GREENVILLE — Not only did Mariana Ramos win the costume contest at the Miss Annie Oakley shooting competition Wednesday night but she came back Thursday evening to take the title.
“It feels wonderful,” she said after the contest. “I am surprised.”
First runner-up was Katie Hurd, sponsored by Pepcon C.F. Poeppelman, and second runner-up was Hannah Gulley, sponsored by Chicken Kitchen.
Ramos, who was sponsored by Stebbins Excavating, and her runners-up have all competed before.
Ramos said she made it to the finals her first year but didn’t make it to the second round last year. However, that was fine with her, she had to go state fair with her 4-H project.
Hurd, 15 and a sophomore at Greenville, said her parents helped her practice an hour every day.
“She shot at 135 feet from home,” her mother said.
“I’m happy. I was first runner-up last year, too,” Katie said.
Gulley said she also competed twice before and won fourth place both times.
“I’m just glad I got farther than last year,” she said.
Thursday’s night competition started at 105 feet away from target. The first three shooters — Morgan Hissong, Courtney Osborne and Daisy Brim were eliminated right away. Then Ramos hit hers; Hurd missed her first shot and hit her second; while Gulley missed both shots.
To figure out who the second runner-up would be, the four that were eliminated had a chance to shoot again at 105 feet back. Then, Osborne missed and hit and Gulley hit, after which those two went at it, and Courtney missed both and Gulley hit and missed, making her the winner.
Ramos and Hurd then battled it out for first and second place at 110 feet back. Once again, Ramos hit the balloon on her first shot and Hurd missed.
During the competition, Shelly Soward, wife of Dennis Soward, who is in charge of the shooting contest, introduced former Miss Annie Oakleys who were in attendance and announced the distances from which they won.
Annie Linebaugh Hissong was Miss Annie Oakley 1992 and shot from 75 feet away from target; Darlene Osborne, the 2002 Miss Annie, shot from 105 feet away; Laura Francis, 2011, 100 feet; Courtney Osborne in 2013, at 95 feet; and Hayley Maher in 2014, 90 feet. Also introduced was Hannah Linebaugh, a former Miss Annie Oakley, but it wasn’t mentioned how far away she was when she won.
