Las Vegas Weekly

November 9, 2009 · 1:30 PM

Photo Gallery: Newly crowned Miss Nevada USA is a familiar face

By Robin Leach

The 2010 Miss Nevada USA Pageant in Las Vegas on Nov. 7, 2009. The pageant after-party was at Prive in Planet Hollywood.

Photo: Georgina Vaughan

Congratulations to Julianna Erdesz, who has won the 2010 Miss Nevada USA Pageant. She was crowned over the weekend here in Las Vegas and will represent the Silver State in Donald Trump’s Miss USA Pageant to be broadcast live on NBC from Planet Hollywood next spring.

Julianna competed as Miss Nevada in last year’s Miss America Pageant at Planet Hollywood, which was won by Miss Indiana Katie Stam. Coincidentally, another competitor in this year’s Miss Nevada USA Pageant was former Miss Washington and Miss America Pageant runner-up Elyse Umemoto.

Elyse did not place in the Top Five in the Nevada pageant. Tahnee Harrison was first runner-up, Jennifer Yeager second runner-up, Leticia Castro third runner-up and Whitney Green fourth runner-up.

Last year’s winner, Georgina Vaughan, filed this report and sent the accompanying photos especially for Vegas DeLuxe:

“As I passed on my title as Miss Nevada USA 2009, it was a very bittersweet moment. I had worked so hard all year and had reached my goal, so passing on the title, I felt content with all that I had done but at the same time sad to let it go, as it was such an amazing chapter in my life.

“I got to come back to this year’s preliminary pageant, not only to co-host the show but also to teach the girls their walking patterns and mentor them backstage. I really got to know all of them. Luckily for me, the pressure was off, as I was no longer competing, but I was still nervous about whom I was going to crown. I really wanted to crown someone who I thought would take the title as seriously as I did, hold it with respect and kick butt at nationals.

“When Julianna Erdesz was crowned, I knew she would be a great fit for the title. She is mature, sweet, genuine and experienced as a former Miss Nevada America. After the pageant, a few of the contestants, Julianne and I headed to the pageant after-party at Prive in Planet Hollywood, where the pageant will be broadcast again next year. It was time to celebrate an amazing night!

“I know Julianna has a wonderful year ahead of her and now just a little over five months to get ready to compete for Miss USA 2010. I know she will do great! As for me, it’s a closing of an amazing chapter in my life and the beginning of an even better one!”

Thanks, Georgina, for your report and the candid photos.

Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground.

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