Ranch girl, Denese Rodrigues, 22, of Lethem in Region Nine wants to prove that Guyanese Amerindians can match up to any of this country's ethnic groups.

"A lot of people know little about us. They refer to us as 'bucks'. I'm not a wild animal and neither are any of my people. We're beautiful, intelligent and talented," she defends sharply.

Denese acquired her Secondary education in the capital and wrote the CXC Examinations in 1999. She then returned to help manage her family's huge ranch in the Rupununi. She loves riding horses and her job sometimes involves rounding up the cattle. She feels honoured as an Amerindian to be part of a national pageant. Denese participated in the first Amerindian Heritage Pageant held in Georgetown. She is the reigning Miss Rupununi.

Amanda Barnwell, 21, is from Good Intent on the West Bank of Demerara. She has a bubbly personality and is extremely positive. Amanda is stationed at Bartica in Region Seven as a Forestry Officer. Her duties involve assessing royalties for lumber. She has come to adopt Bartica as her second home. She said the people there are very nice and recognise her as one of their own.

Her Secondary school days were spent at the Patentia Secondary on the West Bank and North Georgetown. She then pursued a Certificate in Forestry from the Guyana School of Agriculture.

She basically entered the pageant to get the experience, as she knows pageantry brings along with it a whole lot of fun, and besides she loves modelling.

"I'm putting all my efforts in this and I hope to win the crown. After all, you don't invest for nothing do you?' she asks rhetorically.

Nerisa Adams, from D’Urban Street, Wortmanville is 20 years old, but she hardly sounds it. She comes across more like an aged philosopher, as she is always striving to be precise and upright about whatever she says.

She is a designer, model and a babysitter. She designs everything - from pajamas to lingerie to swimsuits. Her hobbies are art, swimming and travelling.

She feels that young people should make the best of their youth.

Nerisa insists that she is not in the pageant to take the crown but just to see how much of her positive image she can dispense to those her age and younger.

Paula Balgobin, 24, is from Mongrippa Hill in Bartica, Region Seven. She is a fashion designer and likes to ride on her brother's rebel bike! Her other hobbies are volleyball and the beach.

She designs for contestants of pageants in her area and was even as confident in her work to design her own evening gown when she competed in one.

Although she has been in pageants before, Paula has had no real training when it comes to getting the steps and everything else correct. She is, therefore, grateful for the training that she is now getting. Paula sees the Miss Guyana Universe pageant as a great way of getting to know her country and gaining some confidence in herself.

Jacqueline DeFreitas, 21, is from Mabaruma in Region One. She has been a teacher at the Mabaruma Primary School for one year now and plans to start formal training at the Cyril Potter College of Education this September, with or without the crown.

As a teacher, she starts her kids off with some physical exercises as she feels it frees up their mind and helps them to push in the day's work. She joined the teaching profession because there are not many other career opportunities in her area. She loves modelling and dancing, admitting that she is still to get the steps right for her native dances, including the Mari Mari.

Being an Amerindian, Jacqueline is sure that criticisms, even mockery will come her way, but she is determined not to let that deter her from representing her people on the national, and hopefully, the international stage.

Wanda Dey, 25, of Lodge, Georgetown, is a Public Communications student at the University of Guyana. She is now employed with the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Wanda has always wanted to be part of pageants, but never mustered up the courage to enter a contest. With age catching up on her, Wanda knows this is her last pageant, making her determined as ever to win!

She joined the pageant because she feels she has what it takes. She also has the firm backing of family and friends. Wanda is prepared to handle both compliments and criticisms that come her way, as this goes hand in hand with local pageantry.

She is happy for all the events leading up to the pageant as these will ensure that she shows her confident, ladylike side, particularly when she meets new people.

Stacy Abiola Bynoe, 20, of Stanleytown, Berbice is a final year student at the University of Guyana's Tain Campus, where she is pursuing courses in Public Management. She wants to one day become a businesswoman.

Her only hang-up about the pageant is the gym training, but she figures it will get her in shape by the time it is all over with. She joined the pageant because of the confidence her friends and family showed in her.

Her platform is the conservation of wildlife. She says wildlife contributes to the beauty of Guyana and were they not to be conserved, this country could hardly make the boast that it now does of being rich in wildlife.

Antionette DaSilva, 22, is from Ebini, on the Berbice River. She is currently pursuing a course in cosmetology at Fantasy Nails in Georgetown. She is the reigning Miss New Amsterdam Town Day and was a first runner-up in the Miss Mashramani contest.

Antionette is happy for the exposure the Miss Guyana pageant allows her to have, as she enjoys travelling and meeting people. She invites all to visit her village Ebini, where she says you can find "beautiful black water and unpolluted cool breeze".