By DENISE FORSBERG

For the Pharos-Tribune

Among the singers in the talent show, held Monday at the Cass County 4-H Fair, was Madison Budka, a 4-year-old girl with braided pigtails and bright pink cowgirl hat.

“Mommy and Daddy picked out my hat,” she said.

All by herself, she sang one of her favorite songs, “Jesus Take the Wheel” by Carrie Underwood. She said she learned the song with the help of her “mommy, Auntie Nicole and the CD.”

“She’s been singing the song for three months,” said Madison’s mother, Shannon Heyneman.

The second annual talent show featured group dancers, individual dancers, a pianist and several solo singers of different ages.

Taking first place in the vocal competition was 11-year-old Megan Mannering, Kristen Johnson took top honors in the senior vocal solo division, Jimmy Hildebrandt won the instrumental competition, Sarah Fisher was first in the solo dance division and Brittany Davis won the senior solo dance division.

Among the prizes presented to the winners were free entry to the Indiana State Fair.

Madison was not nervous about singing in front of the crowd. As the show began, family members were cheering her on. They even received a hello wave from Madison at the beginning of her song.

Along with the remembering all the words to the song, she also added her own special touch of coordinating hand motions.

“I was not scared at all,” she said. “I liked it when everybody clapped for me.”

Family members voiced their pride in Madison’s stage presence.

“It’s only her third time in front of people,” said Sue Marsh, her grandma from Florida. “She’s got a lot of nerve.”

Cindy Hagen, Madison’s grandma, loves to hear her granddaughter sing.

“She sang at her Granny’s memorial last nigh, too,” said Hagen. She was able to sing the same song, allowing her to have additional practice for the show.

This was only her second show. The first was in Winamac, next to her Grandma Hagen’s house.

Madison has been singing for the last seven to eight months.

“She loves American Idol,” said her dad, Joe Budka. “She had to have every American Idol toy from McDonalds.”

Madison would like to sing on “American Idol” one day, but for now she just likes to sing, dance, spin and talk to people.