By Toni Frederick From winnfm

Miss St. Kitts Pernelle Abraham dominated the 2013 Haynes Smith Caribbean Talented Teen Pageant winning four of the five segments (Photo by T. Frederick)

St. Kitts and Nevis (WINN):  History was made in the early hours of Tuesday morning, when St. Kitts’ representative was for the third year in a row, named the Miss Haynes Smith Caribbean Talented Teen.

Pernelle Abraham dominated the pageant winning four of the five segments: Ambassadorial Appearance, Talent, Production and Evening wear.  With a total of 745 points, she pulled out nearly 50 points ahead of the First Runner Up.

Pernelle’s red, gold and green Ambassadorial wear cascaded behind her in a gathered flamenco-style skirt with a fitted bodice.  She wore a dramatic red, gold and green head dress that framed her face, fanning out in a circle of vibrant feathers.  She spoke confidently about St. Kitts and Nevis accomplishments in its 30 years of sovereignty.

Miss St. Kitts shone in an energetic dance production number, in which the contestants all dressed as super woman, were joined by the outgoing Miss Caribbean Talented Teen Junika Berry.

In the talent segment Pernelle played the piano as she soulfully sand Jessie J’s Who You Are, depicting a young girl casting off the accoutrements and unrealistic expectations of a glamourous lifestyle.  The number not only highlighted her musical abilities, but her broad vocal range; her voice lifting and falling, sometimes deep and soulful, other times soft and almost weightless.

The fresh-faced, dimple-cheeked Abraham wowed in the Eveningwear segment wearing a full-skirted gown which featured a fitted, sweetheart neckline, one shouldered pink bodice, encrusted with silver sequins.  The skirt swept to her ankles in multiple scalloped-edged chiffon layers, the pink transitioning through fuchsia, to coral to pale tangerine, a sprinkle of sequins capturing the light as she moved gracefully across the stage.

It was a competition that saw both St. Kitts and Nevis placing in the top spots, and saw a tie for Second Runner Up.

Seventeen year Miss Nevis, Irveeka Nisbett tied with Miss Montserrat, 16 year old Vanice Tuitt.  The two beauties each scored 693 points.  Just two points behind, was 18 year old Jasmine Laville representing Dominica.  Captured the First Runner Up position with 696.5 points was Barbados’ Heidi Barrow.

At Monday night’s show, 18 year old Josselle Fisher of Jamaica, won the interview segment, with her confident and eloquent response to a question about the her country’s African heritage.

But Monday night belonged to youngest contestant in this year’s competition, Miss St. Kitts who is just fourteen years old.

Monday night’s show hosted at the Sugar Mill did not draw as big a crowd as recent years, and two contestants: Miss Trinidad and Tobago and Miss Guyana were unable to make the trip.  The announced emcee, Grenadian comedian Fat Man George was also a no show, reportedly having run into travel delays.  Clement ‘Monarch’ O’Garro stepped in to co-host with Naheemah Hazelle.

But the scaled down show and the smaller turn out did not dampen the enthusiasm of those who attended.  All of the contestants received warm and often enthusiastic responses from the audience.

For more on this story go to:

http://www.winnfm.com/news/local/6751-miss-st-kitts-dominates-caribbean-talented-teen-pageant