Curtis Eustace has, for the 10th time, claimed the top spot as the 2025 National Senior King of Carnival, while Queen of Carnival Roxanne Omalo successfully defended her 2024 title.
Eustace claimed the title with his portrayal of ‘Spirit of D’ Gasparee Cave’, designed by his brother, Marcus Eustace. He last won the competition in 2010, and despite his triumphant return on Sunday, he said he is undecided about defending his title in 2026.
“What I started to do, every other year I would compete, but I joined a band, ‘Spirit Mas,’ and the band leader, Adrian Scoon, asked me to compete. He said, ‘If you could do me that favour, I would like you to represent the band.’ So, that’s the reason why I competed this year, one of the main reasons, and then too, my brother wanted me in.”
Four-time winner Roxanne Omalo successfully defended her crown as the National Senior Queen of Carnival with her portrayal of ‘Sirena-Mistress of the Seas’—a major leap from her third place at the Semi-Final round. According to Ms. Omalo, she entered this year with the intention of winning.
“When I said in 2020 when I won, this would be the end of it, you know, my team convinced me, you know, I am just winning titles and the potential I have, so I decided, You know what? I took a break in 2021 due to COVID, and in 2022 I had my daughter, so I just relaxed. In 2023, I looked at the show on television, and in 2024, I came back with a bang, got the title, and I defended it this year.'”
Both winners will receive brand new Suzuki Vitaras. According to Trinidad and Tobago Carnival Band Association’s Vice President, Rosalind Gabriel, it was intended to provide an additional incentive to competing Kings and Queens.
Placing second and third in the Kings’ category were Fareid Carvalho with ‘Dralozo- A Being From The Sun’ and Errol Sookdeo with ‘An African Drummer.’
In the Queens’ category, second place went to Rana Kandoo with ‘Maiya – Goddess of Creation,’ and Nicole Hercules with ‘De Tiger Butterfly’ placed third.