Miss New Mexico Pageant begins

link Staff photo: Joshua Lucero

STAFF WRITER

[email protected]

With more than 40 contestants to narrow down, Miss New Mexico Pageant judges have their work cut out for them.

Judges took to their scoresheets Thursday night to help narrow the field during the Miss New Mexico Pageant’s first night of preliminary events.

Thurday’s events included the on-stage question, swimsuit, talent, and evening gown portions for the Miss New Mexico contestants.

Teen Miss New Mexico contestants took part in the fitness, talent, and evening gown portions of the pageant.

Judges from all over the United States came to New Mexico, with some traveling from as far away as Maryland to view the talent New Mexico has to offer.

Former Miss New Mexico Becky Birdwell Walker traveled from her current home in Fort Worth, Texas to crown a “little sister” over the weekend.

“Each young woman is a gift, and I want to find what’s inside that gift. I want to see what she’s all about,” Walker said of her search for the 2015 Miss New Mexico.

Walker, who represented Tucumcari before winning Miss New Mexico in 1987, said she finds the most difficult part of judging is being able to crown only one winner.

Walker said the pageant gives its contestants confidence and allows them to show off their talents at the local and state level.

Former Miss America judge Barry Phillips, a television and film art director from Fort Worth, Texas, said he enjoys judging the pageants because they offer opportunity to girls around the state.

“There are many things I like. I like volunteering to contribute to the community,” Phillips said.

Phillips said that for him, judging the pageants is a way to contribute input to an organization that helps women who may not have had an opportunity to go to college with scholarship opportunities.

Siobhan Connellan, a former Miss America competitor and Maryland native, said she has spent 15 years judging at the state and local levels.

“It’s fun to see the contestants skills develop as they go through the pageant and see them rewarded for their work,” Connellan said of being a judge.

Connellan said she has never been to New Mexico before and was amazed by the women she has met during her time in the state.

“These women are really smart and driven,” Connellan said. “This group of interviews flew right by, they were wonderful.”

Judge Markham Miller, of San Francisco, said he began judging as a volunteer and liked the Miss America program once he got his inside look into the organization.

“Miss America does good things for girls,” Miller said of the pageant’s scholarships.

Miller said the pageant is a learning process for its contestants and helps them develop as people.

“It (Miss America Pageants) is totally different that what people think,” Miller said. “These women are really involved in their communities.”

There are 23 Miss New Mexico and 18 Miss Teen New Mexico contestants.