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As the new year of 1948 approached, Wisconsinites were anticipating the State’s Centennial Celebration. In preparation for this event, the state sports committee sponsored thirteen Winter Sports Carnivals across the state. The primary purpose of the carnivals was to select young women from around the state to vie for the title of Winter Queen. Of the thirteen cities selected in December of 1947, Ashland, Antigo, Wausau, and Rhinelander were chosen to represent the Northwoods. Although the sports committee would finance only the beauty pageant, the cities were encouraged to hold a full slate of sporting events, which most did.
The competition that took place at the January 1948 Winter Carnival produced a multi-year champion in youth sled dog racing. She was an eight-year-old sled dog racer who succeeded in drawing some of the attention away from the beauty pageant.