Alexis Jolly Crowned Miss Pettis County 2025

19-year-old Alexis Jolly of Hughesville was crowned Miss Pettis County last night at the Smithton Town & Country Fair.

Jolly was crowned by Miss Pettis County 2024, Keely Elwell.

She will be a sophomore this fall at Northwest University of Maryville, where she will study early childhood education. Alexis will go on to compete in the Missouri State Fair queen competition Aug. 7 in Sedalia.

KSIS Radio spoke with Queen Alexis last night after her she was crowned Miss Pettis County.

It’s something that I’m just really passionate about,” Jolly said when asked about her talent portion of the program. “It’s not so much a talent as it is advocating. My whole family are farmers, I’m surrounded by farmers, I myself am a farmer. And mental health is a big topic for me. Struggling with it in the past. And advocating for the people who provide our food is really important to me.”

Jolly said that her success in delivering her speech Thursday night was due to her high school advisor Shelby Bagnell, who helped Jolly develop her speaking skills.

“I did interviews in high school, and so without her training me, essentially, I wouldn’t have been able to perform as I did tonight,” Jolly told KSIS.

Her long-term goal after she graduates college is to take over her family’s farm, which is on track to become a Century Farm in 2027. The Jollys raise row crops and Angus cattle there.

Running a farm takes a lot of dedication and hard work, something that Queen Alexis is not afraid of.

“No, I just kind of grew up in it,” she said. “So when you grow up on the farm in that kind of setting, you know, it’s an old saying, you never really work day in your life if you do what you love.”

In addition, Jolly is currently a day care teacher, “and the day care is kind of stealing my heart,” Jolly admitted. So she will have to decide if she stays with the day care or switch over to a public school setting.

“I have four nieces and nephews, so its tarted really early, then I was an Ag On The Move Teacher my senior year (at Northwest High) so my love of kids has always been there,” she said.

Queen Alexis beat out three other contestants for the title of Miss Pettis County. All were between 17 and 22 years of age.

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Also crowned Thursday night in the old gym at Smithton High School was the winner of Junior Miss Pettis County or Princess (ages 11-16) and Little Miss Pettis County (ages 5-10).

Quinn Hammond, age 6, daughter of Daylan and Jessica Hammond, from Smithton, was crowned Little Miss Pettis County 2025. Quinn will be in the first grade at Smithton Elementary this fall.

Bryleigh Jo Bird, age 11, was crowned Junior Miss Pettis County. She is the daughter of Tim and Katlyn Bird of Sedalia. Bryleigh attends Smithton School and will be entering sixth grade this fall.

Official portraits were taken afterwards by Scarlett Lens Photography.

The 2025 Smithton Town & Country Fair continues with a parade tonight starting at 6:30 p.m.

This year the grand marshals are Bob Bremer and the Smithton Lady Tigers Soccer Team. Bremer is a long time Smithton native and huge supporter of the fair. He will be pulling the Smithton Lady Tigers Soccer Team. This soccer team made school history and was the first girls soccer team to make it to state.

Friday night activities also include a car show, a petting zoo, bounce houses, pedal pull, kids games, adult games, a “chicken catch,” a corn-on-the-cob eating contest and live music from Fred Kennedy.

There will also be a DJ named Tarl Bentley, starting at 9 p.m.

On Saturday, the following activities are planned:

8 a.m. – Livestock Show

8 a.m. – BBQ Contest begins

11 a.m. – Cornhole Tournament begins

2:30 p.m. – Poker Run begins

2 p.m. – Wine & Bingo

4:30 p.m. – Pies need to be turned in

4 p.m. – Auditions for Smithton Idol

5 p.m. – Baby Contest

6 p.m. – Husband Calling Contest

6:30 p.m. – Chicken Catch