ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Kaitlyn Maria of Valencia County was named the 2025 New Mexico State Fair Queen during a coronation ceremony at Expo New Mexico in Albuquerque on Friday. “I am super ecstatic. I worked so hard for this. This has been a long journey, not just for me, but for my horse, too, and my family,” […]
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Kaitlyn Maria of Valencia County was named the 2025 New Mexico State Fair Queen during a coronation ceremony at Expo New Mexico in Albuquerque on Friday.
“I am super ecstatic. I worked so hard for this. This has been a long journey, not just for me, but for my horse, too, and my family,” Maria told KRQE News 13 after receiving her crown and sash.
The 20-year-old was also awarded a new saddle, spurs, and belt buckle.
She will make her first official debut during the rodeo at the Tingley Coliseum on Friday night. “I just want to get out and about. I want to see everybody that I can, talk to everybody I can, tell them about my personal experiences, and just represent the sport of rodeo as a whole,” Maria explained.
The State Fair Queen Contest typically takes place each year during the second week of the New Mexico State Fair, and contestants are judged on their performance in horsemanship competitions, a speech they give, a writing test they take, and personal interviews. The horsemanship portion of the contest accounts for 50% of the total points.
Maria brought her horse Manny, a 7-year-old Appendix Gelding, to the contest, and despite some hiccups in performance, she still managed to secure the title. “The most difficult part for me was horsemanship. I’m riding a new horse. I’ve only had him for about six months. We still are working on our relationship, but in the end, it paid off,” said Maria.
The Valencia County resident graduated from CNM and is currently an electrician in Belen. She thanked her mom and dad for their support to get to this point. Maria said her mom made all her outfits for the competition and helped her with horsemanship, speech topics, and questions. “My mom is my support system, so is my dad. I can’t do anything without them. Without them, nothing would be possible,” Maria added.
When asked if she had a message for any other girls looking to compete for the New Mexico State Fair Queen title, she said: “Do it, 100%. You’re never going to find a competition like this.”
Maria was named Valencia County Rodeo Queen in 2023.