ROGER KASA/PLAINSMAN Two of the five pie contest winners were present Thursday night when the placings were announced. From left is Carolyn Bloodgood, Fair City Sertoma president, who presented the fourth- and fifth-place awards; Rachel Olsen, fifth place; and Elisabeth Olsen, first place. Not pictured are Fran Danforth, second; Lindsey Knobbie, third; and Lori Knobbie, fourth.

In one of the lowest turnouts in the 23-year history of the event, Elisabeth Olsen of Huron took first place in the 2008 Pie Baking Contest held in conjunction with the final family night program in Campbell Park Thursday night.

This was Olsen’s second win in the contest. Her winning pie this year was an apple pie.

Her sister, Rachel, took fifth in the contest making a peach raspberry pie. She has frequently entered the contest, taking first and third in prior years.

Second-place honors went to Fran Danforth, a retired Huron teacher, with a green apple pie. Lindsey Knobbie of Wessington Springs took third and Lori Knobbie of Wessington Springs, fourth. Lindsey entered a sour cream blueberry pie, while Lori made a strawberry rhubarb pie.

Elisabeth said it was late when she made her pie, getting help from another sister, Hannah, who cut and pealed the apples.

“I was surprised to learn I won,” she said. “I didn’t think the final product looked very good.”

Elisabeth, 22, is employed at Wal-Mart. Rachel, 18, is a homeschool graduate. She currently runs the state Republican Party headquarters in Huron.

Deannie LeRoux, Campbell Park Committee member and pie contest chairman, said she was disappointed in the turnout. “I don’t why the numbers were down this year,” she said. Last year, 40 pies were entered.

LeRoux said she got 13 pies donated — including six from Marlin’s, three from Ida Mays and two each from Marcella Larson and Marge Hansen.

Judges for the contest were Jerome Hertel, new State Fair manager; Ross Opsal, interim superintendent of schools at Huron; and Amey Stell, manager at Wal-Mart.

Brian Bergeleen and relatives provided entertainment for the final family night program of the season.

The first place winner in the pie contest received $100 in Huron Bucks, while second place was worth a year’s subscription to the Plainsman. The third place winner got $50 in Huron Bucks, all from the Plainsman.

The fourth- and fifth-place winners received free fundraiser tickets from Fair City Sertoma.