Miss Texas USA

Last updated

Miss Texas USA
Formation1952
Type Beauty pageant
Headquarters Dallas
Location
Membership
Miss USA
Official language
English
Website Official website

The Miss Texas USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state Texas in the Miss USA pageant, and the name of the title held by that winner. This pageant is part of the Miss USA Organization, owned by Texas native Crystle Stewart, herself a Miss USA for 2008.

Contents

The pageant is currently held in Houston. It has previously been hosted by El Paso, San Antonio, South Padre Island, Lubbock and Laredo. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] It was televised from 1971 to 2009. [7] [3] [8]

The current titleholder is Aarienna Ware of Dallas, Texas, was crowned Miss Texas USA 2024 on June 22, 2024, at Hilton Houston Post Oak Hotel in Houston, Texas. She will represent Texas at Miss USA 2024.

Background

Unlike the rest of Miss and Teen state pageants in the Miss USA system have annually scheduled at the same time, this Miss and Teen pageants in Texas are held separately in different months, the Miss pageant goes first and is held on first Sunday of September every year. Those events have affected from the regular September schedule such as the 2018 pageant was held in January 2018 due to Hurricane Harvey devastated the pageant's host city, Houston; and the 2021 pageant was held in September 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, exactly a year originally planned for September 2020. [9] [10]

Ten Miss Texas USA titleholders have won the Miss USA title, including Chelsi Smith, has been crowned Miss Universe. In the 1980s Texas won the Miss USA title five consecutive years from 1985 to 1989, a streak known as the "Texas Aces". [11] Prior to this no state had ever won the Miss USA pageant more than two times in succession. [12] Past state directors have included Richard Guy and Rex Holt, "GuyRex" and Al and Gail Clark of "The Crystal Group". [13] [7] [1] [14]

Contestants enter by winning local pageants or may choose to compete "at large" with an assigned title. [3] [15] In 2001 a record number of former Miss Texas Teen USA winners, six, competed for the Miss Texas USA 2002 title. [8]

Texas Aces

Prior to the 1980s, no other state had won more than two Miss USA pageants in succession (the only two states to win twice in succession were Virginia in 1969-1970 and Illinois in 1973–1974). The five Texan Miss USA winners were all coached by "GuyRex", Richard Guy and Rex Holt, who held the Texas franchise from 1975. The term was first used in 1988 after Gibbs became their fourth consecutive titleholder, with Guy referring to the four queens as "four aces in a deck of cards", with their fifth titleholder, Kim Tomes (1977) as the "wildcard". [16] The following year Gretchen Polhemus became the fifth and final "ace". The term is still in use.

As well as directing the Texas pageant, GuyRex also acquired the Miss California USA franchise in 1986. In 1988, Diana Magaña of California placed first runner-up to Gibbs, the fourth ace. The two had both undergone extensive preparation by GuyRex, and even lived together prior to the pageant. [17] [18]

The five Aces were:

Results summary

Placements

Texas holds a record of 56 placements at Miss USA, being placed first overall.

Awards

Winners

Color key
YearNameHometownLocal TitleAge [lower-alpha 1] Placement at Miss USASpecial awards at Miss USANotes
2024 Aarienna Ware Dallas Miss Dallas26TBA
2023 Lluvia Alzate Houston Miss Houston264th runner-upBest in Swimsuit
2022 Allison Drake Dallas Miss Dallas26Originally second runner-up, assumed title when Gabriel won Miss Universe
(Sydni Leonard, the first runner-up, declined the offer)
R'Bonney Gabriel Houston Miss Friendswood28Miss USA 2022Best State Costume
  • Miss Universe 2022
  • First Asian American Miss Texas USA
2021 Victoria Hinojosa McAllen Miss South Texas22Top 8Granddaughter of U.S. Representative TX-15 Rubén Hinojosa
2020 Taylor Kessler Houston Miss Lone Star23
  • Previously Miss Grand USA 2017
  • Longest reigning Miss Texas USA (2 years and 3 days) and also the longest reigning Miss USA state titleholder under three calendar years in the organization's history
2019 Alayah Benavidez San Antonio Miss San Antonio23

Later a contestant on season 24 of The Bachelor

2018 Logan Lester Houston Miss Harris County23Top 15Shortest reigning Miss Texas USA (7 months and 27 days)
2017 Nancy Gonzalez Freeport Miss Kemah27
2016 Daniella Rodriguez [19] Laredo [19] Miss Central Webb County19
2015 Ylianna Guerra [20] McAllen Miss Tropics of Texas221st runner-up
2014 Lauren Guzman [21] Laredo [21] Miss Central Laredo24
2013 Alexandria "Ali" Nugent Dallas Miss North Texas194th runner-upFan Vote WinnerNiece of rock musician Ted Nugent
2012 Brittany Booker Friendswood Miss Houston21Top 10
2011 Ana Rodriguez Laredo Miss Central Laredo243rd runner-up
2010 Kelsey Moore El Paso Miss El Paso19
2009 Brooke Daniels [6] Tomball Miss Harris County22Top 10
2008 Crystle Stewart [22] Missouri City Miss Fort Bend County26Miss USA 2008
2007 Magen Ellis [23] Tyler Miss Houston [23] 19Top 10
2006 Lauren Lanning Friendswood Miss Houston22Top 10
2005 Tyler Willis Lubbock Miss Central Plains25Top 15Miss Photogenic
2004 Stephanie Guerrero Lake Jackson Miss Houston23Top 15
2003 Nicole O'BrianFriendswoodMiss Bay Area202nd runner-up
2002 Kasi KellyBridgeportMiss DFW20Top 12
2001 Kandace Krueger Austin Miss Austin24Miss USA 2001
2000 Heather Ogilvie [24] Houston Miss Southeast Texas22
1999 Carissa BlairHoustonMiss Southeast Texas23
1998 Holly MillsSan AntonioMiss San Antonio22Top 5
1997 Amanda Little Wylie Miss Metroplex20Top 6
1996 Kara WilliamsHoustonMiss Harris County23Top 10
Title vacant
1995 Chelsi Smith † Deer Park Miss Galveston County21Miss USA 1995Miss Congeniality and Best in Swimsuit
  • Miss Universe 1995
  • First African American Miss Texas USA [15]
1994 Christine Friedel El Paso Miss El Paso22Top 6
1993 Angie SiskHoustonMiss Fort Bend County21Top 12
1992 Katie Young Fort Worth Miss Fort Worth19Top 11
1991 Chris BogardTomballMiss North Harris County23
1990 Stephanie Kuehne [25] Missouri City Miss Houston22Top 12Miss Wonderland 1989
1989 Gretchen Polhemus [26] Fort Worth [26] Miss Fort Worth23Miss USA 1989
1988 Courtney Gibbs [2] Fort WorthMiss Metroplex21Miss USA 1988
1987 Michelle Royer [28] Keller [28] Miss Keller [28] 21Miss USA 1987
1986 Christiane "Christy" Fichtner Dallas Miss Dallas County23Miss USA 1986
1985 Laura Martinez Herring [29] El PasoMiss El Paso County21Miss USA 1985
1984 Laura Shaw [31] Burleson Miss Burleson19Top 10Miss Photogenic
1983 Lisa Allred [32] [33] Fort Worth [33] Miss Fort Worth20 [33] 1st runner-upMiss Photogenic
1982 Luann Caughey [34] Abilene [34] Miss Abilene [34] 23 [34] 1st runner-up
1981 Diana Durnford [35] [36] El Paso [36] Miss Sun City [36] 21 [36] Top 12
1980 Barbara Buckley Midland Top 12
1979 Anne Hinnant [37] HoustonMiss Harris County [37] Top 12
1978 Barbara HoranDallas2nd runner-upBest State Costume
1977 Kimberly Tomes Houston21Miss USA 1977Best State Costume
1976 Candace Gray† [38] El PasoTop 12Died in a scuba diving accident in 1981 [39]
1975 Aundie EversEl Paso4th runner-up
1974 Debra Cronin McDade
1973 Lavonne McConnell [40] Fort Worth19Top 12Best State Costume
1972 Susan Peters [41] Austin Miss Photogenic
1971 Brenda BoxAmarillo1st runner-up
1970 Diane Swendeman San Antonio Top 15Miss Congeniality
1969 Sandy DrewesDallasTop 15
1968 Jeannie Wilson Dallas
1967 Bonnie RobinsonHoustonTop 15
1966 Dorothy Pickens Edinburg Top 15
1965 Phillis Johnson Houston Top 15
1964 Diane Balloun Houston 1st runner-up
1963 Cheryl WilburnHouston
1962 Jackie Williams Waxahachie Miss Lake WhitneyTop 15
1961 Sheila Wade Dallas Miss Lake Whitney
1960 Pat Cloud Houston
1959 Carelgean Douglas Houston 1st runner-up
1958 Linda Daugherty Houston Top 15
1957 Gloria Hunt Houston Top 15
1956 Jo Dodson Houston 4th runner-up
1955 Mary Daughters Houston Top 15
1954 Betty Lee Houston 3rd runner-up
1953 Joan Bradshaw Houston 17Top 15
1952 Charlene McClary Houston
  1. ↑ Age at the time of the pageant

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All times in this article are Pacific Time Zone (UTC-7)

References

  1. 1 2 Belkin, Lisa (February 28, 1988). "In Texas, Two Kings of the Beauty Queen Business". New York Times.
  2. 1 2 "Miss Metroplex crowned Miss Texas USA". Del Rio News Herald. August 4, 1987.
  3. 1 2 3 "Miss Ricebelt pageant on tap for Sunday". The Facts. February 11, 1998.
  4. ↑ "Miss Texas pageant planned at El Paso". Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. March 6, 1975.
  5. ↑ Davis, John (July 18, 2000). "Austin native claims Miss Texas USA crown". Lubbock Avalanche-Journal.
  6. 1 2 "Harris County's Brooke Daniels crowned Miss Texas USA". Houston Chronicle. June 29, 2008.
  7. 1 2 "Richard Guy and Rex Holt behind new Miss Texas USA". The Waco Citizen. September 4, 1975.
  8. 1 2 Davis, John (July 26, 2001). "The Miss Texas USA pageant will go on ..." The Lubbock Avalanche-Journal.
  9. ↑ Elliott, Amber (January 9, 2018). "Popular real estate agent Logan Lester wins the 2018 Miss Texas USA pageant". Houston Chronicle . Retrieved July 20, 2019.
  10. ↑ "Event Information". Miss Texas USA Facebook. March 27, 2020. Archived from the original on February 26, 2022.
  11. ↑ Anderson, Lindsey (September 28, 2015). "El Paso's pageant king Rex Holt dies". El Paso Times.
  12. ↑ Kennedy, J Michael (March 13, 1987). "They Reign as Kings in the Land of the Beauty Queens". Los Angeles Times.
  13. ↑ Gunderson, Edna (July 7, 1985). "Beauty apostles look for winners". The Seguin Gazette-Enterprise.
  14. ↑ "Texas beauty files suit over alleged snub". The San Bernardino County Sun. August 8, 1991.
  15. 1 2 Krenek, Melinda (July 8, 1994). "New Miss Texas USA beginning her banner year with enthusiasm". The Galveston Daily News.
  16. ↑ Lewis, Holden (March 2, 1988). "Miss USA Contest Rewards Winners, Gurus". Associated Press.
  17. ↑ "New Miss California". The San Francisco Chronicle. August 31, 1987. p. 6.
  18. ↑ "Bringing Up Beauty / In the months before the Miss USA Pageant, advisers work on Miss California". The San Francisco Chronicle. October 1, 1987. p. 6.
  19. 1 2 Mendoza, Madalyn (September 2, 2016). "Miss Texas USA isn't great at baseball, but her Instagram game is in the big leagues". San Antonio Express-News.
  20. ↑ Flores, Daniel (July 11, 2015). "RGV native Miss Texas USA ready for pageant". The Monitor.
  21. 1 2 Fechter, Joshua (September 16, 2014). "Former Miss Texas serves in Texas State Guard". San Antonio Express.
  22. ↑ Associated Press (July 1, 2007). "Miss Fort Bend County takes Miss Texas title". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved July 1, 2007.
  23. 1 2 "Miss Houston named Miss Texas USA". Plainview Daily Herald. June 24, 2006.
  24. ↑ "Houston woman wins Miss Texas USA title". The Kerville Times. July 6, 1999.
  25. ↑ "Stephanie Kuehne new Miss Texas". The Paris News. June 27, 1989.
  26. 1 2 "Fort Worth woman lands Miss Texas USA title Sunday night". The Paris News. August 15, 1988.
  27. ↑ Chinn, Surae (April 28, 2017). "Utah woman follows in mother's footsteps, competes for Miss USA title". KTVX . Retrieved November 10, 2019.
  28. 1 2 3 "Miss Keller will wear crown of Miss Texas USA in '87". The Seguin Gazette-Enterprise. August 5, 1986.
  29. ↑ "Beauty pageant winner returns to glamour". The Baytown Sun. September 5, 1984.
  30. ↑ "El Paso Model Miss Texas USA". Del Rio News Herald. July 24, 1984.
  31. ↑ "Beauty Pinched". The Times-News. August 3, 1983.
  32. ↑ "Texas USA title won". The Victoria Advocate. August 23, 1982.
  33. 1 2 3 "Miss Texas USA crowned Monday". The Seguin Gazette-Enterprise. August 24, 1982.
  34. 1 2 3 4 "Miss Abilene wins pageant". The Paris News. August 11, 1981.
  35. ↑ Speakerman, Carol (March 18, 1981). "Miss Texas USA Enjoying 'Good Year' for Texas". The Victoria Advocate.
  36. 1 2 3 4 "El Paso lass claims Miss Texas USA title". The Paris News. August 19, 1980.
  37. 1 2 "Miss Texas USA selected". The Taylor Daily Press. August 22, 1978.
  38. ↑ "Miss Texas USA winners". The Waco Citizen. September 4, 1975.
  39. ↑ "Diving Accident Kills Beauty Queen". The Montreal Gazette. September 8, 1981.
  40. ↑ "Yoakum Entry Named Runner-up". The Victoria Advocate. April 15, 1973.
  41. ↑ "Miss Texas Universe named in San Antonio Competition". The Victoria Advocate. April 17, 1972.
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