RACINE, Wis. -- A Wisconsin beauty pageant contestant has been forced to bow out -- because she's a Canadian.

Jaclyn Foster had been in the running for the title of Miss Racine. The winner goes to the Miss Wisconsin pageant, which selects a contestant for Miss America.

The coordinator of the Miss Racine pageant asked the 17-year-old to step down after learning from Miss America officials that contestants must be U.S. citizens.

The MissRacine.org Web site does not list citizenship as a contestant requirement. It only states, "To participate in the Miss Racine Scholarship Program, you must be a Racine County resident (for at least six months) OR have full-time employment in Racine County OR be a full-time student (with at least six months of classes completed) in Racine County or at the University."

Foster says she's lived in Racine for six years and planned to apply for citizenship in May. She says she put a lot of time, money and energy into the pageant.

"You wouldn't want someone Miss America who wasn't American," said John Schultz, co-executive director of Miss Wisconsin.