Twelve young women will represent their respective counties this Saturday at the Miss Alabama Agriculture pageant in the Chilton County High School auditorium at 6:30 p.m.

All spanning different counties, they hope to walk away with one of two scholarships worth $2,000 for first prize or $750 for second.

Practice will take place tonight at the same location.

The Clanton Evening Lions Club is sponsoring the pageant, which was previously sponsored by the Alabama Farmers Federation. The Evening Lions Club now takes ownership of a longstanding ALFA Young Farmers Division tradition to provide young women of Alabama with scholarship opportunities and the chance to serve as the agriculture spokesperson for the Alabama Farmers.

Evening Lions Club member Barry Rowe will serve as director of the inaugural event in Chilton County. The theme is “Rhinestones and Wranglers.”

Each contestant previously won her county pageant, including reigning Miss Chilton County, Allison Cobb. Girls who did not win their county pageants were eligible to enter as long as they asked their county farmers federation to allow them to represent the organization.

The contestants will attend a dinner Friday evening where they are asked to bring one item that best describes them as a person and why.

The Clanton Evening Lions Club moved the Miss Chilton County Pageant to the first weekend in November instead of July to make room for the Miss Alabama Agriculture Pageant.

Contestants include Allison Cobb (Miss Chilton County), Amanda Walters (Miss Fayette County), Dresden Green (Miss Pickens County), Jade Currid (Miss Lee County), Jessica Pittman (Miss Autauga County), Jill Jacobs (Miss Randolph County), Emily Nestor (Miss Montgomery County), Hanna Yeargan (Miss Crenshaw County), Heather Free (Miss Cherokee County), Kala Bodie (Miss Jefferson County), Mandy McQueen (Miss Dallas County) and Whitney Collier (Miss Elmore County).

Clanton Evening Lions Club member Danny Carter said the turnout was lower than expected this year and that funding for the pageant was relatively low. Typically, the contest would like each Alabama county represented for the statewide contest. The Miss Chilton County pageant was moved to November to also tie it in with Farm City week. Carter, who owns C&C Trophy in Clanton, said each winner of that pageant has always gone on to compete in the Miss Alabama Agriculture.

“When we found out that the Farmers Federation was dropping the program, we asked if we could take it over,” Carter said. “We felt like it was a good program and wanted to keep it going. We’re having to grow it again from scratch.”

Any problems that may arise during any planning stages for an inaugural event should not downplay the pageant itself, Carter said, which should still provide a memorable experience for the contestants.

“It will be a fun event,” he said. “It’s a good scholarship program. Our winner will have the opportunity to travel the state and talk to many different groups at speaking engagements.”

Contestants will participate in casual and evening wear portions of the event. Chilton County native and WSFA 12 Montgomery news anchor Sally Pitts will emcee the pageant. The SheBang Cloggers from Troy will provide special entertainment. All funds raised at the pageant will benefit the Clanton Evening Lions Club’s local, state and international projects and charities.