![Miss Wool Of America ad](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/86/Miss_Wool_Of_America_ad.jpg)
The Miss Wool of America Pageant was a showcase of wool-related merchandise. It was an annual event organized by the National Wool Growers Association (U.S.), American Sheep Producers Council, and the Wool Bureau, Inc. at
San Angelo, Texas
San Angelo ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Tom Green County, Texas, United States. Its location is in the Concho Valley, a region of West Texas between the Permian Basin to the northwest, Chihuahuan Desert to the southwest, Osage Plai ...
, from 1952 to 1972. Originally a Texas-only event (the Miss Wool of Texas Pageant), it attracted wider entrants from 1958 and evolved into a national pageant. The winner would tour nationally wearing the latest in woolen fashion to promote the industry.
History
The event was originally known as the Miss Wool of Texas Pageant and first began in 1952.
The purpose of the event was primarily to celebrate a thriving sheep and wool industry of
San Angelo, Texas
San Angelo ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Tom Green County, Texas, United States. Its location is in the Concho Valley, a region of West Texas between the Permian Basin to the northwest, Chihuahuan Desert to the southwest, Osage Plai ...
.
A young lady would be chosen to represent the wool industry in Texas as "Miss Wool" for a year.
From 1958, contestants from various wool-producing regions of the United States competed. The event evolved into the Miss Wool of America Pageant with Miss Wools from various states competing for the national title.
Miss Wool
Miss Wool would go on tour dressed in the latest woolen fashions, representing the industry on a national level.
Eighteen-year-old Cheri Slikker, in 1963, was the youngest winner of the title.
The American Sheep Producers Council, National Wool Growers Association, and the Wool Bureau were the sponsors. They funded a televised version of the competition in its later years which included the appearance of movie stars and popular musicians.
The 1968 Miss Wool Pageant was broadcast live on color television. The hosts for the program were
Jane Morgan
Jane Morgan (born Florence Catherine Currier; May 3, 1924) is an American former singer of traditional pop. Morgan initially found success in France and the UK before achieving recognition in the US, receiving six gold records. She was a frequen ...
and
Donald O'Connor
Donald David Dixon Ronald O'Connor (August 28, 1925 – September 27, 2003) was an American dancer, singer and actor. He came to fame in a series of films in which he co-starred with Gloria Jean, Peggy Ryan, and Francis the Talking Mule.
His best ...
.
In 1970,
Nancy Ames
Nancy Ames (born Nancy Hamilton Alfaro on September 30, 1937) is an American folk singer and songwriter. She regularly appeared on the American version of the television series ''That Was the Week That Was''. The TW3 Girl, as she was known, s ...
and singer
Jack Jones Jack Jones may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Music
*Jack Jones (American singer) (born 1938), American jazz and pop singer
*Jack Jones, stage name of Australian singer Irwin Thomas (born 1971)
*Jack Jones (Welsh musician) (born 1992), Welsh mu ...
hosted the pageant.
Pageant winners
The first Miss Wool winner was Kathryn Gromatski in 1952.
Winners of titles since then have included:
* 1957, Earline Whitt
*1958, Miriam LaCour
*1959, Carrell Currie
*1960, Patti Jo Shaw
*1963, Cheri Slikker
*1964, Suzy Beck
*1965, Sharone Moline
*1966, Elizabeth Peteel
*1968, Allana Crimmins
*1970, Gail "Gus" Heinzmann
*1971, Carey Andersen
*1972, Barbara Ward
See also
*
New York State Sheep and Wool Festival
References
{{Reflist
Wool industry