WWW arkcity.net

Chrissy Mauzey click image to enlarge

By STU OSTERTHUN
Traveler Correspondent

Chrissy Mauzey remembers the Arkalalah Queen's Coronation five years ago very well. Her sister Nellie was a finalist.

"I remember it being like a fairy tale in all the movies you see," said Chrissy, a Cowley College sophomore. "All of the queen candidates were out there dancing and pretty. They were very elegant all dressed up with their crowns. Everything was very princess-like. It was really neat, and it was a good show. My dad joked that it would be funny if he had both of his girls up there as finalists."

It's no joke as Mauzey is one of five finalists for Queen Alalah LXXIV, to be crowned at 8 p.m. Oct. 28, in the Robert Brown Theatre on the college's Arkansas City campus.

Mauzey, a 2004 graduate of Arkansas City High School, is the daughter of Kenny and Pat Mauzey. The pre-veterinary major is the granddaughter of Bill and Irene Vernon, of Siloam Springs, Ark. An aunt, Linda Mauzey, lives in Arkansas City.

Mauzey, 19, is a student ambassador, is secretary of Phi Theta Kappa, and is a member of the Math and Science Club. Off campus, she works about 25 hours per week at Ark Vet Associates on East Kansas Avenue. She's a kennel technician, assists the veterinarians, and performs clerical duties. Mauzey was in physics class when she was presented her rose, signifying that she was a finalist.

"After I talked to (queen candidates) Sarah (Coury) and Ashley (Bland), they said they didn't know who the fifth person was," Mauzey said. "When Melissa (Hollister) brought that rose in and walked across the room, I thought it was for the girl sitting next to me.

"I was kind of stunned. I couldn't say anything."

As youngsters, Mauzey and her sister participated in many of the Arkalalah activities, including the wheelbarrow race and the three-legged race down Summit Street.

"I remember one time we were winning the wheelbarrow race, Nellie was pushing me, and I couldn't go as fast as she was pushing," Chrissy said. "We lost and she blamed me. We always participated in that. It was so much fun."

There won't be any three-legged races this year for Mauzey as she underwent knee surgery in late September.

"I hope I can walk," she said. "The biggest thing on my mind will be that everything goes smoothly. I hope everyone who wants to be there gets to see it."

Mauzey said she tries to visit all of the food vendors, but the parades are her favorite part of Arkalalah.

"I've been in the parades a lot," she said. "I was in French Club in high school, and our float took second and third. That was so much fun building the float, putting our ideas together. I loved that. Other years, when I wasn't in the parade, I would sit back and watch. I love parades."

She also loves Cowley College. Graduating from ACHS, Mauzey had opportunities to go elsewhere.

"But I knew I was coming to Cowley," she said. "For one, my mom works here, and two, I was able to play volleyball (as a freshman). It's close to home, and I've built a lot of things at home that I wanted to continue to enjoy."

Mauzey said her experience at Cowley has helped prepare her for the future.

"I'm very pleased," she said. "I've done well in my classes. They aren't too big to where the teacher forgets about you. It's a totally different step from high school. Everybody, when they're young, wants to get out of town. To them, it's boring. I've had many friends say they wish they could just come home. And a lot of them do transfer back at the semester.

"I also looked at the cost aspect, both for myself and my parents. At Cowley, I'm getting a great education at a great price."

Mauzey said she's made better use of her time since high school.

"My days have gotten busier, so I can use my time better," Mauzey said. "I've grown and become more of an adult."

When Mauzey was a third-grader at IXL Elementary, she knew what she wanted to do when she grew up.

"Automatically, I knew I wanted to be a veterinarian," she said. "I researched it and I found out there are eight years of college after high school. But in my mind, that's what I wanted to be. I want to help animals."

Mauzey loves all animals, but she's most passionate about horses. She has four.

"I couldn't ever give them up," she said.

Her first horse, a paint named Reba, was a bit of a wild three-year-old when Mauzey got her. Breaking her taught both the horse and Mauzey valuable lessons.

"I got thrown a lot," Mauzey said. "Dad didn't get a saddle until I learned to ride her bareback. I went through nine months of her rearing up and tired of being messed with. That taught me to get back up and keep going."

Reba has given birth twice. Her colts are two-year-old Tipper and five-month-old Rio. Mauzey bought another horse, a four-year-old named Rusty, to join the crowd. Now, Mauzey has turned some of her attention to dogs.

"I have three dogs and do basic training with them," she said. "When I got started, I put my dog, Molly, into a training clinic. After eight weeks, she did everything on cue on graduation day."

Mauzey said she planned to transfer to either Kansas State or Oklahoma State, both with high-ranking veterinary schools.

"This is horse country, and my ultimate goal is to come back to this area and have my own clinic facilitated for small animals and horse reproduction," Mauzey said. "I want to have at least two other doctors working for me. It will be huge."

So, too, is the Arkalalah Festival.

"It's not about winning, but being a part of it," Mauzey said. "It's a celebration of Ark City. We want to show people that this is a fun town. This is our Mardi Gras, our time to celebrate."