Four crowned to Queen’s Court

BANDERA COUNTY FAIR

Vianet Benavidez, Alana Matakya, Saylor Schmidt and Fairy McKay named winners in inaugural pageant

The Bandera County Fair Association crowned four young girls to its 2026-27 Queen’s Court on Saturday at Bandera Middle School.

Each category — Little Miss, Junior Miss, Miss Teen and Miss Bandera County Queen — featured two competitors vying for the title.

The winners were Vianet Benavidez as Miss Bandera County Queen, Alana Matakya as Miss Teen, Saylor Schmidt as Junior Miss and Fairy McKay as Little Miss.

Benavidez, who sang Disney’s “Almost There” from The Princess and the Frog during the talent portion of the competition, said she looks forward to using her title to encourage local youth to become involved in volunteer work.

“She also wants to use her musical performances to encourage other girls to find their voice and develop confidence and grow through musical and dance performances in town,” her father, David Benavidez, said.

Benavidez’s fellow court member Schmidt shared a similar goal.

“It was my first year doing this,” said Schmidt, who performed a gymnastics routine during the talent competition. “I want to support others that may be less fortunate than me.”

Judges Lisa Coleman, Ashley Rodriguez and Carla Messer oversaw the competition, which included an opening number, fashion wear, talent, evening wear and onstage questions.

Contestants were scored across multiple categories. Ten percent of the overall score came from the opening number, 20% from fashion wear, 30% from evening wear and 40% from a private interview with the judges.

During the fashion wear portion, Schmidt took the stage in a white leather cowgirl-themed outfit, while Benavidez wore a silk red gown for the evening wear competition.

Talent performances showcased a variety of skills, including Matakya’s karate demonstration and McKay’s gymnastics routine.

Pageant Director Jennifer D’Spain praised the Bandera County Fair Association’s efforts in hosting the event during its inaugural year.

“Collaborating with the Bandera County Fair Association was an incredibly ambitious undertaking for our first year. While we’ve learned that building a sustainable, long-term pageant requires a more dedicated committee to manage the intricate logistics and regulations, I am proud of the foundation we laid,” D’Spain said. “This year, we successfully honored Bandera’s Western heritage. My favorite moment was seeing our contestants escorted by local ‘Little Cowboys’ during the evening wear competition.”

D’Spain said she hopes the pageant will continue to provide local youth with opportunities that extend beyond Bandera County.

“Ultimately, my goal is to provide a preliminary experience that prepares these young women for national opportunities while preserving our town’s historical traditions,” D’Spain said. “I feel a true calling to help our local youth look beyond our county limits, dream big and realize that the confidence they gain here can shape their futures.”

Outgoing 2025-26 Queen Gabriela Cabrera delivered an emotional farewell, thanking those who supported her throughout her reign and sharing that she had received an autism diagnosis shortly before competing in the 2025 pageant.

“This scholarship pageant pushed me past every boundary I had built around myself,” Cabrera said. “But it was all of you who taught me the greatest lesson of my life: anyone can belong in any space.”

Sponsors for the event included Hyo Silver, Civil Logistics, Riding on Faith, Lowe’s, the Dion family, Trail Life Troop TX 9112, American Heritage Girls Troop TX4567, Dixie Dude Ranch, Monte Alteza, Texas Salt Co., The Dusty Halo, First National Ice Haus, Mayan Ranch, Phil’s Automotive and Towing, Granny’s Tree House and Baked Good, Metal Art, Oasis Family Church, H-E-B, JAM Broadcasting and Miss America.