By Kari Lucin, staff writer

Area residents headed to the Freeborn County Fair Sunday afternoon to strut their stuff on stage as part of the talent show.

Six pre-teens, three teen acts and six acts featuring people over 18 participated in the show,

playing to an entertainment stage packed with spectators.

Though some performers had more trouble than others &045; one slipped while getting onto the stage, one had her accompaniment turn off before the song ended and one couldn’t face the crowd &045; every one of them recovered and went on to please the crowd.

Betsy Wagner, 8, did a jazz dance, and though she didn’t win, she said she had fun anyway &045; despite a scary moment when her accompanying CD skipped. Betsy recovered and kept dancing.

Her sister Addie Wagner, 11, tap-danced and won second place in the pre-teen division, competing against first place winner Macy Paul, 12, who sang &8220;I Enjoy Being a Girl,&8221; and singer Kayln Stensrud, 12, who sang &8220;Help Pour Out the Rain.&8221;

The most unusual act in the pre-teen division was Rachael and Tyler Osmonson’s hula hoop demonstration. Tyler handed Rachael hula hoops and Rachael, 10, kept them going while adding more, moving them to her knees, waist and both arms. Tyler also hulaed.

Spectator Marisa Olson watched the show to see her brother, Trevor Bordelon. Bordelon and Cody Nelson took first place in the teen division singing and playing Sister Hazel’s &8220;It’s All for You.&8221;

&8220;He’s a really good singer,&8221; Olson said. &8220;My brother goes on the Internet and looks up songs. He practices a lot with his friends, like every day.&8221;

Judges Celeste Krause and Max Krause seemed to agree when they awarded the boys first prize.

Alina Freshour, 13, nearly didn’t make it onto the stage, but at the last minute she gathered up the courage to perform. The

crowd encouraged her, and many people could be heard saying &8220;You can do it!&8221; as they cheered her on and later clapped to her singing.

In the open division, Karen Johnsrud and Melody Randall took third place for their streamer dance act, and Molly Wagner won second prize for a guitar-and-vocal solo &8220;When You Say Nothing at All.&8221;

Angela Jensen, 19, of Albert Lea won first prize for her rendition of &8220;Last Words,&8221; an original song she co-wrote. Her powerhouse voice encouraged the crowd to &8220;Take this life, grab onto it and run, to the highest of mountains, the biggest of dreams.&8221;

The crowd’s response was warm for those who didn’t win either, and the judges’ tallies must have been close. Jamie Marx’s &8220;Me and Bobby McGee&8221; seemed to bring Janis Joplin right back to life in Freeborn County, and Amber Marx held the crowd’s attention with Melissa Etheridge’s &8220;I’m the Only One.&8221; Lindsey Anderson of Hartland played the guitar and sang SheDaisy’s &8220;Without a Song.&8221;

First place winners got $75 and a chance to go to the Minnesota State Fair. Second place winners received $60, and third-place winners got $50.