Miss Dominican Republic - History

History

Miss Dominican Republic has been responsible for crowning the most beautiful, most poised and intelligent young Dominican women since 1927. In 1956, the pageant was officially restarted after crowning models from 1952 until 1955. In 1956, Olga Fiallo from Santiago won, making the Dominican Republic's first representative to Miss Universe. In 1966, the Concurso Nacional de Belleza Dominicana lost its Miss Universe rights for only one year but on that same year it gained their Miss World franchise sending the winner of that year, Jeanette Dotel from San Juan as their first representative. In 1967, the organization officially decided that the Winner would go to Miss Universe, First Runner Up would enter Miss World and Second Runner Up to a Festival of Latin Beauties in South America. The MRD organization had acquired the Miss International rights, but the organization would only send a representative if the budget allowed them. It wasn't until 1980, were they decided that the Second Runner-Up would enter either in Miss International, Reinado Nacional del Café or Miss América Latina. In 1989 until 2000, the official Second Runner Up would enter Miss International, the Third Runner-Up would enter Reinado Nacional del Café and the Fourth Runner-Up would enter Miss América Latina.

Since 2003, the representatives of Dominican Republic for the four major international pageants are selected by four different organizations. Miss República Dominicana Universo, managed by Magali Febles, sends the winner to the Miss Universe, Miss Mundo Dominicana winner vies in Miss World, Miss Tierra República Dominicana winner competes in Miss Earth, while the winner of Reina Nacional de Belleza Miss República Dominicana competes in Miss International. In 2010, the representative in Miss World was handpicked by Miss Mundo Dominicana. In 2011, Reina Nacional de Belleza acquired the national franchise for Miss World Dominican Republic in addition to Miss International Dominican Republic.