year’s emotional pageant.
Nonetheless, it was no doubt an emotional moment for the retiring Royalty – Miss Osoyoos Teagen Aspell and Princesses Ali Hutter and Amara Leeson.
They wore colourful gowns as they passed their crowns to their heirs, also wearing evening gowns.
“Bring lots of bobby pins and be careful getting into vehicles with crowns,” Leeson advised the new Royalty. “I learned the hard way.”
Hutter thanked her family for putting up with her and her “sometimes royal attitude.”
She shared Leeson’s advice: “Bobby pins,” she repeated.
Aspell confessed that she is a tomboy deep down, but nonetheless, she encouraged her younger sister also to get involved in the Royalty. And she had parting words for her two princesses.
“The familiar smell of Noxzema and hairspray come to mind when I think of you,” she told Hutter.
When both new and departing Royalty first appeared on stage, they were accompanied by their “Little Buddies.”
The little girls with the outgoing Royalty were Emily Fichter (with Aspell), Kaitlyn Hillson (with Hutter) and Gyll Burton (with Leeson).
The new “Little Buddies” are Jordan Kazakoff (with Morgan), Kaylie Lino (with Toepfer) and Willow Logan (with Fernandes).
Early in the pageant, the new contestants were also accompanied by their sponsors: Desert Aire Realty (Fernandes), Buy-Low Foods (Morgan) and Elks Lodge #436 (Toepfer).
Visiting Royalty and ambassadors from other communities in B.C. brought greetings and some of them performed ditties promoting their communities.
MLA Linda Larson and Mayor Sue McKortoff delivered greetings, as did Lilly Zekanovic on behalf of MP Alex Atamanenko.
McKortoff also administered an “oath of office” to the new Royalty, based on the oath sworn by elected municipal representatives.
RICHARD McGUIRE
Osoyoos Times
Outgoing Princess Ali Hutter (right) arrives with her little buddy Kaitlyn Hillson. (Richard McGuire photo)
Outgoing Princess Amara Leeson (right) arrives with her little buddy Gyll Burton. (Richard McGuire photo)
Contestant Tianna Morgan (centre) arrives on stage with her little buddy Jordan Kazakoff and her sponsor Brian Fry, of Buy-Low Foods. (Richard McGuire photo)
Contestant Tianna Morgan arrives on stage wearing her gown and accompanied by her father Derek Morgan. (Richard McGuire photo)
The new contestants are seated wearing their gowns. From left are Tianna Morgan, Bailey Toepfer and Emma Fernandes. (Richard McGuire photo)
Outgoing Princess Amara Leeson wears her gown and carries flowers. (Richard McGuire photo)
Outgoing Princess Ali Hutter wears her gown and carries flowers while MC Kara Burton looks on. (Richard McGuire photo)
Outgoing Miss Osoyoos Teagen Aspell waves goodbye to her subjects. (Richard McGuire photo)
Wearing their gowns, the outgoing Royalty wait to pass on their crowns. From left are Princess Ali Hutter, Miss Osoyoos Teagen Aspell and Princes Amara Leeson. (Richard McGuire photo)
The outgoing Royalty sing the Osoyoos song for the last time as Royalty. From left are Princess Ali Hutter, Miss Osoyoos Teagen Aspell and Princes Amara Leeson. (Richard McGuire photo)
Outgoing Miss Osoyoos Teagen Aspell helps the new Miss Osoyoos Emma Fernandes get up after she passed her the crown. (Richard McGuire photo)
Newly crowned Miss Osoyoos Emma Fernandes waves to spectators as she begins her one-year reign. (Richard McGuire photo)
Outgoing Princess Ali Hutter helps new Princess Tianna Morgan get up after she crowned her. Looking on are new Princess Bailey Toepfer and outgoing Miss Osoyoos Teagen Aspell. (Richard McGuire photo)
Outgoing Princess Amara Leeson crowns new Princess Bailey Toepfer. Behind are outgoing Princess Ali Hutter and outgoing Miss Osoyoos Teagen Aspell. (Richard McGuire photo)
Mayor Sue McKortoff (right) administers the oath of office to the newly crowned Royalty. The oath takes its wording from the oath that municipal representatives must swear to set on council. (Richard McGuire photo)
Incoming and outgoing Osoyoos Royalty pose for photos with the many visiting Royalty and ambassadors from around B.C. (Richard McGuire photo)
Incoming and outgoing Osoyoos Royalty pose for photos with some of the visiting Royalty and ambassadors from around B.C. (Richard McGuire photo)
Incoming and outgoing Osoyoos Royalty pose for photos. From left are Princess Bailey Toepfer, former Princess Amara Leeson, Miss Osoyoos Emma Fernandes, former Miss Osoyoos Teagen Aspell, Princess Tianna Morgan and former Princess Ali Hutter. (Richard McGuire photo)
The outgoing Royalty pose for pictures. From left are former Princess Amara Leeson, former Miss Osoyoos Teagen Aspell and former Princess Ali Hutter. (Richard McGuire photo)
Princess Tianna Morgan, Miss Buy-Low Foods. (Richard McGuire photo)
Princess Bailey Toepfer, Miss Elks Lodge #436. (Richard McGuire photo)
Miss Osoyoos Emma Fernandes, Miss Desert Aire Realty. (Richard McGuire photo)
