Ballerina Farm’s Hannah Neeleman Passes on Mrs. American Title to New Winner

Hannah Neeleman, known to her nearly 20 million followers on Instagram and TikTok as Ballerina Farm, handed over her Mrs. American Crown on Tuesday.

The Utah-based beauty queen and influencer, 34, was in Las Vegas at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino to relinquish her title to Heidi Stephens, who is Mrs. Washington.

‘As Mrs. American, I am filled with gratitude and joy to have been able to be a part of this journey,’ Neeleman said in a clip aired during the event, according to People. ‘What a year it has been.’

Trained at The Juilliard School in New York City, the accomplished ballet dancer expressed her gratitude towards her husband, Daniel Neeleman, and their eight children.

‘I am deeply and forever grateful for the unwavering support of my husband Daniel and our children, Henry, Charles, George, Francis, Lois, Martha, Mabel, and Flora,’ she said. ‘Your love and encouragement have been my greatest strength.’

In an Instagram Stories clip on Mrs. American’s official account, Neeleman, dressed in a red gown with her crown and sash, spoke about the event’s agenda.

‘OK, tonight is the night that I will be crowning the new Mrs. American,’ she said. ‘Big day today.’

She mentioned the events she was scheduled to attend, including the swimsuit competition, evening gown competition, state costume competition, naming of the top 15 finalists, and crowning of the winner.

Earlier on Tuesday, Neeleman shared a montage of clips from the past pageant and her current trip to Las Vegas on her Instagram account.

‘Tonight I will be handing off the title as Mrs. American. What a year,’ she captioned the post.

Stephens, representing Washington state, won first place in the pageant, while contestants from Colorado and Utah finished second and third, respectively.

Neeleman made her initial return to the Mrs. American pageant in Vegas on Saturday, a year after winning the title while 20 weeks pregnant with her eighth child.

Over the weekend, she took to Instagram Stories to share her journey as she prepared for the event where she would crown her successor.

‘OK, tonight is the night that I will be crowning the new Mrs. American… big day today,’ said Neeleman in a clip on Instagram Stories.

Another post on her Instagram showed her journey getting ready for the event, from starting the day with a fresh face for rehearsal to documenting her final look featuring full glam, a white button-up top, a gold pleated skirt, and her ‘Mrs. American’ sash and crown.

Neeleman shared a sweet video with her baby Flora. Another clip showed her out shopping with her baby, her two daughters, and her mom. She also posted a photo of a souvenir yearbook featuring her stunning image as Mrs. American.

Despite all the glamour, Neeleman admitted that being a mom was her favorite “look” of the week. She posted a snap of herself with her baby strapped to her chest, writing, ‘Out of all the “looks” I have this week… This one is always my favorite. Just a mom, ya know?’

The entrepreneur famously won the 2023 Mrs. American pageant, during which married state title holders from across America compete for the top title. She was 20 weeks pregnant with her eighth child at the time.

She later competed in Mrs. World 12 days after giving birth to Flora. In a recent Instagram clip, Hannah addressed an article by the Times of London that scrutinized her traditional farming lifestyle and marriage.

‘A couple of weeks ago, we had a reporter come into our home to learn more about our family and business,’ Hannah said. ‘We thought the interview went really well. We were taken [aback], however, when we saw the printed article – which shocked us, and shocked the world by it being an attack on my family and my marriage.’

‘This couldn’t be further from the truth,’ she clarified, noting she believes the profile’s angle was predetermined. ‘Together we have built a business from scratch. We’ve brought eight children into this world and have prioritized our marriage all along the way.’

Hannah moved to New York City at 17 to study ballet at Juilliard, where she met her husband, Daniel. The couple often share glimpses of their idyllic life on social media, posting as @BallerinaFarm, the name of their company which they launched in 2019. It sells various products made from their livestock, including meat, desserts, and produce.

Neeleman has amassed millions of followers on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube from her ‘Trad Wife’ content, which promotes traditional domestic duties like cooking, cleaning, and raising children.

At the end of her video responding to the article, Hannah assured viewers, ‘We are co-parents, co-CEOs, co-diaper changers, kitchen cleaners, and decision makers; we are one.’

Source: Daily Mail