Lumberton woman crowned Ms. USA Pure International

 

A Lumberton woman is now wearing the crown as Ms. USA awarded at the Pure International Pageant earlier last month in Columbus, Ohio.

Tricia Hidalgo, who won the Ms. Texas Pageant in October, received her crown on July 3.

“It’s very exciting and overwhelming!” said Hidalgo.

She noted her 2-year-old daughter has been competing in pageants for the past year.

“I told my husband if we ever had a daughter, I would probably put her in pageants, because I’ve always like that kind of thing,” said Hidalgo.

“Once I got her into it, I started joining groups and pages on Facebook for upcoming pageants, resale and all the things that you need if you’re going into a pageant.”

She said that a pageant that her daughter was entering had a women’s division.

“That kind of piqued my interest into getting back into it,” said Hidalgo. “I did that one and researched around until I found the right system.”

She then discovered the Pure International Pageant system.

Pure International Pageants started as a U.S-based organization and has held U.S. National Pageants since 2011. Their headquarters are in Columbus.

According to their website, Pure International offers state, national and international pageants with representation in more than 37 states and 18 countries. Contestants may represent their communities all over the world. PURE’s motto is “Inspire! Lead! Achieve!”

They are a faith-inspired, family-focused and community-service driven organization that allows contestants of any age, nationality or religion to compete in a fun and friendly environment.

State finalists in the USA and national finalists in countries other than the USA compete in personal interview, fun fashion modeling and formal wear. USA national finalists compete in personal interview, state wear (costume) and formal wear.

“I liked what competitions offered as a mother,” she said. “It’s very modest and Christian-based. They have strict rules on what is and isn’t allowed. It’s very conservative and they don’t advise high slits or low cuts, or anything revealing.”

Hidalgo said even though she is older and competing, she doesn’t feel she has to compete against someone who is “just showing off everything.”

“We are all competing on the same level of presentation,” she added.

Hidalgo said her first Pure International Pageant was the Ms. Texas competition for women age 30-44. She competed against five other contestants.

“My director felt that I fit well with Pure and that I had a really good chance at the state and national title,” she said. “She built me up in my own head and gave me the confidence that I needed to try for the national title. She gives me advice, but she’s not the judge.”

Hidalgo added that she competed in other pageants before Pure. She noted there are a lot of talented and skilled women who invest their time and efforts into the pageants.

Hidalgo noted that for Pure, 50% of a woman’s score is from interviews. She said 20% is formal wear, 20% on your state costume and 10% for presentation.

“While it’s in the ‘beauty pageant category,’ and you are judged on your appearance in a lot of ways, it’s not about who’s the prettiest. It’s about who presents themselves the best,” she said.

Hidalgo compared the pageant to a job interview. “If you show up messy, you’re not going to get the job. It’s the same concept.”

She said with the pageantry, the judges want to see who can represent the pageant’s name and title the best.

“I’m sure being attractive helps with that, but that’s not all of it,” said Hidalgo. “It’s about how are you put together, do you communicate well with others, and do you get along with other people. They want to see a queen who can bring service to their community and a positive role model to the Pure International name.”

She said her first exposure to pageants was watching the Miss America and Miss USA pageants on television as a young girl.

“I would shut down the house to watch those pageants. I just loved it,” said Hidalgo.

She competed in a few local pageants as a teenager.

“I liked them, but I didn’t feel it was the right time for it. As a 16-year-old, you have other priorities,” Hidalgo said.

She said by entering her daughter in pageants, it reopened the door for her.

“There are a lot of positive things that come for me due to participating in pageants,” she said. “I’ve been interested in hair and makeup, and glitz and glamour. That’s my thing, but this adds the elements of  confidence, poise and sisterhood I wanted.”

Hidalgo said her daughter is too young for the Pure pageants, but when she old enough she will be competing in them. Recently, her daughter has participated on the national level of the Cinderella Scholarship system of pageants which doesn’t allow the girls to wear makeup, rhinestones and glitter.

“They want the girls to wear sweet, simple little dresses, to show off how cute they are,” Hidalgo added. “It’s very wholesome.”

Hidalgo’s daughter is the reigning state queen: Texas Cinderella Baby queen.

Hidalgo was raised in China and attended Hardin-Jefferson ISD school. She graduated in 2001 and later attended Lamar University. In 2005, she earned her bachelor’s degree in General Studies (English, Sociology and Psychology).

For years she worked in management for a furniture store in Houston. She decided to return to college and two years later earned her master’s degree in Business at Lamar in December 2013.

Hidalgo is a site management specialist for Hargrove Engineers and Constructors. She is also an adjunct professor at Lamar University in the College of Business and helps as a grader and guest speaker for the MBA program.

She and her husband, Tyson, have three children: Piper, Clapton and Graham.

With Hidalgo winning the Ms. USA crown, she will compete next at the 2023 Pure International Pageant in July 15-21, 2023, in Orlando, Fla.

“There will be multiple contestants from the U.S. because, that’s where Pure is based, but they also have women from several other countries competing,” she added.

Hidalgo said, after the international pageant she has a few options staying with Pure. However, if she doesn’t win the international title, Hidalgo said she can’t re-compete for the state title.

“I could compete for another title and for the international title the following year,” she said. “If you’re successful as a queen, they want you to have more than one chance. They will allow you to return and continue your service projects and compete again. The goal is to empower women.”

Hidalgo will be working on a major service project for her year as Ms. USA and she is looking for sponsorship to assist in her endeavors. If you are interested in learning more about how to help, follow or contact her on these social media pages: Facebook: Tricia Hidalgo, Ms. USA: Pure International and on Instagram at MS.USA_PURE.INTERNATIONAL.