Miss Puerto Rico

Miss Puerto Rico is a national beauty pageant in Puerto Rico. Currently, there are two separate televised pageants held annually: Miss Universe Puerto Rico[1] to select the representative for Miss Universe and Miss Mundo de Puerto Rico to select the representatives for Miss World and Miss Earth. Additionally, the Miss Puerto Rico Scholarship Organization selects the representative for Miss America.

Big Four pageants

Puerto Rico has been represented in the Big Four international beauty pageants, the four major international beauty pageants for women.[2][3] These are Miss World, Miss Universe, Miss International and Miss Earth.[4][5][6]

Miss Universe

Miss Universe Puerto Rico

Logo of the Miss Universe Puerto Rico event
Formation 1952
Type Beauty pageant
Headquarters San Juan
Location
Membership
Miss Universe
Miss World,
Miss Earth
Miss International
Official language
Spanish
President
Desiree Lowry
Key people
Desiree Lowry
Luisito Vigoreaux
Website missuniversepuertorico.com

History

Zuleyka Rivera, Miss Puerto Rico 2006
Ingrid Marie Rivera, Miss Puerto Rico 2008

In its various forms, the "Miss Puerto Rico" beauty pageant has been held almost every year since the 1950s. The winner of the contest represents Puerto Rico at the Miss Universe pageant each year.

The selection of Miss Puerto Rico commences the year before the winner advances to participate in the Miss Universe pageant. Each Puerto Rican city may choose a representative who then enters the Miss Puerto Rico finals, traditionally held at a San Juan area hotel. The winner is crowned at the conclusion of the final competition.

There have been three changes in the organization that led to modifications in the pageant's name. "Miss Puerto Rico" was held from 1952 until 1998 under the direction of Anna Santisteban, in 1996 the pageant lost the franchise for Miss Universe. From 1996 to 1998 Telemundo organized the event, under the name "Miss Universe Puerto Rico". From 1999 to 2002 TeleOnce (now Univision Puerto Rico) obtained the franchise and renamed it "Miss Puerto Rico Universe". Magali Febles organized the pageant between 2003 and 2009 and the pageant title has remained the same. In 2009, Desireé Lowry and Luisito Vigoreaux obtained the Miss Universe franchise and renamed the pageant "Miss Universe Puerto Rico".

The Miss Puerto Rico beauty pageant has now turned to technology to reach more people through the use of podcasting. Starting with the 2006 pageant, Miss Puerto Rico Universe became the first pageant of the Miss Universe franchise to have a podcast.[7] In this, Wilton Vargas, an international multi-media and technology personality, interviews all contestants with the goal of helping people get to know them better so that they can participate in the voting process using cell phones. This podcast is published as a section in technology news and information website Tecnetico.com and various podcast directories, including iTunes.

Delegates are allowed to compete more than once at the Miss Puerto Rico Universe pageant, the caveat being that they are not allowed to compete again after they have won. For example, Cynthia Olavarría placed 1st runner-up in 2003 and returned in 2005, winning the title and placing 1st runner-up at Miss Universe. A number of delegates and winners have competed in the "Miss Mundo de Puerto Rico" (Miss World Puerto Rico) pageant, a preliminary to the Miss World pageant. There are frequently crossovers between the two pageants: for example Joyce Giraud was crowned Miss Puerto Rico twice by Ana Rosa Brito, first in 1994 as Miss Mundo de Puerto Rico, then in 1998 as Miss Universe Puerto Rico.

Puerto Rico is one of the most successful competitors in the history of the Miss Universe pageant, having won five times. Marisol Malaret, Miss Puerto Rico 1970, was the first Puerto Rican to win the Miss Universe title. The four other Puerto Rican delegates who have won the Miss Universe title are Deborah Carthy-Deu (1985), Dayanara Torres (1993), Denise Quiñones (2001), and Zuleyka Rivera (2006).

On November 7, 2011, Miss Universe Puerto Rico selected the first woman who was not born in Puerto Rico to represent the island at Miss Universe 2012. Bodine Koehler Peña was crowned as Miss Universe Puerto Rico 2012. Koehler was born in the Netherlands to a Dutch father and a Dominican mother, but grew up in Puerto Rico.[8]

Representatives

For a complete list of the representatives to Miss Universe

Color Key
  •      Winner of Miss Universe
  •      Runner-up in the Top 5 or Top 6
  •      Finalist in the Top 10 or Top 12
  •      Semi-finalist in the Top 15 or Top 16
Year Representative Placement Award
2017 TBA TBA
2016 Brenda Azaria Jiménez Hernández TBA
Kristhielee Yinaira Caride Santiago
Dethroned
2015 Catalina Morales Gómez
2014 Gabriela Berríos Pagán Miss Photogenic
2013 Monic Marie Pérez Díaz Top 16
2012 Bodine Koehler Peña
2011 Viviana Ortiz Pastrana Top 16
2010 Mariana Paola Vicente Morales Top 10
2009 Mayra Matos Pérez 4th Runner-up
2008 Ingrid Marie Rivera Santos
2007 Wilmadilis "Uma" Blasini Pérez
2006 Zuleyka Jerrís Rivera Mendoza Miss Universe 2006

Miss World

Miss Mundo de Puerto Rico

Logo of the Miss Mundo de Puerto Rico event
Formation 1959
Type Beauty pageant
Headquarters San Juan
Location
Membership
Miss World
Miss Earth
Official language
Spanish
President
Julia Morley
Key people
Shanira Blanco
Delia Cruz

History

Puerto Rico debuted in Miss World in 1959, then was absent from 1960 to 1969. In 1970 a new organization took the responsibility of sending contestants until 1985 via castings. Puerto Rico did not compete in Miss World from 1986 to 1988. The Miss Puerto Rico organization, directed by Anna Santisteban, obtained the Miss World franchise in 1989, Tania Collazo was her first Miss World delegate. Santisteban produced Miss World PR until 1995.

In 1996, Delia Cruz, mother of Puerto Rico's only Miss World Wilnelia Merced Cruz, obtained the franchise and began organizing the Miss Mundo de Puerto Rico pageant with Tania Collazo as organizer for a few years before Desiree Lowry and later on Shanira Blanco. Winners have been competing ever since in the international pageant. Puerto Rico has produced one winner (1975), two 2nd runners-up (2005, 2011) and ten semi-finalists (1976, 1978, 1980, 1985, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010), and one quarter-finalist (2012).

Representatives

For a complete list of the representatives to Miss World

Color Key
  •      Winner of Miss World
  •      Runner-up in the Top 3 or Top 5
  •      Finalist in the Top 7 or Top 10
  •      Semi-finalist between the Top 15 and Top 25
  •      Quarter-finalist in the Top 30
Year Representative Placement Award
2016 Stephanie Del Valle Díaz TBA Miss World Talent (Top 21)
2015 Keysi Marie Vargas Vélez
2014 Génesis María Dávila Pérez
2013 Nadyalee Torres López
2012 Janelee Marcus Chaparro Colón Top 30
2011 Amanda Victoria Vilanova Pérez 2nd Runner-up Queen of Caribbean
2010 Yara Liz Lasanta Santiago Top 25 Miss World Beach Beauty
2009 Jennifer Colón Alvarado
2008 Ivonne Marie Orsini López Top 16
2007 Jennifer Guevara Campos Top 16
2006 Thebyam Carrión Álvarez Top 17

Miss Earth

Miss Earth Puerto Rico

Logo of the Miss Earth Puerto Rico in 2014
Formation 2001
Type Beauty pageant
Headquarters San Juan
Location
Membership
Miss Earth
Official language
Spanish
President
Shanira Blanco (2014)

History

Vanessa De Roide
Miss Puerto Rico Earth 2005
Miss Earth 2005 Top 8 Finalist

The Miss Puerto Rico Universe organization sent representatives to Miss Earth between 20012004. From 2005 to 2013 Puerto Rico's representative to Miss Earth was selected through the Miss Puerto Rico Earth pageant. In 2014 the representative was selected through the Miss Mundo de Puerto Rico pageant with the 1st Runner-Up being sent to Miss Earth, however the pageant failed to send a representative in 2015.

Representatives

For a complete list of the representatives to Miss Earth

Color Key
  •      Winner of Miss Earth
  •      Runner-up in the Top 4
  •      Finalist in the Top 8
  •      Semi-finalist in the Top 16
Year Representative Placement Award
2016
No Representative
2015
No Representative
2014 Franceska Toro Medina 3rd, bronze medalist(s) Darling of the Press
3rd, bronze medalist(s) Cocktail Wear (Group 1)
3rd, bronze medalist(s) Resort Wear (Group 1)
Eco-Beauty Video (Top 10)
2013 Velmary Paola Cabassa Vélez
Do Not Compete
2012 Darli Arni Pacheco Montañez 1st, gold medalist(s) Liter of Light Project Campaign (Group 1)
1st, gold medalist(s) Resort Wear (Group 1)
1st, gold medalist(s) Miss Talent (Group 1)
1st, gold medalist(s) Swimsuit (Group 1)
2011 Agnes Eileen Benítez Santiago
2010 Yeidy Enid Bosques Pérez 3rd Runner-up Miss Earth Fire
2009 Dignelis Taymí Jiménez Hernández
2008
No Representative
2007
2006 Camille Collazo Ortiz

Miss International

Miss International Puerto Rico
Formation 1960
Type Beauty pageant
Headquarters San Juan
Location
Membership
Miss International
Official language
Spanish
President
Fernando Oquendo Vega

The first Puerto Rican delegate in Miss International was Carmen Sara Látimer, sent in 1960. Since 1960, Puerto Rico has produced two winners (Laurie Simpson in 1987 and Valerie Hernandez in 2014), one 3rd runner-up and ten semi-finalists. The Miss Puerto Rico pageant had the Miss International franchise from 1960 to 1997, after a two-year hiatus, a new pageant was created called Miss Puerto Rico Turismo that sent representatives until 2007 when a new organization acquired the franchise (Creative Options Inc. – Fernando Oquendo Vega).

Representatives

For a complete list of the representatives to Miss International

Color Key
  •      Winner of Miss International
  •      Runner-up in the Top 3 or Top 5
  •      Finalist in the Top 10
  •      Semi-finalist in the Top 12 or Top 15
Year Representative Placement Award
2016 Gabriela Berríos Pagán
2015 Wilmary Monción Román
2014 Valerie Hernández Matías Miss International 2014
2013 Ashley Beth Pérez Calderón Top 15
2012 Ashley Michelle Ruiz Rodríguez
2011 Desiree Del Rio De Jesús 3rd Runner-up Miss Active
2010 Aideliz Hidalgo Betances Top 15
2009 Mónica Cristina Pastrana González
2008 Miriam Pabón Carrión Top 12
2007 Haydil Rivera Escobales Top 15
2006 Sharon Gómez Díaz Top 12

Other pageant

Miss Puerto Rico Scholarship Program

Miss Puerto Rico
Motto Some call her a beauty queen, we call her a scholar.
Formation 1937
Type Scholarship Pageant
Headquarters San Juan
Location
Membership
Miss America
Official language
Spanish and English
Website misspr.org

As of 2010, Puerto Rico has sent a delegate to the Miss America pageant.[9] 2010 was the first time Puerto Rico has done so since 1961.

Representatives

Year Representative Placement Award
1937 Malen Pietrantoni
1948 Irma Nydia Vázquez
1949 Marlene Carozzo
1950 Avelina Medrallo
1951 Evangelina Moragón
1952 Otilia Jiménez Miss Congeniality
1953 Helga Edmee Monroig
1954 Nydia Power
1955 María del Carmen Mejías
1956 Gladys Rodríguez
1958 Winnie Rodríguez
1962 Rosita Giusti Best in Talent Competition (Classical Vocal)
Miss Congeniality
2010 Miriam Ivette Pabón Carrión Lifestyle and Fitness Preliminary Award
2011 Mariselle Morales
2012 Laura Ramirez Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Medal
2013 Kiaraliz Medina
2014 Shenti Lauren
2015 Yarelis Salgado
2016 Destiny Vélez
2017 Carole Rigual

References

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