Dear Editor,

It was an absolute delight to once again witness one of Fort Stockton’s most cherished traditions – the Water Carnival. This unique experience offered a captivating display of community unity in celebration of our shared traditions and the remarkable individuals who make up our beloved small town. The performances were entertaining, the pageant contestants exuded grace and beauty, and the overall event was enjoyable. On behalf of the long-standing members of the Fort Stockton community, I feel compelled to express my deepest admiration for the incredible sense of home that we have built, the enduring traditions we uphold, and the unwavering sense of Fort Stockton pride that has been passed down from generation to generation.

However, it is important to acknowledge certain observations that undoubtedly caught the attention of numerous community members, particularly concerning the pageant. Pageants, by their nature, can be challenging and often reveal both the best and the worst in contestants, their supporters, and the event attendees. I must emphasize that my remarks are not intended to diminish the accomplishments of this year’s winners. Rather, they are intended to shed light on the inconsistencies and conflicts of interest that marred the integrity of the pageant and its hosts.

First and foremost, the blatant and unethical connections and conflicts of interest were detrimental to the esteemed tradition of Miss Fort Stockton, undermining the contestants’ efforts and casting doubt on the overall integrity of the pageant. It is disconcerting that the winners of both the Wee Miss and Tiny Tot divisions happened to be the daughters of the pageant director. The concern lies in the selection of judges overseeing the divisions that her daughters competed in. The judges responsible for selecting the winners have close ties to the pageant director, raising concerns about impartiality and fair judgment. To compound matters, the auditor had close personal connections to the Junior Miss and Miss Fort Stockton winners, as her son served as their makeup artist and hairstylist, further exacerbating the apparent conflicts of interest. Additionally, it is worth noting that the winner’s pageant coach happened to be the auditor’s sister.

Another notable incident occurred during the final questioning round of Miss Fort Stockton. Instead of the traditional fishbowl questions, a pre-selected question format was employed, conflicting with the order and format that was shared with the contestants during Wednesday night’s interview rehearsal. The choice of the order in which contestants answered these questions was also perplexing, as contestant 3 initiated the round, contrary to the usual order. This decision seemed intended to disrupt the confidence and familiarity of order of contestants 2 and 3 while granting contestant 1 an extended period to compose her response. Although it is within the discretion of the Pageant Director to make such changes, this alteration gives the impression that certain contestants likely received preferential treatment due to their connections to those overseeing the pageant.

Let me emphasize that my intention is not to belittle the dedication, financial investment, and efforts of all contestants, including the winners. Rather, I believe it is crucial to draw attention to the close relationships between the pageant winners and the judges, director, and auditor.

It can be argued that in a small town like Fort Stockton, some level of close ties and relationships is to be expected. Acknowledging this reality would be reasonable and fair. However, what is deeply disappointing is the absence of any concerted effort to mitigate these conflicts of interest, which were glaringly evident. Upholding the integrity of the pageant would have necessitated the selection of individuals for board positions, judging panels, and auditing roles who lacked personal connections to the contestants. It may be argued that these connections were inadvertent oversights, but from pageant officials who are intimately familiar with the world of pageantry, such oversights are profoundly disheartening and a clear display of poor judgment on the part of all decision-makers involved in this year’s pageant. Jon Rodriguez Midland