Belize's Miss Universe Crown: A Dream Or Reality?

Belize has participated in the Miss Universe pageant since at least 1978, when Maria Jeffery was crowned Miss Belize. However, there was a 10-year period from 2006 to 2016 during which Belize did not send a representative to the pageant. During this period, the Miss Universe Belize pageant was not held annually, and there were issues with the pageant's organisation. Despite this, Belize has never won the Miss Universe title. The most recent winner of Miss Universe Belize is Halima Hoy, who was crowned in 2024 and represented Belize at the Miss Universe pageant in Mexico.

Belize's absence from Miss Universe

Belize has had a notable absence from the Miss Universe pageant over the years, with no representative sent to the international pageant from 2010 to 2015. This five-year absence was finally broken in 2016 when Rebecca Rath was crowned Miss Belize Universe. However, even with this recent participation, Belize has yet to win the Miss Universe title.

The Miss Universe Belize pageant, a national beauty pageant, holds a significant role in selecting the country's representative for the international Miss Universe pageant. Despite the country's enthusiasm for pageantry, with various pageants held to select representatives for different international competitions, Belize has not consistently sent a representative to Miss Universe.

The reasons for Belize's absence from Miss Universe are unclear, but there have been some reported disputes within the organization. For instance, in 2008, the winner of Miss Universe Belize, Tanisha Vernon, spoke out against the owner of Pageants Belize, resulting in her crown being revoked. Additionally, in 2023, the franchise holder, Romeo Escobar, a three-time Emmy award-winning producer, left the franchise due to disagreements with the Miss Universe Organization owners over how franchises should be run. These internal conflicts may have contributed to the country's inconsistent participation in the Miss Universe pageant.

Despite these setbacks, Belize has continued to crown Miss Universe Belize representatives in the hopes of participating in the international pageant. In 2022-2023, Ashley Lightburn, a banker and mathematician, won the national pageant and was set to represent Belize at the international competition. Most recently, in 2024, Halima Hoy was crowned Miss Universe Belize and is expected to represent the country at the Miss Universe pageant in Mexico.

While Belize has not won the Miss Universe title, the country has actively participated in other international pageants, such as Miss World and Miss Earth, with Belizean beauties making their mark on the world stage.

Miss Belize Universe 2024: Halima Hoy

Belize has a new Miss Universe! Halima Hoy, a 29-year-old from South Side Belize City, was crowned Miss Universe Belize 2024 on Saturday, April 14, at the Belize City Civic Center. Ten delegates competed for the prestigious title, and Hoy will now represent Belize at the Miss Universe pageant held later this year in Mexico.

The Belize Tourism Board extended their congratulations to Hoy, stating:

> "Halima Hoy, the new Miss Universe Belize! We are delighted to have been a part of this memorable event as a proud sponsor. We wish you all the best in your journey ahead as you showcase Belize's beauty and splendor on the world stage."

The Miss Universe Belize pageant has a rich history. In the early days, it was known as Miss Belize, and one pageant was held yearly to select a representative for the Miss Universe pageant. The winner or a runner-up would then often also represent Belize at Miss World. In recent years, there has been an emergence of different pageants to select representatives for various international pageants.

Belize did not send a representative to the Miss Universe pageant for ten years until 2016, when Rebecca Rath was crowned Miss Belize Universe. Rath, a 22-year-old from Dangriga, went on to represent Belize at the Miss Universe Pageant in Manila, Philippines, in 2017.

Belize has had other notable winners of the Miss Universe Belize pageant in recent years, including Ashley Lightburn, who won the 2022-2023 pageant, and Opal Enriquez, who took over the Miss Belize franchise in 2016.

Congratulations to Halima Hoy, Miss Universe Belize 2024! We wish her all the best as she represents Belize on the world stage.

Miss Belize Universe 2022-2023: Ashley Lightburn

Ashley Lightburn, a 25-year-old mathematician and banker from Belize City, was crowned Miss Universe Belize 2022-2023. The pageant took place at the Bliss Centre For The Performing Arts in Belize City, with six delegates from across the country competing in swimsuit and evening gown segments, as well as several rounds of questions and answers.

Lightburn is a project manager at a local bank and an adjunct lecturer of Mathematics at the University of Belize. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Pure Mathematics and is currently pursuing a master's degree in International Business Administration. She has also been a cheerleading coach at her high school alma mater, Saint Catherine's Academy, since 2015, where she works to instil the principles of sisterhood, confidence, and community in her students.

As an advocate for women in STEM, Lightburn encourages others to pursue mathematics and participates in the University of Belize's annual mathematics symposium. In addition to her professional and academic pursuits, Lightburn enjoys hand-crafting hobbies and social outreach initiatives. She will represent Belize at the international beauty contest in December.

The first runner-up in the pageant was 27-year-old Alina Scott, a PhD candidate and Littlefield Fellow at the University of Texas at Austin. Scott is originally from the Cayo District and has represented Belize in international volleyball competitions. The second runner-up was Samantha Singh, a chef and writer based in Placencia.

Miss Belize Universe 2016: Rebecca Rath

Belize has never won the Miss Universe pageant. However, in 2016, Belize broke a 10-year absence from the competition by selecting a representative, Rebecca Rath, to wear the Miss Belize Universe crown.

Rebecca Rath, a 22-year-old from Dangriga, was crowned Miss Belize Universe 2016 on Saturday, September 10, 2016, at the sold-out Bliss Center for Performing Arts in Belize City. Ten contestants competed for the crown in a pageant that included an opening dance presentation, cultural costume, swimsuit, and evening gown competitions. The question-and-answer segment was reserved for the top five contestants at the end of the pageant.

Rath was crowned by Miss Belize 2006, Maria Jeffery. In addition to the Miss Belize Universe title, Rath also won Miss Top Model, the Beach Beauty Contest, People's Choice (Online Votes), and was awarded Miss Photogenic. Rath won a scholarship from the Ministry of Education, a $10,000 wardrobe for the Miss Universe Pageant, travel to and from the pageant, and other prizes.

The Pageant

The pageant featured ten contestants and was judged by a panel of eleven esteemed individuals, including Hon. Patrick Faber, Minister of Education; Sarita Acosta, Miss Belize 1979; Tanya McNab, McNab Visual Strategies; Karen Bevans, BTB Director; Dale McDougall, WAVE Radio; Deon Leslie, Belize City Councillor; Insukba Lyons, SIBS International (USA judge); Merickston Nicholson, Maruba Jungle Spa and Resort; Patrick Rodriguez, Best Western Belize Biltmore Hotel; and Tanya McNab, McNab Visual Strategies.

The top three finalists were Dianira Rivera, Marcia Moody, and Rebecca Rath. Past Miss Belize queens Annlyn Apolonio (2010), Maria Jeffery (2006), Debbie Wade (1994), and Sarita Acosta (1978) also graced the stage.

The Results

The runners-up were:

• Marcia Moody, San Ignacio (2nd place)
• Dianira Rivera, San Pedro (3rd place)
• Neidy Rodriguez, Belize City (4th place)
• Misty Swazo, Libertad (5th place)

Miss Universe Belize: The pageant

Miss Universe Belize is a national beauty pageant held in Belize to select the country's representative for the Miss Universe pageant. The pageant was previously known as Miss Belize and was held yearly, with the winner or a runner-up going on to represent Belize at Miss World. In recent years, there has been a shift towards having multiple pageants to select representatives for different international pageants.

The pageant has undergone several leadership changes over the years. In 2016, Opal Enriquez took over the Miss Belize franchise, followed by Romeo Escobar in 2018. However, Escobar left the franchise in 2023 due to disagreements with the Miss Universe Organization owners. That same year, Destinee Arnold, Miss Universe Belize 2019, took over the franchise and renamed the pageant to "Miss Universe Belize".

The pageant typically includes several competition segments such as an opening dance presentation, cultural costume, swimsuit, and evening gown competitions. There is also a question and answer segment for the top contestants. The winner of the pageant is crowned Miss Universe Belize and is given the opportunity to represent Belize at the Miss Universe pageant.

In 2021, Iris Salguero from San Pedro was crowned Miss Universe Belize. A year later, Ashley Lightburn, a banker and mathematician, won the Miss Universe Belize 2022-2023 pageant. The pageant is a highly anticipated event in Belize, with the winner serving as a role model and ambassador for the country.

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