West crowned 33rd Boggy Bayou Queen; Savoy awarded Ms. title at annual festival

By: TONY MARKS
Associate Editor

History was made on the banks of the Boggy Bayou as for the first time in the 33-year history of the Boggy Bayou Pageant that a father-daughter duo was crowned king and queen.
Nineteen-year-old biology pre-med major at Louisiana College Lynee West was crowned Boggy Bayou Queen by outgoing queen Shelbi Rials as West’s father, who is village mayor, looked on as Boggy Bayou King.
“It sounds awesome,” said Queen West. “It’s really exciting that we got to go down in history and got to share it together. I didn’t even know it was the first to happen like ever. It was just more special that I got to sit on stage with my dad. To be the first in history is pretty cool.”
Queen West’s first reaction when she heard her name called was one of uncertainty as she asked herself, “Did they really just call my name.”
Once her initial reaction wore off, her reaction then turned into that of amazement. “It’s amazing especially growing up in Pine Prairie seeing all the other queens,” she said. “It’s good to finally be one of them.”
First runner up was Sydni Jean Miracle, and second runner-up was Holly Christine Kay.
Also crowned at the pageant was Miranda Savoy as she received her head wear from outgoing Ms. Boggy Bayou Queen Tammy Fontenot. Savoy, the 24-year-old Mamou native, is the daughter of Shane Fontenot and Susan Perron and is married to Christopher Savoy.
Her first reaction was one of shock. “Honestly I was so nervous, and it felt like I kinda messed up my walk and stuff on stage, but I was really excited,” she stated.
The shock then turned into a liberating feeling because she felt like she “worked hard and that the hard work paid off.”
First runner up was Lauren Weber.
The newly crowned tandem will then embark on the festival circuit representing the Boggy Bayou Festival. They both look forward to travelling all over Louisiana from festival to festival, but priorities do come first. Both of their first stops will be at Prairie Manor Nursing Home.
“I got to take care of the residents,” West said.
Likewise Savoy said she wants “to volunteer at the nursing home and partake in all the activities that we can with the elderly and our festival committee.”