Miss Arkansas USA
The Miss Arkansas USA competition, previously known as Miss Arkansas Universe, is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Arkansas in the Miss USA pageant and the name of the title held by that winner.
The state pageant was directed by Premier Pageants from 2002 to 2007 before becoming part of the Vanbros organization, headquartered in Lenexa, Kansas. In 2007, Vanbros has chosen Bentonville, Arkansas as the new host city of the pageant and will be extending the competition from one day to three in the hopes of encouraging more contestants. Other host cities for the pageant have included Little Rock, Magnolia and West Memphis.
The only Miss Arkansas USA to win the Miss USA title is Terri Utley of Cabot in 1982. Five Miss Arkansas USA titleholders were former Miss Arkansas Teen USA titleholders who competed at Miss Teen USA. The most recent placement was Savannah Skidmore in 2019 placed in the Top 5, the state's highest placement since 1982.
Haley Rose Pontius of Conway was crowned Miss Arkansas USA 2020 on November 17, 2019 at The Fort Smith Convention Center in Fort Smith. She will represent Arkansas for the title of Miss USA 2020.
Results summary
Placements
- Miss USA: Terri Utley
- 1st runner-up: Margaret Haywood
- 2nd runner-up: Nancy McCollum
- Top 5: Savannah Skidmore
- Top 10: Chanley Painter, Abby Floyd
- Top 15/16: Jineane Marie Ford, Helen Garrott, Donna Needham, Ann Smithwick , Mary Dial, Jessica Furrer, Adrielle Churchill, Kelsey Dow
Awards
- Miss Photogenic: Jennifer Sherrill
Winners
| Year | Name | Hometown | Age1 | Placement at Miss USA | Special awards at Miss USA | Notes |
| 2020 | Haley Pontius | Conway | 23 | TBA | TBA | Previously International Junior Miss 2017 & Miss Teen International 2013 |
| 2019 | Savannah Skidmore | Calico Rock | 23 | Top 5 | Previously Miss Arkansas 2016 after Savvy Shields was crowned Miss America 2017 | |
| 2018 | Lauren Weaver | Greenwood | 21 | Previously Miss Arkansas Teen USA 2014 | ||
| 2017 | Arynn Johnson | Hot Springs | 19 | Previously Miss Arkansas Teen USA 2015 & semi-finalist at Miss Teen USA 2015 | ||
| 2016 | Abby Floyd | Searcy | 19 | Top 10 |
| |
| 2015 | Leah Blefko | Fayetteville | 21 | |||
| 2014 | Helen Wisner | Fayetteville | 25 | |||
| 2013 | Hannah Billingsley | Franklin | 22 | Married to Shay Mooney of Dan + Shay | ||
| 2012 | Kelsey Dow | Jonesboro | 21 | Top 16 | ||
| 2011 | Lakynn McBride | White Hall | 20 | |||
| 2010 | Adrielle Churchill | Dover | 24 | Top 15 | Former National Sweetheart 2005 | |
| 2009 | Chanley Painter | Conway | 24 | Top 10 | ||
| 2008 | Rachel Howells | Alma | 21 | |||
| 2007 | Kelly George | Sherwood | 24 | Contestant at National Sweetheart 2004 as Miss Maryland | ||
| 2006 | Kimberly Forsyth | Cabot | 26 | |||
| 2005 | Jessica Furrer | Conway | 22 | Top 15 | ||
| 2004 | Jennifer Sherrill | Sherwood | 19 | Miss Photogenic | ||
| 2003 | Taylor Carlisle | Jacksonville | 21 | |||
| 2002 | Amber Boatman | Norphlet | 23 | |||
| 2001 | Jessie Davis | Harrison | ||||
| 2000 | Whitney Moore | Cabot | 22 | |||
| 1999 | Allison Heavener | |||||
| 1998 | Kami Tice | Huntsville | ||||
| 1997 | Tamara Henry | Little Rock | 25 | |||
| 1996 | Tiffany Parks | 20 | Previously Miss Arkansas Teen USA 1993 | |||
| 1995 | Kristen Bettis | |||||
| 1994 | Hannah Hilliard | Little Rock | ||||
| 1993 | Kati Fish | Hot Springs | ||||
| 1992 | Jona Garner | |||||
| 1991 | Angela Rockwell | |||||
| 1990 | Kathryn Harris | Pine Bluff | 18 | |||
| 1989 | Paige Yandell | Greenwood | Previously Miss Arkansas Teen USA 1987 | |||
| 1988 | Melissa Staples | Calion | Previously Miss Arkansas Teen USA 1984 | |||
| 1987 | Sheri Smeltzer | Smackover | ||||
| 1986 | Rhonda Blaylock | Springdale | ||||
| 1985 | Susan Dean | Osceola | ||||
| 1984 | Shelly Boyd | Manila | ||||
| 1983 | Debra Baltz | Paris | ||||
| 1982 | Terri Utley | Cabot | 20 | Miss USA 1982 | 4th runner-up at Miss Universe 1982 | |
| 1981 | Lynnanne Derryberry | Jerusalem | ||||
| 1980 | Susie Owens | Jacksonville | ||||
| 1979 | Cynthia Caldwell | Jacksonville | ||||
| 1978 | Donna Funderburk | El Dorado | ||||
| 1977 | Debra Duree | Texarkana | ||||
| 1976 | Sonia Kay Jines | Conway | ||||
| 1975 | Robin Fields | Hot Springs | ||||
| 1974 | Gina Huddle | |||||
| 1973 | Christal Phiffer | Texarkana | ||||
| 1972 | Susan Tichenor | Pine Bluff | 21 | |||
| 1971 | Paula Keith | Little Rock | 20 | |||
| 1970 | Mary Dial | Malvern | 21 | Semi-finalist | ||
| 1969 | Leonette Reed | |||||
| 1968 | Ann Smithwick | Jacksonville | 19 | Semi-finalist | ||
| 1967 | Katy Wurst | Fort Smith | 19 | |||
| 1966 | Peggy Jones | |||||
| 1965 | Jeri Haynie | El Dorado | ||||
| 1964 | Barbara McGlothlin | |||||
| 1963 | Cheryl Bechtelheimer | 2nd runner up at Miss American Beauty 1964 | ||||
| 1962 | Linda Riggan | Leola | ||||
| 1961 | Mickey Lambert | |||||
| 1960 | Gene Chambers | |||||
| 1959 | Donna Needham | Semi-finalist | ||||
| 1958 | Nancy Hill | |||||
| 1957 | Helen Garrott | Semi-finalist | ||||
| 1956 | Nancy McCollum | 2nd runner-up | ||||
| 1955 | Margaret Haywood | Jonesboro | 1st runner-up | Miss World United States 1955, 1st runner up at Miss World 1955 as Miss USA; 2nd runner-up Miss Dixie 1955 | ||
| 1954 | Jineane Marie Ford | Semi-finalist | ||||
| 1953 | Jackie Stucker | |||||
| 1952 | Barbara Wathen |