Who will win the prestigious Miss Carival Pageant?

Patrons venturing to the Victoria Park tonight can be assured that the women contesting the 2013 Miss Carival crown will be giving their all, throughout the entire pageant.{{more}}

During a meet-the-media session at Young Island on Tuesday morning, the 10 young women all told SEARCHLIGHT, that apart from having fun, they intend to be outstanding ambassadors for their countries, with hopes of taking the prestigious title home, at the end of the night. The delegates, each a queen in her own right, say that they are all prepared for the event, and are using the time here to put the finishing touches on their performances, and of course, to take in some of the Vincentian scenery and hospitality.

Miss SVG Shara George, the newest addition to the list of royalties, told SEARCHLIGHT that being at home, and as representative of the host country of the pageant, it was her duty to exude confidence as she prepares for what she would like to be her second crown in two months.

She said that even though the pace has become more hectic over the weeks, her preparations have been going quite well.

“I am representing St Vincent, and that means a lot to me, so that means you can expect me to put my best foot forward,” George said.

“I wouldn’t say that it has got less hectic; I would say that I’ve got more accustomed to the pace… I will be ready to hit the stage, and I look forward to every single category of the show, because I love pageantry and to me, it’s all a great experience.”

The other contestants say that they are also looking forward to the various categories, which include the judged segments of swimwear, evening wear, talent and interview.

Most contestants are looking forward to the talent segment, where they say, the audience would be able to see who they really are. None more so than Miss Jamaica Kabreena Robinson.

“My favourite part is the talent, because I’m Jamaica’s reigning talented teen, so the talent is my stronger area,” she said.

Miss Dominican Republic Rosa Martinez told SEARCHLIGHT that she looks forward to the evening wear segment, so the audience can expect to be stunned when she steps on stage at that time.

Like the other contestants, Martinez wants to put her country on the international radar, and she hopes when the patrons see her, they will see the Dominican Republic.

Hoping to secure some home town support, is Leslassa Amour-Shillingford, Miss Dominica.

The former student of the St Vincent Girls’ High School is channelling the loyalty of past and present students of her alma mater, which she says is very dear to her, as she promises an unforgettable night.

“I am looking forward very much to the pageant. I am a performer at heart and I’m ready to give Vincentians the show they deserve, which is an excellent show.”

Her sentiments are shared by Janelle Desir of St Lucia, a self-proclaimed natural entertainer, who can’t wait to be in front of the crowd at Victoria Park.

“I love the stage and I love an audience. You feel that there are people watching, you so just give your best.”

Desir says that there may be a bit of pressure on her, as St Lucians expect her to bring back home the crown, which is currently held by outgoing compatriot Roxanne Didier-Nicholas.

“I have great shoes to fill, but I don’t try to carry the weight on me, because at the end of the day it’s all about the experience, because sometimes you don’t win, but just the people that you get to network with and the great experience, it can actually be more than winning the crown, but having the crown is just the ‘cherry on top.’”

If all goes Dannyele Teneel Leslie’s way, that “cherry” would be placed on the top of her head tonight. The Miss Barbados ambassador believes that consistency is the key to a successful pageant, and she promises to deliver.

“My motto is ‘opportunity knocks but once,’ and this opportunity has presented itself, so I also plan to bring my experience from the previous shows on the night of the competition,” she stated.

A consistent pageant winner is Zinga Imo from St Kitts and Nevis, who has been winning pageants since she was a toddler.

Imo told SEARCHLIGHT that she very excited, and couldn’t wait to represent her country, and show what she had to offer.

“I hope to excel in all the segments, because I have been working really hard, and I just want to make the Federation proud; that is the most important thing,” Imo stated.

Yaimer Armes, representing Venezuela, hopes her calypso dance during her talent segment would captivate the audience and the judges, and give her country their first win since entering the pageant.

The only non-English speaking contestant, Armes, through her interpreter, said that she was captivated by the warmth of the Vincentian people, and intends to put on a great show for all.

Also intending to astound the audience is Miss British Virgin Islands Sharie De Castro, who says that she will be using her talent, poise, intellect and enthusiasm to do so.

De Castro said that she will be using her passion for performing to do just that, and invited Vincentians to come out in the numbers to experience what she is talking about.

Miss Trinidad and Tobago Janelle Thongs pointed out that she also intends to put on a show, by showcasing her culture and personality.

Thongs said that she too is looking forward to all segments, and believes the interview segment will be the deal breaker in determining who takes the 2013 Miss Carival title.

Meanwhile, the 2012 Carival Queen Didier-Nichols, having the last word with SEARCHLIGHT, said that though she spent most of her reign on campus at the University of the West Indies, St Augustine, Trinidad, she had a good year.

“I got to take part in some charity events,” she told SEARCHLIGHT.

The St Lucian lass, looking back at her night in the spotlight in 2012, said that she was very focused, knowing what she had to do, and executing her routines to the best of her ability.

“I told myself at least if I don’t win, I want to get best talent and I achieved that goal for myself, so I was happy from the time I got that, so the crown was a bonus.”

Didier-Nicholas said it was an honour to receive the judges’ nod and she was glad that she was able represent her country that night.

“I’d just like to thank St Vincent for the time that I spent here last year. Thank you for welcoming me back and I would like to urge the public to come out and see a night of pageantry and splendour from these 10 Caribbean beauties.

“All ten young ladies, they seem genuinely enthusiastic about this pageant and they’re very excited, so I think on the night would

be a very good showing of talent and beauty,” she said. (JJ)