Note: I am not an attorney; therefore, I am not allowed to give any sort of legal advice. I will tell you what I would do though. 
I used to work in Small Claims Court, so I know about the procedures. First off, filing a Small Claims Suit costs $77 which can be recovered by the defendant if the Judge rules in favor of the plaintiff (Amy), but that will have to be a chance she is willing to take. You say that the pageant director is in Utah and that Amy is in Texas. If Amy were to file a Small Claims Suit against the pageant director, she would have to do so in Utah, not Texas. If a Judge in Texas even allowed Amy to file the suit in his/her court, the pageant director has the right to request that the case be transferred to her county in Utah, which would cost Amy more money to transfer the case. To actually go to Utah for court would also cost more money, thus being more expensive than the $175 Amy is wanting to sue for. As much as it sucks though, I would go for the $75 -- at least it is something.
BTW: There is also a statue of limitation, which I am thinking is two years after the exchange.