By Louis Zylka
The 830 Times
The 45th Annual Miss Val Verde Pageant was held at the Del Rio Civic Center on Saturday,
where this year’s contestant winners were presented and crowned.
The Miss Val Verde Pageant has been an ongoing tradition since 1980, celebrating women in
Val Verde County. The 2025 pageant had a “Candy Land” theme, and it was hosted by Eirin
Albritton, the 2011 Miss Val Verde Pageant winner.
Pageant director Claudia Lopez called Saturday’s pageant “really fun.”
This year’s pageant had 18 contestants and five divisions, which included Mini Miss Val Verde,
Little Miss Val Verde, Junior Miss Val Verde, Miss Val Verde Teen and Miss Val Verde.
The pageant opened with a dance sequence, and the contestants in the Junior Miss Val Verde,
Miss Val Verde Teen and Miss divisions spoke to the audience about what they love about Val
Verde County. The contestants included Hailey Alonso, Xitlali
Val Verde Pageant. This year’s pageant event had a “Candy Land” theme and had 18
contestants of various ages present to represent Val Verde County. (Courtesy photo)
Vasquez, Rae Valencia, Rebecca
Sophia Falcon, Leslie Navarro, Ariana Mendoza, Leilani Nevaeh Garcia and Kianna Nevaeh
Villa.
The next part of the pageant introduced the contestants of the Mini Miss Val Verde, who were
Wylei Raeleen Barrera, Raelynn Kiara Elias, Scarlett Elizabeth Marrufo, Olivia Roxan Riojas,
Hadassah Moriah Ladner, Emery Jane Elias, Elianna Seabella Luna, Bellarose Roxanne
Concha and Averie Martinez. Bella Abigail Dominguez and Gabriela Rios were also introduced
as the contestants for the Little Miss Val Verde Division.
Throughout the evening, the contestants modeled on stage for the Best-in-Fitness-Wear
categories and Best-Evening-Gown categories. The contestants also answered questions
provided by Albritton and members of The 830 Times and Connect Del Rio.
The first winners announced were for the Mini Miss Val Verde Division. Riojas was crowned Mini
Miss Val Verde 2025, Barrera was crowned first runner-up and Ladner was crowned second
runner-up. Raelynn Elias was crowned Most Photogenic, and Barrera was crowned Best-
Evening-Gown.
In the Little Division, Dominguez was crowned Little Miss Val Verde 2025 and Rios was crowned
First Runner-Up. Dominguez was crowned Best-in-Public-Speaking, Best-in-Fitness and Best-
Evening-Gown, and Rios was crowned Most-Photogenic.
In the Junior Division, the Junior Miss Val Verde 2025 title was awarded to Falcon, who was
also crowned Best-in-Public-Speaking, Most-Photogenic, Best-in-Fitness-Wear and Best-
Evening-Gown.
In the Teen Division, Villa was crowned Miss Val Verde Teen, and Vasquez was crowned first
runner-up. Vasquez also won Best-in-Public-Speaking and Best-in-Fitness, and Villa was
crowned Most-Photogenic and Best-Evening-Gown wear.
The last winners announced were in the Miss Division. Alonso was crowned Best-in-Public-
Speaking and Best-Evening-Gown; Garcia was crowned Most Photogenic, and Mendoza was
crowned best in fitness.
Vasquez was crowned Miss Congeniality, which was voted on by the other contestants, and
Mendoza was crowned People’s Choice for Miss Queen City 2025 with 1,168 votes.
The evening ended with Valencia being crowned Miss Val Verde 2025. Mendoza was crowned
first runner-up and Alonso was crowned second runner-up. Garcia was listed as an honorable
mention.
The pageant ended with friends, families and current pageant winners forming around the stage
to take pictures with the pageant winners.
The winners spoke with The 830 Times to express their feelings about being crowned on
Saturday. Valencia said she thanked her friends and family who supported her in her journey to
becoming Miss Val Verde 2025.
Villa said she felt “honored and grateful” to be crowned Miss Val Verde Teen. Falcon spoke next and said she was “excited” to be crowned Jr Miss Val Verde, and Dominguez said she was happy to be crowned Little Miss Val Verde.
