"I think the personality of the baby plays a bigger role than the cuteness of the baby," says Sutton, who notes that having her two daughters win baby contests were highlights in her life.
Sutton says when finding judges for the event, she tries to set some criteria for them. Two of the main scoring areas are cuteness and personality. She also strives to find three judges from outside Boyle County and diversity.
Sutton aids judges by giving them a form and a total number of points to score for each category.
"Otherwise, you are attracted to children who look like your children," she says, noting that she has seen where this factor results in all the winners having dark hair or all the winners being blond.
In addition to best personality, Ian's awards include best smile, most photogenic and best dressed. The 10-month-old's second tuxedo should arrive any day. At 30 pounds, he is ready for a larger suit from the company that supplies them for a fee of $150 to $250.
Goode predicts that his son, who was 231/2 inches long when mom, Beverly Wells, gave birth, will be tall. "He has to be a big boy because Daddy is almost 6', 5" and Mom's 6', 3"."
Goode, whose job is closing real estate loan transactions, often is the caregiver while mom works at O'Charley's restaurant. Goode says he didn't plan on his baby being a pageant contestant.
He and his girlfriend were at a restaurant in Somerset when a woman seated nearby put the idea in their head.
"She looked at me and said, 'You've got the prettiest baby I've every laid eyes on. You go to the county fair and if you don't win it, something is wrong.'"
Goode and Wells followed her advice and Ian won his age division, for 0-6 months, at the Boyle County fair.
After that, they investigated other options. To be a winner, they knew he needed to dress like a winner, so they had a California company make his first tuxedo. When they got their first picture back of Ian in his tuxedo, Goode says he cried.
Why?
"Just look at it. He's adorable."
Ian went on to capture a first place at the Eastern Kentucky State Fair. Goode says he never had faith in judges' abilities in baby shows in the past, but he has had a change of heart after traveling to faraway events where favoritism would not be a factor. "I always thought it was rigged. It's made a firm believer in me that it's not."
Of the many wins, the one that means the most to Goode was taking the parent-child look-alike honor at the Kentucky Festival State Pageant. The contest was for up to age 14 for the children.
Ian's biggest event is just around the corner. May 12-14, he will compete at nationals in Nashville, Tenn.
"A win or runner-up there will move us on to Atlanta in August for International Baby of the Year," Goode says.
Ian does have $250 in savings bonds to show for all his hard work, but Goode says most pageants have an $80 entry fee. Travel and other expenses have made pageants a costly venture.
"Daddy is stroking the note on this deal," he says.
The national event will be different.
"The prize for the nationals in May is $10,000."
Goode thinks the odds are good for a win.
"We've never not won or gotten runner-up. We've never finished third."
The money would be great, but Goode ultimately hopes it will lead to a career in modeling or TV.
"We're excited about the possibility of him being discovered to do commercials and things like that."
Goode realizes that some parents may criticize him for entering his child in pageants.
"A lot of people say, 'Why do you all do that?' Come May, my son will be 13 months old and maybe we'll get the last laugh. But it's more than the money. It's about that bond between me and him."
Goode says the pageants are only the beginning of the closeness he wants to have with his son. "I want to be a part of everything he does. Whatever I'm going to do it with him because I think that's what is lacking in today's society."
Goode says he looks forward to lots of quality time together while his son grows.
"I'm looking for a better tomorrow for my kid than I have. I'm going to give him every opportunity in life for his success."
Right now, the father and son enjoy watching NBA games together. Goode gets a laugh out of asking his son questions about the players and Ian giving an emphatic nod of his head yes or no.
"Is Kobe any count?" Goode asks and laughs when Ian shakes his head from side to side.
"Do you like Shaq?" Goode asks and Ian responds by moving his head up and down.
"He thinks Shaq is the man. He's the diesel."
