Maybe if the men who sit along the parade route in their pickup trucks were enlisted to participate in a `Beefcake in a Speed-O' contest, Nephi and the Ute Stampede Committee would see how foolish and denigrating this tradition is and put a stop to a practice that should have ended 20 years ago," said Paystrup. "Obviously, the girls who participate in the bathing-beauty contest are as intelligent, resourceful, and talented as the girls who choose not to participate, and as long as there is a contest, there will be entrants," said Paystrup. Why then, are so many of our bathing beauties seminary graduates? Is it all right to have a double standard if it's maintaining a tradition?" asked Paystrup. The bathing-beauty pageant is the nemesis of this teaching. "This is also a community whose dominant religion emphasizes purity, modesty and education for youth. "Is it any wonder that women are devalued and treated as objects by some men?" "Why do we persist in flaunting and parading our young women's bodies to a stream of catcalls and whistles?" asked Paystrup. She did not mean to insult any winner of the contest but did want the Ute Stampede to reconsider the practice. "I guess I rocked the boat," she said Thursday about the letter she had written which has caused a flood of controversy and prompted a number of letters to the editor in Wednesday's edition - the second edition of the local paper to appear since her letter was printed. "Unfortunately, it continues to thrive, and I can keep silent no longer." "For a long time I have remained silent in the hopes that the yearly Ute Stampede bathing-beauty contest would die a quiet death from natural causes," she wrote. In a letter to the editor, Kelly Paystrup, Levan, protested. Prizes are offered to the top five winners - from $55 to $125 for first place. Young women enter the contest, ride down Main Street clad in bathing suits, and then model those suits before judges and an audience at the city park to win a cash prize. In 1950 the revue was changed to the bathing beauty parade that continues to this day. There isn't a donkey baseball game - although there are baseball games.īut the rodeo and the "Bathing Girl Revue" have continued. Gone are the boxing matches, circus and horse races. There was also a donkey baseball game, a street circus featuring daredevils, a horse race, a band festival, and a mammoth parade with a $100 prize and, of course, the rodeo. The day also featured a big boxing match featuring Jackie Burke of Ogden and Carl O'Gara, Nephi. In fact, the first "Bathing Girl Revue" was held as part of the stampede in 1938 at 7 p.m. The tradition is only a few years younger than the Ute Stampede itself - now in its 59th year. This year the Lions Club sponsored the event - other years other service clubs have sponsored the contest - on a turn basis, although the prize money is given by the stampede committee. There was some controversy a few years ago when skimpy suits began to be popular, but the Ute Stampede Committee handled the problem and made the rules more strict. "I tell them if it hangs out, the girl should be eliminated." "I've tried to bring some class to the contest and to improve it."The contest is open to young women, single, ages 16 to 26, who wear one-piece bathing suits, which must be modestly cut.īikini swimsuits are not allowed, and Jensen said she tells the judges to eliminate those suits that are not in keeping with standards set. Judy Jensen, organizer of the contest for the Lions Club, said she was surprised by the criticism. And though the scrawl will eventually become faded, bleached bone white by the cruel sun, it always would have contained the sender's desires, misgivings, insights, prejudices, insecurities, sadness, joy, and goodwill.Several Nephi women have rocked the tradition boat - they don't like the bathing beauty contest held as part of the Ute Stampede. Its existence akin to that proverbial tree falling in a deserted forest, or, to make a little bit of a transposition here, a pebble hurled into the humanly void that is the ocean. So there then it will be, afloat on the high seas, no destination of note, no addressee of note, no citizenship papers or, for that matter, banknotes to guarantee its safe passage. Just a mere act, of one person, in solitude, in isolation, in exile. Nary a terrifying beautiful face that could be blamed for its launch. No next of kin, no cheers, no best wishes. No dignitaries, no bathing beauties, no beefcakes either. So there then, a whimper of a maiden voyage. Given the vast number of blogs out there, this undoubtedly is like sending a message in a bottle:
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