Misplaced Pages

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.

The pageant is currently held in Houston. It has previously been hosted by El Paso, San Antonio, South Padre Island, Lubbock and Laredo. It was televised from 1971 to 2009.

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.

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". Prior to this no state had ever won the Miss USA pageant more than two times in succession. Past state directors have included Richard Guy and Rex Holt, "GuyRex" and Al and Gail Clark of "The Crystal Group".

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

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". 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.

The five Aces were:

• 1985 - Laura Martinez-Herring (Miss USA, Top 10 at Miss Universe 1985)
• 1986 - Christy Fichtner (Miss USA, 1st runner-up at Miss Universe 1986)
• 1987 - Michelle Royer (Miss USA, 2nd runner-up at Miss Universe 1987)
• 1988 - Courtney Gibbs (Miss USA, Top 10 at Miss Universe 1988)
• 1989 - Gretchen Polhemus (Miss USA, 2nd runner-up at Miss Universe 1989)

Gallery

• Logan Lester, Miss Texas USA 2018
• Lauren Guzman, Miss Texas Teen USA 2008 and Miss Texas USA 2014
• Crystle Stewart, Miss Texas USA 2008 and Miss USA 2008 (pictured in 2014)
• Stephanie Guerrero, Miss Texas USA 2004
• Nicole O'Brian, Miss Texas Teen USA 2000 and Miss Texas USA 2003
• Kandace Krueger, Miss Texas USA 2001 and Miss USA 2001
• Michelle Royer, Miss Texas USA 1987 and Miss USA 1987
• Christy Fichtner, Miss Texas USA 1986 and Miss USA 1986
• Laura Martinez Harring, Miss Texas USA 1985 and Miss USA 1985 (pictured in 2011)
• Lisa Allred, Miss Texas USA 1983

Results summary

Placements

• Miss USAs: Kimberly Tomes (1977), Laura Martinez Herring (1985), Christy Fichtner (1986), Michelle Royer (1987), Courtney Gibbs (1988), Gretchen Polhemus (1989), Chelsi Smith (1995), Kandace Krueger (2001), Crystle Stewart (2008), R'Bonney Gabriel (2022)
• 1st runners-up: Carelgean Douglas (1959), Diane Balloun (1964), Brenda Box (1971), Luann Caughey (1982), Lisa Allred (1983), Ylianna Guerra (2015)
• 2nd runners-up: Barbara Horan (1978), Nicole O'Brian (2003)
• 3rd runners-up: Betty Lee (1954), Ana Rodriguez (2011)
• 4th runners-up: Jo Dodson (1956), Aundie Evers (1975), Alexandria Nugent (2013), Lluvia Alzate (2023)
• Top 5/6/8: Christine Friedel (1994), Amanda Little (1997), Holly Mills (1998), Victoria Hinojosa (2021)
• Top 10/11/12: Lavonne McConnell (1973), Candace Gray (1976), Anne Hinnant (1979), Barbara Buckley (1980), Diana Durnford (1981), Laura Shaw (1984), Stephanie Kuehne (1990), Katie Young (1992), Angie Sisk (1993), Kara Williams (1996), Kasi Kelly (2002), Lauren Lanning (2006), Magen Ellis (2007), Brooke Daniels (2009), Brittany Booker (2012), Aareianna Ware (2024)
• Top 15: Joan Bradshaw (1953), Mary Daughters (1955), Gloria Hunt (1957), Linda Daugherty (1958), Jackie Williams (1962), Phillis Johnson (1965), Dorothy Pickens (1966), Bonnie Robinson (1967), Sandy Drewes (1969), Diane Swendeman (1970), Stephanie Guerrero (2004), Tyler Willis (2005), Logan Lester (2018)

Texas holds a record of 57 placements at Miss USA, being placed first overall.

Awards

• Miss Congeniality: Diane Swendeman (1970), Chelsi Smith (1995)
• Miss Photogenic: Susan Peters (1972), Lisa Allred (1983), Laura Shaw (1984), Tyler Willis (2005)
• Best State Costume: Lavonne McConnell (1973), Kimberly Tomes (1977), Barbara Horan (1978), R'Bonney Gabriel (2022)
• Best in Swimsuit: Chelsi Smith (1995), Lluvia Alzate (2023)

Winners

Color key

•   Declared as Winner
•   Ended as runner-up
•   Ended as finalist or semifinalist

1. Age at the time of the pageant

References

1. ^ Belkin, Lisa (February 28, 1988). "In Texas, Two Kings of the Beauty Queen Business". New York Times.
2. ^ "Miss Metroplex crowned Miss Texas USA". Del Rio News Herald. August 4, 1987.
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. ^ "Harris County's Brooke Daniels crowned Miss Texas USA". Houston Chronicle. June 29, 2008.
7. ^ "Richard Guy and Rex Holt behind new Miss Texas USA". The Waco Citizen. September 4, 1975.
8. ^ 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. ^ 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. ^ 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. ^ 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. ^ "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. ^ "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. ^ "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. ^ "Miss Texas USA crowned Monday". The Seguin Gazette-Enterprise. August 24, 1982.
34. ^ "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. ^ "El Paso lass claims Miss Texas USA title". The Paris News. August 19, 1980.
37. ^ "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.

External links

• Official website

• Miss Texas USA
• Miss USA state pageants
• Texas culture
• Women in Texas
• Recurring events established in 1952
• 1952 establishments in Texas
• Annual events in Texas