Lambrecht is Miss New Ulm

Younger sister follows in older sister's

footsteps; contest draws record numbers

By KURT NESBITT

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- They came, they saw, they cheered -- and then they danced.

A record number of people turned up to see a record number of candidates for the annual Miss New Ulm Contest Saturday night.

The contest was held as a part of the annual New Ulm Firefighters' Ball at the New Ulm Civic Center.

A total of 37 candidates came out on the arms of New Ulm firefighters during the grand march into the arena.

"It's pride in the community," said New Ulm ambassador and emcee Bob Beussman. "Or at least I hope it's pride in the community because we've got one of the best communities in the nation."

National pride was an underlying theme of the dance and the contest as the archway was adorned with photographs of New York City firefighters hoisting the American flag, old New Ulm firefighting gear and portraits of the department's present roster.

Each candidate held a small American flag in her hand during the grand march and each escort wore a lapel pin with the silhouette of a firefighter against the image of the World Trade Center towers in tribute to the third anniversary of Sept. 11, 2001.

During the ceremony, Beussman asked the candidates to take two steps forward, turn around and "give some applause to one of the finest fire departments in the United States of America." The crowd, too, got on its feet in applauding the New Ulm firefighters.

At the end of the ceremony, Tessa Lambrecht was crowned Miss New Ulm 2004, following in the footsteps of her older sister Mary, who won the title in 2002.

Heather Milbrett and Shannon Russell were chosen as the first and second princesses respectively.

Earlier in the day, the candidates met with four judges from La Crosse, Wis., who oversaw interviews with each candidate as well as a dinner and a scavenger hunt along with impromptu questioning.

The coronation ends the reign of Kristen Neigebauer, Miss New Ulm 2003, and her two princesses, Lacy Stolt and Tana Lamm. All three members of the court handed off their crowns and sashes, hugging their 2004 successors as Beussman read their names.

"This is wild," said Lambrecht. "That's about all I can say."

Lambrecht, whose older sister Mary was Miss New Ulm in 2002, said she decided to enter the contest because she had wanted to do it ever since she was a little girl.

Candidates are required to be in between 17 and 26 years old and live in New Ulm or attend one of the schools in the New Ulm area to qualify for the contest.