Rainha de Barretos 2026 Competition: Maria Fernanda Gomes wants to inspire other girls The Festa do Peão de Barretos 2026 elects the new queen on Friday (17) by a jury vote. Until then, g1 presents, in alphabetical order, the profile of the ten finalists competing for the title. The current rodeo queen is Lara Peghim. Born and raised in Barretos (SP), biomedicine student and entrepreneur Maria Fernanda Gomes, aged 20, says that her first visit to Parque do Peão, still as a child, marked the way she sees the Festa do Peão. "My first memorable memory at Parque do Pão was when my mother took me, along with my sisters, to visit this place that was so important to our city. What impressed me most was the grandeur of the park, but also the cultural diversity that I found there." ?Click here to follow the g1 Ribeirão e Franca channel on WhatsApp Maria Fernanda says that, at the time, contact with an indigenous family connected her with her own origins and made her feel represented within the party. "I remember an indigenous family exhibiting and selling handicrafts and cultural products. As I have indigenous ancestry in my family, that image remained in my memory, because it made me realize that, in that space, I could see not only my country roots, but also part of the history of my family and my family tree." Maria Fernanda has been visiting Parque do Peão since she was a child Personal archive Maria Fernanda participates in the competition for the first time. According to her, the dream of representing the event came from her childhood, inspired by her aunts' participation in beauty contests. ?The grand final of the competition that will choose the maximum representative of the Festa do Peão de Barretos is scheduled for next Friday (17th), starting at 8pm, at North Shopping Barretos. The dispute brings together ten candidates. Throughout the week, g1 presents the story of each of them. MORE your life and what values from this universe inspire you most? Maria Fernanda: Represents tradition, family, work, faith and respect for our roots. It goes far beyond music and parties, it is present in our customs, the welcoming manner of people and the pride we have in our history. In my family, country culture is a heritage that has been passed down from generation to generation and keeps the identity of our city alive. Maria Fernanda is a candidate for the Queen of the Festa do Peão de Barretos competition Personal archive Is there a country artist or duo that marked your career? Why? Jorge & Mateus made a huge impact on my career. I grew up listening to their music with family and friends. In addition to their talent, I admire the way they conquered space. Maintaining their identity, they helped bring country music to different generations. Their songs are part of many special memories in my life. Jorge & Mateus transformed the Festa do Peão de Barretos arena into a stage to parade hits Érico Andrade/g1 What is your favorite rodeo event? Why? My favorite sport is bull riding, seeing the arena lit up, the energy of the public, the sparkle in the eyes of the pedestrians as they step into the arena of the biggest pedestrian festival in Latin America is something that always moves me. It is a test that requires a lot of technique, physical preparation, courage and respect for the animal. Photos from the International Bull Riding Final of the Festa do Peão de Barretos 2024 Érico Andrade/g1 What characteristics do you believe a Queen of the Festa do Peão de Barretos should have to represent the event? For me, the Queen of Os Independentes must be, above all, humble, responsible and authentic. Humility, because she takes the name of the party and Barretos wherever she goes. Responsibility, because your attitudes inspire many people. And authenticity, because I believe that a good queen is one who represents the party by being true to who she is. You also need to know the history of the party, value country culture and represent Barretos with respect and friendliness. Beauty is important, but it is character, posture and commitment to tradition that truly make a great queen. If you win the title, what message would you like to convey to the public and to the girls who dream of representing Barretos in the future? I would like to show that dreams are possible when we walk with dedication, humility and courage. I want to inspire other girls to believe in themselves and understand that representing Barretos is much more than wearing a sash or a crown, it is carrying the history, culture and values ??of our city with pride. I also want to use this visibility that the queen gains to promote and help social causes that really matter to society. I want to be a queen who welcomes, inspires and honors the legacy of the biggest Peão Festival in Latin America. Rodeo stadium stage for Festa do Peão de Barretos 2025 opens with show by Fernando and Sorocaba Érico Andrade/g1 *Under the supervision of Flávia Santucci See more news from the region on g1 Ribeirão Preto and Franca VIDEOS: Everything about Ribeirão Preto, Franca and the region