Little Miss and Master Pumpkin Kaylee Folley and Benjamin Kiehl are surrounded by the other winners in the contest, including Lucy Zerkle, Kasen Fry, Lemon Louise Owen, Charlotte Rose Kohnz, Ivan Canan, Kiser and Katherine Idle and Hayden Grant and Lakelyn Atchley.
Ryan Berry | Daily Advocate
By Ryan Berry
DailyAdvocate.com
BRADFORD — Sixteen girls and 10 boys between the ages of two and five took the stage on Wednesday afternoon to determine who would be the 2023 Little Miss and Master Pumpkin at the 94th annual Bradford Pumpkin Show. The contest was held at 4:30 p.m., but the results weren’t released until after the parade and immediately before the Miss Pumpkin Queen Contest.
The kids dressed according to the theme of Disney Magic and there were plenty of incredible costumes. While there were several Disney princesses, there were also characters from Toy Story, Up, Moana, 101 Dalmatians, Alice and Wonderland and more.
Dressed as Hei Hei, four-year-old Benjamin Kiehl took the top spot in the boys contest and was named Little Master Pumpkin. He is the son of Zach and Tory Kiehl of Tipp City. In the girls contest, Kaylee Folley, dressed as Belle from Beauty and the Beast was crowned Little Miss Pumpkin. Folley, age 5, is the daughter of Jaime Wackler and Rob Folley of Bradford.
The 2023 first runners-up were Ivan Canan and Lucy Zerkle. Canan, age 2, the son of Isaac and Bree Canan, of Bradford, was dressed as Carl Fredrickson from Up, complete with walker and tennis balls. Lucy Zerkle, age 5, daughter of Luke and Cassie Zerkle of Tipp City was dressed as Cinderella.
The second runners-up took their inspiration from the movies Finding Nemo and Up. Lemon Louise Owens earned the award in the Little Miss contest and was dressed as an anemone with Nemo. Owens, age 2, is the daughter of Blake and Dylan Owens, of Bradford. Kasen Fry earned the award in the Little Master contest. He was dressed as Russel from Up. Fry, age 5, is the son of Eric and Ashley Fry, of Bradford.
Fry also earned the award for best float with a replica of the house from Up complete with balloons trying to carry it away. Kiser and Katherine “Kate” Idle took second place and Hayden Grant and Lakelyn Atchley took third place. The second and third place floats went with the themes Toy Story and Alice and Wonderland.
Canan also won best costume in the Little Master contest. Charlotte Rose Kohnz, age 5, daughter of Chelsea Kohnz and Davin Kohnz, of Bradford, took the prize in the Little Miss contest and was dressed as the Queen of Hearts from Alice in Wonderland.
Additional contestants in the Little Master contest were Kip Krueger, Kade Krueger, Everette Patterson, Calvin Brockman and Daxton Brockman.
Additional contestants in the Little Miss contest were Ivy Blythe Huelskamp, Alora Murray, Kensley Bowman, Paisleigh Bore, Elyse Coons, Blaire Elizabeth Arnett, Myla Deskin, Georgia Canan and Oaklynn Shillingburg.
To contact Daily Advocate Editor Ryan Berry, email [email protected].
