The San Miguel Basin Fair’s annual dessert contest runs on procedure. There are judges, who remain secret until the event is over, who are given specific categories to judge. Those categories include ice creams, cookies, cakes and pies, and they include youth, amateur and professional divisions.
Last Saturday, July 11, judges from across the West End took their seats in the Norwood School’s all-purpose room to begin tasting items, assignments given by dessert contest superintendent Katie Alexander. Using score cards that ask for assessment of specific criteria for each category, judges make their marks. Entries are not named, only numbered. And, the servers take it seriously.
McKayla Jensen and Sarah Webb, serving at the 2026 contest upheld the reverence of the process. They told the judges they were only permitted to drink water, no coffee or tea, as it could interfere with the palette. And, the two women, who also happen to be sisters, ensured each plate was cleared of any bite not taken, as well as all crumbs, so that the tasting was very clear.
They showed presentation first, so that judges could accurately make a decision on appearance of desserts. They made sure the judges they fed had adequate portions and always asked if judges needed another sampling to make their decision.
The all-purpose room was quiet as various appointed judges completed their work — with the exception of other young women like Lantry Galley and McKenzie and Ember Alexander walking around with other girls serving water and offering to clear tables. Judges then gave scorecards to Alexander, who had designated people tally the results.
More than 300 people filled the room after the totals were final. They feasted on “dessert first,” as Alexander likes to say. Carl McKinney wasted no time in reading the names of reserve and grand champions, as the room was heating up, and many began to fan themselves, Alexander included.
Alexander and her daughter Madison DiPaola handed out the wooden spoons for reserve champions and embroidered aprons for the grand champions. Cheers and applause filled the space throughout the announcements.
Results are as follows: Melissa Richardson had grand champion professional pie with lemon; Tammy Gillaspy was reserve with pinto bean. For single-crust pies, Brooke Robinson was grand champion with salted caramel banana, and Julie Maynard was reserve with passion fruit key lime. For double-crust pies, Haley Franklin was grand champion with strawberry rhubarb, and Shannon Rayborn was reserve with 250 America Cherry-Blueberry. In youth pies, Layton Harrigan was grand champion with peach; Ryatt Harrigan was reserve with toasty coconut.
For cakes, grand champion professional went to Amanda Pierce for hot fudge chocolate cake. Dawna Morris was reserve with white chocolate raspberry. Frosted cake grand champion was Pricilla Richardson with strawberry, and Tennessee Richardson was reserve with raspberry lemonade. In unfrosted cakes, Julie Maynard was grand champion with cherry almond ricotta; Becky Ingram was reserve with apple cake with caramel sauce. Youth cake grand champion was Kinlee Pierce with chocolate raspberry; reserve was Kalese Merrill with pecan pie cake.
For the cookie category, Dawna Morris was grand champion with sugar cookie star-spangled banner; reserve was Melissa Richardson with chocolate chip. Drop cookie grand champion was Tennessee Richardson with snickerdoodle; Melissa Merrill was reserve with almond lace. For rolled cookies, grand champion was Sarah Franklin with pecan pie bars; reserve was Tennessee Richardson and lemon bars. Youth cookie grand champion went to Prime Time Toddlers for M&M cookies tied with Thomas Gibson and blackberry cookies; reserve was Ana Toledo and Weston Ramey with chocolate chip.
For ice creams, Aimee Snyder was grand champion with coffee toffee. Tennessee Richardson was reserve with blueberry mascarpone. For youth ice creams, Michael McGee was grand champion with strawberry cheesecake, and Layton Harrigan was reserve with 250 America.
In the miscellaneous category, Sharon Perry was grand champion for candy coconut balls; Karla Guiterrez-Ruiz was reserve with banana bread. For youth miscellaneous, Faith McGee was grand champion with caramel strawberry cheesecake; Gunner Denman was reserve with tres leches cake.
For nonresidents, Linda Crum was grand champion with pineapple upside down cake; Francis Sarace was reserve with apple pie.
In cheesecakes, Joey Zikor took grand champion with red, white and blue cheesecake; Maria Camacho was reserve with a classic cheesecake.
“We had 87 entries for an all-time record,” Alexander said. “About 310 people enjoyed dessert before dinner. Dessert first,” she said July 12, the morning after.
