Unless Carissa Kennedy gets a hankering for free passes to the 2013 PNE, her husband Matt is thinking of giving next year’s talent competition a miss.

For the second time, this 28-year-old Maple Ridge singer and guitarist won first place in the adult division of Star Showdown on Monday, but was knocked out in the finals the next night.

“They only announce the top three in the finals, and I wasn’t one of them, so I’m just assuming I was ninth out of nine,” Kennedy said of Tuesday’s contest finale.

Regardless, he’s pleased with his placement, having sung a rendition of Eric Clapton’s Tears in Heaven in the semi-finals that earned him $300 cash and a $10,000 scholarship to a fine arts institute.

“So maybe I’ll go back to school,” said the former teacher turned professional photographer, who shared a bit about his background with The TIMES last week [Musician, dancer vie for Showdown stardom, Aug. 16].

“The guy who won, Jayden [Holman], was awesome and such a sincere, nice kid…” he said.

“I was so happy for him to have won beause he’s the real deal and I can see him going on to big things with music. But mostly, he was a genuinely nice kid.”

As for next year’s Showdown, Kennedy said he doesn’t think he’ll enter again – jokes aside about free tickets.

This was his fourth time in the competition, and his second time winning in the adult division.

The PNE Star Showdown is a province-wide talent search that showcases the hottest performers from around the province.

The annual fair, an end of summer tradition for thousands of British Columbians, features more than 700 shows, exhibits, and attractions that are included with admission.

The PNE runs daily through Labour Day, Sept. 3.