Derby Festival crowns 2023 Queen

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - With the traditional spin of a wheel, Mahshad Taheri of Louisville was named the 2023 Kentucky Derby Festival Queen, according to a release.

Taheri was crowned during the 64th annual Fillies Derby Ball at the Louisville Marriott Downtown.

Taheri is a senior at UofL with a major in Finance. She is a Jones Scholar, a SHPEP Scholar, a Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation Scholar, a founder of the Middle Eastern North African Student Organization, a volunteer for Kentucky Refugee Ministries, a mentor for College Mentors for Kids and works for the Admissions Office and Campus Housing Department at UofL.

Chosen each year as ambassadors for the Kentucky Derby Festival, the Royal Court is made up of outstanding young women from around the state.

Selected from a pool of nearly 100 applicants, the newly crowned Queen and the Court will attend nearly all events during the Festival, according to the release. They will help share the Derby Festival spirit, as well as the importance of academics, volunteerism and community involvement.

Each woman receives three $1,000 scholarships and an official wardrobe, according to the release.

Many have said that their Derby Festival experience helped them prepare for their future careers.