Record Carnival King Curtis Eustace and reigning Carnival Queen Roxanne Omalo added to their already impressive trophy cabinet on Sunday night at the Dimanche Gras show.
Eustace and Omalo each topped 10 strong fellow individual masqueraders to secure their 10th and fourth titles, respectfully, in the final of the competition at the Queen’s Park Savannah.
The duo did not only walk away with records and a year’s worth of bragging rights but they each left the venue with the keys to brand a new Suzuki Grand Vitara as well as an undisclosed cash prize.
Speaking with Guardian Media shortly after she learned that she managed to retain her crown, Omalo thanked the T&T National Carnival Bands Associations (TTNCBA) for introducing the grand prizes that were a result of a recent partnership with Lifestyle Motors.
The proud Mayaro resident said: “It is a great incentive for people to engage in the mas arena and come greater in 2026.”
She noted that the prize had special significance for her after someone stole the battery for her vehicle at her home last month.
“God knows and he knew I want such and he delivered for me. I always say thanks to the most high,” she said.
In a brief interview, former TTNCBA president and current National Carnival Commission (NCC) director Rosalind Gabriel expressed hope that the prizes would remain.
Asked how the prizes would be shared between the winning masqueraders and the designers of their costumes, Gabriel explained that the prizes would be presented to the winning masqueraders, who would then be responsible for splitting the proceeds of their successful performance based on a prearranged agreement.
Eustace, a consummate performer with the most experience of those on show, managed to maintain his lead from the semifinal round and dominate the Carnival King competition with his presentation Spirit of ‘D” Gaspree Cave.
Eustace’s eerie presentation began with a ghoulish narration backed with electronic dance music (EDM) beat which transitioned into Problem Child’s Carnival Jumbie.
Eustace, whose costume was among the largest in the competition, earned the loudest applause from the audience as he highlighted his trademark dance moves in front of the judges and the robotic movement of the head, wings and tail of his intricate costume, which was aided by winches and pneumatic actuators.
A stoic Eustace seemed unfazed by his historic achievement.
“Nine was good, but ten is better to put some distance in the history books,” he said.
He admitted that he began competing in alternate years after his younger brother Ted decided to carry on their family’s rich legacy in the competition.
Ted, who already has four titles, failed to effectively compete with his sibling upon his return as he tied for seventh place with his equally grand costume Journey to Mayaro.
Eustace said he took a brief hiatus from competing but decided to return to rejoin his brother and on the invitation of Spirit Mas bandleader Adrian Scoon.
“When I joined the band, he said would you do me a favour, I would like you to represent the band,” he said.
Eustace praised his other brother Marcus, who he credited for 99 per cent of the work behind the costume. He also thanked his family’s support team, who ensured that the technical aspects of his costume were executed without a hitch.
“We have a fantastic crew...We have so many hands that fill the pot to make this happen,” he said.
Eustace said he was yet to decide whether he planned to defend his crown.
From challenges to Queen
In the Queen of Carnival competition, Omalo improved on her third place standing in the semifinal round with her costume “Sirena-Mistress of the Seas”, which depicted a menacing mermaid-like sea creature escorted by a team of swordfish. The grandiose costume was designed by Varma Lakhan.
Having overcome personal challenges earlier this year, she said was confident of her chances of adding to her wins in 2018, 2020, and last year, even before crossing the stage.
“I came into the competition to win...I always execute the hardest in the finals,” she said.
“When I came here tonight and did not feel any breeze, I say right, I have them,” she added.
Omalo, who vowed to retire from competing when she won her second crown in 2020 but returned with a victory, last year, declined to predict her future participation, once again.
“When I said in 2020 that this would be the end of it, my team convinced me that I was just winning titles and of the potential I have, so I decided to return,” she said.
She dedicated her victory to her son and daughter, who was born during her brief stint away from the competition.
Her victory meant that Rana Kandoo’s hopes of securing the title on her debut in the competition were dashed after a strong showing in the preliminary and semifinal rounds. Kandoo placed second.
Her next closest competitor was Nicole Hercules, who placed third with a grand butterfly design also from Eustace’s brother Marcus.
Omalo also held off Priya Naggasar, who won the competition in 2023, and two-time winner Shynel Brizan, who were vying to add to their titles.
Veteran masquerader Laura Rampersad, whose son Antonio retained his Junior King of Carnival and whose daughter placed third in the Junior Queen of Carnival in her first final appearance on Wednesday night, placed fourth. Her husband, Marlon, who designed and constructed the family’s costumes, barely missed out on a place in the final.
Dazzles and delays
It was a night to forget in the Carnival King competition for reigning monarch Joseph Lewis, who also won the title in 2019 and 2022, as he was comprehensively beaten to a last-place finish.
Veteran masquerader Fareid Carvalho, a regular fixture in the finals of the competition, narrowly missed out on his best chance of securing the coveted title after a strong showing in the previous rounds as he placed second.
While those present were treated to a dazzling and dramatic display of costume design from all 22 masqueraders, the competition was not incident free as there was a long delay between the last queen and first king crossing the stage.
The protracted delay could be easily attributed to the long cast of guest musical performers being afforded arguably more time than the competitors on the night.
It resulted in an obvious domino effect on the entire Dimanche Gras production with the final results of Carnival King and Queen and the Calypso Monarch competitions being announced close to 2 am when most of the audience had already left.
The astronaut-themed show entitled Take Me Home was the brainchild of NCC creative director Davlin Thomas, who reimagined traditional sailor mas with a space-age take.
Guest performers, backup dancers and even the Roman Catholic priest, who delivered a prayer to open the spectacle, being dressed in spacesuits.
2025 Carnival King and Queen Results
Queen of Carnival
1. Roxanne Omalo - Sirena-Mistress of the Seas - 443
2. Rana Kandoo - Maiya- Goddess of Creation - 439
3. Nicole Hercules - De Tiger Butterfly - 429
4. Laura Rampersad - Queen Nefertiti - 424
5. Takeyah Fletcher-Marshall - Carnival Our Golden Jewel - 417 (tie)
5. Shynel Brizan - Queen Adelaide Dison - 417 (tie)
7. Liesha McEachnie - Esprit De Liberte (The Hunted Jab from Caroni Sugar Estate) - 415
8. Cherry Ann Valere - Solaria Firebird of Light and Life - 414
9. Priya Nagassar - “Nandi” An African Queen - 412
10. Savitri Holassie - Beira-Queen of Eternal Winter - 401
11. Turona Rambharose - The Sunrise and Sunset Over the Sahara - 391
King of Carnival
1. Curtis Eustace - Spirit of D Gaspree Cave - 447
2. Fareid Carvalho - Dralozo a Being From the Sun - 445
3. Erron Sookdeo - An African Drummer - 433
4. Ravi Lakhan - Midnight Robber - Lord of Darkness & Death - 431
5. Raymond Mark - Oberon - King of Fairyland and the Protector of the Forest - 430 (tie)
5. Arif Grantum - Jafar Sorcerer of Agrabah - 430 (tie)
7. Ted Eustace - Journey to Mayaro - 421 (tie)
7. Franklyn Jagdeo - Spirit of an African Witch Doctor - 421 (tie)
9. Russell Grant - King Sampson - 420 (tie)
9. Keston Benthum - Notsek Bardo - 420 (tie)
11. Joseph Lewis - Jaixue Shenlong - Guardian of the Universe - 416