Jordan Collins, 19, of Maidstone, Ont. was chosen as the 2006 Youth Talent Search Winner at the final competition held last night at the Western Fair in London. Judges Denise Pelley, Andrew Petrasiunas and Donna Peterson gave Jordan’s untitled drum solo top score as the best performance from the field of 12 finalists. Jordan wins $1,000 and the right to represent London and the Southwest Ontario Zone at the Canadian Association of Exhibitions annual Youth Talent National Competition to be held in Edmonton on November 16. He was selected to perform at the Western Fair from a preliminary competition held on July 9 at the Essex (Ont) Fun Fest.
Sisters Shari, 19, & Natasha, 15, Meister of London, won the runner-up title and $500 with their duet of “Proud Mary” which they sang and performed on piano & guitar. The Meister sisters entered the preliminary competition held at the Forest City Fun Day celebration in London on August, and were one of several acts chosen to advance to the Western Fair contest.
Other finalists, each winning $100, were: vocalists Yonatan Watts, Chelsea Haigh and Aubrey Wilson, representing Hamilton Folk Arts Festival, Laura Elligsen, representing the Bayfield Fair and Cassie Racine, from the Paris Fair; dance soloists Meghan Smart, representing Forest city Fun Day and Kourtney LaPointe, representing Woodstock Fair; dance group Ashley Robinson, Katelyn Landry and Meghan Vollebregt, chosen from Paris Fair and instrumental group, Red McPherson, who competed at the preliminary contest at Clinton Spring Fair.
In all, 264 acts from 17 preliminary competitions were represented at the Western Fair competition, which has been a tradition for youngsters ages 13 to 21 at the London fair since 1981.
In the Junior Competition for ages 6 to 12, vocalist Christina LeClair, of Brantford won the top prize of $150 for her rendition of “Cowboy’s Sweetheart”. Christina was chosen from the Paris Fair to go on to the Western Fair contest. Cassandra Hodgins, of London, who first entered at the Teeswater Fair, won $100 as first runner-up, singing “Cabaret”.
The final junior competition was held on Saturday, September 16. Judges were Nicole St. Pierre, Donna Creighton and Jennifer Swan.
