Kaitlyn Maria

ALBUQUERQUE – Kaitlyn Maria of Belen was named the 2025 New Mexico State Fair Queen Saturday, during a coronation ceremony at the African American Performing Arts Center at Expo New Mexico.

Maria is a Central New Mexico College graduate and works as an electrician in Belen.  She is also a proud member of the Navajo Nation.

“I am so excited to represent the New Mexico State Fair and the sport of rodeo,” Maria said. “I cannot wait to see what this year has in store for me.”

The rules for the Queen Contest describe the title of New Mexico State Fair Queen as “one of honor and prestige like no other in New Mexico and the experience gained during the queen’s reign will enrich her life in countless ways.”

This title represents not only the Western way of life, but also the quality of leadership among young women in New Mexico as the leaders of tomorrow. According to Queens’ contest guidelines, the objective of the New Mexico State Fair Queen Contest is to determine an official representative of the Fair who will serve as an ambassador to the general public, exhibiting exceptional sportsmanship. She should be able to speak with authority, and with knowledge about the New Mexico State Fair, the State of New Mexico and the sport of Rodeo. She should also be familiar with the state’s agriculture industry, its Western heritage and diverse cultures which is what the New Mexico State Fair is about.

A panel of three judged the New Mexico State Fair Queen Contest – with their scores added together to give one averaged score for each contestant. The contestant with the highest averaged score is selected as the New Mexico State Fair Queen. The contestants were judged on: horsemanship, public speaking skills and personal Interviews.

The New Mexico State Fair runs through today, Sept. 15.