For Natalie Soto, stepping onto the stage for the 2026 Miss Pahrump Pageant was far more than a competition. It was an opportunity to challenge herself, celebrate her heritage, build lifelong friendships and become more involved in the community she calls home.
The newly crowned Miss Pahrump 2026 admitted that before this year, she had never considered herself a pageant contestant. In fact, this year’s event marked the very first time she had ever entered the competition.
“It was my first time and honestly it was awesome,” Natalie said with a smile. “It was super cool.”
Although the pageant had been on her radar for years, it wasn’t until she entered her senior year of high school that everything seemed to fall into place.
“My mom has kind of been asking me throughout the years, ‘Do you want to do this? Do you want to do this?'” Natalie explained. “Now that it’s my senior year, I thought, ‘Why not?’ Why not try something that’s outside my comfort zone? It was definitely something I really wanted to try.”
That willingness to step beyond familiar territory ultimately led to one of the most memorable experiences of her life.
While the audience sees the polished performances and confident smiles on stage, Natalie said much of the success contestants experience comes from the people working quietly behind the scenes.
For her, that person was her aunt, Yazmin, who served as her chaperone throughout the pageant process.
Yazmin had participated in pageants herself when she was younger, making her the perfect person to help guide Natalie through an experience that was entirely new.
“I just asked her, ‘Can you come help me out?'” Natalie recalled. “She came and did amazing. She was on top of everything.”
With rehearsals, wardrobe changes, schedules and the many moving pieces that come with pageant day, Natalie said having someone she trusted allowed her to stay focused on enjoying the experience instead of worrying about the details.
“It let me be so calm throughout the whole process because everything was so chaotic,” she said. “She definitely calmed me down and got everything where it needed to go.”
Before the pageant itself, contestants spend time getting to know one another through organized events designed to build friendships and teamwork.
Natlie said those experiences quickly became some of her favorite memories.
The contestants enjoyed a day trip to Las Vegas, where they watched Disney’s Live Action Moana together, creating inside jokes that continued throughout the competition. They also spent time at the home of Terri Wulfenstein for a pool day, where they relaxed, swam, shared lunch and continued getting to know one another away from the pressures of rehearsals.
“We all got in our bathing suits and bonded, and we ate lunch,” Natalie said. “It was just such a great time.”
Although each contestant came from a different background and age group, Natalie said any initial uncertainty quickly disappeared.
“At first we were just barely starting to get to know each other because we all come from different age groups,” she said. “But we all kind of see each other around school, so it was nice.”
Rather than feeling like a competition, Natalie described the atmosphere as one built around encouragement and friendship, with the contestants genuinely supporting one another throughout the experience.
One of the moments that stood out most during the pageant was Natalie’s talent performance.
Instead of choosing a more traditional talent, she decided to perform a Mexican folk dance—something deeply personal that reflected both her upbringing and her cultural heritage.
The dance was one she had recently performed through her church during Christmastime celebrations, and although it differed from many typical pageant performances, Natalie knew it was exactly what she wanted to share.
“I thought, ‘I can’t go out there and dribble a soccer ball for two minutes,'” she joked. “So I was like, let me just try this and really embrace my culture when I do it.”
For Natalie, the performance became an opportunity to proudly represent her Mexican-American heritage on stage.
“My parents are both Mexican-American,” she said. “It was definitely something to represent that Hispanic culture a little bit.”
Her decision resonated with the audience, offering something unique while showcasing both athleticism and tradition through dance.
Another challenging portion of the competition came during the on-stage question segment, where contestants must answer an unrehearsed question in front of the judges and audience.
Natalie admitted the uncertainty is what makes that portion so intimidating.
“The unsureness is definitely what gets you,” she said.
Rather than trying to memorize answers, she prepared by practicing with her father in the weeks leading up to the pageant.
“We looked up questions on Google and practiced together,” she said.
Contestants also received extensive coaching from the pageant directors during rehearsals at Saddle West.
“They prepared us so well,” Natalie explained. “We would do on-stage questions in front of everyone, and they would critique us a little bit. The directors definitely guided us a lot throughout the whole process.”
That preparation helped replace some of the nerves with confidence, allowing Natalie to approach the questions knowing she had already practiced speaking thoughtfully under pressure.
The contestants also performed a choreographed dance together during the pageant, something Natalie said came together surprisingly quickly.
Fortunately, Miss Pahrump 2025, Emilee Rodriguez, brought a strong dance background to rehearsals, helping lead the group through the routine.
“She did amazing,” Natalie said. “Coming from a dance background just helped even more.”
She laughed while remembering how quickly everyone learned the choreography.
“I think we learned the whole dance the first day of practice,” she said.
According to Natalie, even the directors were surprised.
“They were like, ‘We’ve never had this happen before,'” she said.
With many of the contestants having dance experience themselves, the routine came together smoothly and became another highlight of the evening.
Now wearing the Miss Pahrump crown, Natalie is already looking ahead to the community service she hopes to accomplish during her reign.
Her platform, “Paws of Pahrump,” centers around supporting local animal shelters and improving the lives of animals in need.
Initially, Natalie didn’t realize another organization used a similar name, but she quickly embraced the mission she envisioned for her own platform.
“I definitely want to start off at the shelters and doing food drives,” she said.
Her goals extend beyond collecting donations.
She hopes to volunteer regularly at local shelters, assist during adoption events and help raise awareness for homeless animals throughout the community.
The recent wildfires in northern Nevada also inspired additional ideas.
“Now with all the fires going on up north, maybe even take some of that food up there for the shelters,” she said.
Her passion for animals stems from her own experiences growing up.
As an only child, Natalie says the pets in her home have always felt like family.
“I have a tortoise and two Boston Terriers,” she said. “Since I am an only child, I definitely feel like my pets were almost my siblings.”
That personal connection has fueled her desire to help animals that don’t yet have families of their own.
In addition to organizing food drives and volunteering, Natalie hopes to become involved with local adoption events.
“I’m not really sure exactly how we plan everything yet,” she said, “but volunteering at shelters is definitely one of the main goals.”
While her year as Miss Pahrump has only just begun, Natalie already has a full calendar ahead.
She recently participated in the Pahrump Valley High School football team’s annual spaghetti dinner and dessert auction fundraiser and is preparing for several signature events throughout the coming year.
Fall Festival will be one of her first major appearances, followed by one of the traditions she is most excited about—traveling to Carson City for Nevada Day.
“We go up for the Nevada Day parade with the Governor and do the Governor’s Ball,” she said. “I’m really looking forward to that.”
When asked who she plans to take as her escort for the Ball, her answer came without hesitation.
“I think I’ll take my dad with me,” Natalie said. “Just keep it nice and sweet and have that little moment between us because I think that’d be really nice.”
Closer to home, Natalie expects to represent Pahrump at the Fall Festival, local ribbon cuttings, community celebrations and other public appearances as opportunities arise.
While she is still learning the full schedule for her year of service, she looks forward to saying yes whenever possible.
“I think we’re going to have our meeting and discuss all of our itinerary soon,” she said. “So I don’t know all the details yet.”
Winning Miss Pahrump carried even greater meaning this year because the 2026 pageant celebrated the program’s 50th anniversary.
Natalie said that milestone added another layer of emotion to an already unforgettable evening.
“It’s an honor, especially because this year was the 50th,” she said.
Throughout the celebration, contestants learned about the history and traditions that have shaped the program over the past five decades.
“There was so much meaning behind all of it,” Natalie said. “I know how much it meant to the directors.”
Even the smallest details reflected that history.
“For example, some of the flowers were some of the directors’ favorite flowers,” she said. “It was just awesome to be a part of it.”
She described the evening as incredibly sentimental and said she feels honored to now be part of the pageant’s long legacy.
As she prepares for her senior year, Natalie also knows balancing school, athletics and her responsibilities as Miss Pahrump will require careful time management.
Still, she isn’t worried.
She credits her coaches for creating an environment that supports students pursuing opportunities beyond the classroom and playing field.
“I am lucky to have coaches that really care and support me in whatever I do,” Natalie said. “So I think it’ll be good, no matter what.”
For Natalie, wearing the Miss Pahrump crown is about much more than appearances or titles. It represents an opportunity to serve others, celebrate her heritage, advocate for causes close to her heart and encourage other young women to step outside their comfort zones just as she did.
