WINSLOW — This is truly one compromise that has left no one happy.

Organizers of the Winslow Miss 4th of July pageant say the wrong girl was mistakenly crowned the winner on Saturday, meaning there will be two winners, two sashes, two trophies and two gift certificates.

But the pageant organizers’ solution to the predicament hasn’t satisfied either contestant, and the pageant queen’s ceremonial ride in the Fourth of July parade appears to be in jeopardy.

Saturday’s winner is upset and says her family is “outraged,” the new winner isn’t talking, and the organizer is defending herself from charges of rigging the results.

Meanwhile, the chairman of the Winslow 4th of July celebration that kicks off Wednesday, one of the state’s biggest Fourth of July events, said the “heartache and distress” caused by the pageant fallout are keeping him from focusing on the four-day holiday extravaganza.

Molly Lybrook of Fairfield, who was crowned Saturday as the pageant winner, said Tuesday that she won’t share her crown after organizers discovered votes had been miscounted and declared that Caitlin Grenier, 14, of Winslow was the winner.

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“This is somebody else’s mistake,” said Lybrook, 17. “I won fair and square, and if it truly was a mistake, then I’m sorry, but that’s something the person who made the mistake has to pay for, not me – the winner.”

She said being allowed one of the biggest perks of the win – riding in the pageant car in Saturday’s Fourth of July parade – simply because pageant organizers feel bad for her is “extremely rude and publicly embarrassing, so obviously I’m not going to let that happen.”

Lybrook, who graduated from Lawrence High School this year, already had left the pageant when judges’ votes were recounted and it was discovered that Grenier had won.

Lybrook said she wasn’t told about the recount until Sunday.

Leah Frost, who is in charge of the pageant, said Tuesday, “I’m trying to do what’s right and not lie.”

TRYING TO BE FAIR, SUSPECTED BIAS

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Grenier and her mother agreed to share the crown with Lybrook, Frost said. Both declined to be interviewed or photographed Tuesday by the Morning Sentinel.

“There was a miscalculation with the scoring, and I had figured (the mistake) out after,” Frost said. “To be fair, I said I wouldn’t take Molly’s crown from her, but yet also let Caitlin have her recognition and this year we will have dual queens.

“I’m just trying to do what’s fair to both girls because they both worked equally hard for it.”

Kevin Douglass, chairman of the Winslow 4th of July celebration, acknowledged there was a scoring miscalculation, a discovery that caused “heartbreak and distress.” Other pageants “strip the crown” in similar situations, but he said he wouldn’t do that, so the compromise of dual crowns was decided.

There are four pageant winners divided by age group: Miss Firecracker, Little Miss 4th of July, Junior Miss 4th of July and Miss 4th of July. Grenier and Lybrook competed in the Miss 4th of July competition for the oldest girls.

The girls are interviewed by judges before the pageant, then there’s a talent portion, an evening wear portion and a final question to be answered, such as who was the biggest influence in their lives, Frost said. Judges give point totals for each category, which are then combined to determine the winner.

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Lybrook said Grenier is the best friend of Frost’s younger sister, and that swayed the results.

Frost said she just met Grenier for the first time a week ago, had nothing to do with the judges’ scoring and did not talk to the judges about individual contestants during the pageant.

DISTRACTING FROM THE CELEBRATION

But Lybrook said Frost “played dirty.”

“I’m very upset, because I won,” Lybrook said. “It’s upsetting that people who are supposed to be adults can’t act like adults and it has to go this far. The girl that Leah wanted to win didn’t win. It was somebody else’s mistake or lies and it’s not fair to me. I’m very upset. It’s not my fault.

“And instead, my family is outraged, and if she wants to play dirty like that, then we will.”

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Frost said she sent Lybrook copies of all the score sheets to show her that it was an honest mistake.

Frost said she has been in charge of the pageants for the past three years, but has been active in the annual event for 10 years, winning it in 2008 and 2010.

“I am owning up to the mistake that the accountant made the miscalculation, and trying to do what’s right,” Frost said.

Douglass has been trying to put out the fires associated with the mistake this week instead of coordinating events that begin Wednesday with live music in Fort Halifax Park.

“The best way is for the two young ladies to share the Miss 4th pageant queen and work together throughout the year to show unitedness,” Douglass said. “That’s really part of what the Fourth is all about, is showing how us as Americans pull together and support each other.

“We’re trying to make it so both girls carry the crown.”

Lybrook was holding fast to her decision not to share the crown, even after being told of Douglass’ plea for togetherness

“I don’t think I should have to if I won,” she said.

 


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