Curran to compete in Miss USA contest
SHEFFIELD/KEWANEE — The granddaughter of a Sheffield couple has been named Miss Iowa USA and will compete this spring in the internationally televised Miss USA pageant.
Abbey Curran, the granddaughter of Jack and Wink Barry of Sheffield, was named Miss Iowa USA in late November from a field of 24 contestants. The 20-year-old Kewanee native is a sophomore at St. Ambrose University in Davenport, where she majors in public relations. Becoming Miss Iowa USA and competing in the Miss USA pageant is not a dream come true, it’s been bigger than her dreams, Curran said.
“This is an amazing, surreal experience for me,” Curran said. “I never thought I’d make it this far. Ever since I made it into the Top 10 at the Miss Iowa USA pageant, I haven’t stopped smiling.”
Curran describes herself as a determined young woman.
“I’m definitely a huge risk taker,” Curran said. “Ever since I was a little girl I wanted to be in a pageant like Miss USA or Miss America. Some people told me I shouldn’t try because I have cerebral palsy. I guess it is ironic to see someone with physical challenges in a beauty pageant. But I didn’t let that stop me.”
Curran, who has had cerebral palsy since birth, entered her first pageant, Miss Henry County Fair, as a high school freshman. She made it to the finals twice at the county pageants and was named Miss World Festival in Kewanee, in 2005.
At last November’s Miss Iowa USA pageant, Curran was judged in evening gown and swimsuit competitions, as well as interviews with the judges. Because of her cerebral palsy, Curran sometimes has balance difficulties and was given an escort for portions of the pageant.
Though the Miss USA pageant is on the spring horizon for Curran, she also has another pageant set for next summer, a pageant which is near and dear to her heart. In 2004, Curran established the “Miss You Can Do It” pageant for girls and women who have special needs. The pageant, for ages 5 to 25, has four age divisions, Little Miss, Teen, Miss and Ms.
“The Miss You Can Do It pageant is just like a regular pageant, with escorts for the contestants,” Curran said “I want these girls to know they don’t have to be afraid to compete or to try out for something they want. I want them to know they can dream big, and their dreams can come true.”
Curran said her dream is to encourage all people, with cerebral palsy or any other challenge, to live a life of courage.
“There are some people who don’t have any physical challenges, and they still won’t step up to the plate and swing the bat,” Curran said. “I want to help people believe they can achieve their goals.”
Curran also has some personal long-term goals she wants to achieve, like becoming a commercial pilot and a motivational keynote speaker.
For the near future, Curran is focusing on enjoying her three week break from college and then preparing for the Miss USA pageant. There’s not much she’ll be doing differently in preparation for the national pageant, just continuing her work-outs and trying to stay away from ice cream, she said. She won’t be working with a lot of pageant coaches who try to make her into someone she’s not.
“I figure if they want Abbey Curran, then I’ll just be Abbey Curran,” she said. “I’ll be the best Abbey Curran I can be.”
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