Columbia Basin women named pageant runners-up

Record number of contestants compete

MOSES LAKE — Two Moses Lake residents were named runners-up in the Mrs. Washington Pageant Saturday.

The winner of the 2007 Mrs. Washington Pageant was Mrs. Seattle Jennifer Adkisson.

Mrs. Columbia Basin Natalie Lybbert was second runner-up and Mrs. Moses Lake Michelle Chambers was third runner-up.

"We've never had two (residents) make top five," said Executive State Director Pam Curnel.

This year the pageant had the most contestants compete around the state for the Mrs. Washington Pageant. There were 28. Enough contestants participated to have a top 10, another first for the event.

The competition was held at Moses Lake High School. Participants had the opportunity to experience Moses Lake's recreation, including riding all-terrain vehicles in the sand dunes and personal watercraft in Moses Lake.

"The sand dunes is the big thing for them," Curnel said.

Lybbert said this was her first year participating in a pageant, and she was happy to win second runner-up.

"The whole time it was just a thrill," she said.

The most challenging part of the competition for Lybbert was being in a swimsuit and heels on stage, with bright lights shining on her.

"That's a lot of people looking at me," Lybbert said.

Next year she plans to participate again.

The competition was a first-time experience for Chambers as well. In addition to third runner-up, Chambers was named Mrs. Congeniality.

She said she wanted to give credit to Curnel for the moving, patriotic program.

"I had about a week of mental preparation for the pageant because I had just graduated from nursing school," Chambers said.

She was focused on passing the NCLEX exam, which she did, and now she is a registered nurse.

The most challenging part of the program for her was hiding her physical flaws and showing her inner beauty.

"I think beauty comes from the inside and I think it's very difficult sometimes to show that," Chambers said.