And the winner is ...

Filipino beauty Rhodelsa Reyes walked away with the July Rose crown this year.

Organised at the Baan Saeng Thai restaurant in Adliya, the eight contestants from Bahrain, India and the Philippines, showed off their talents, beauty and brains to compete for the top three titles on Thursday evening.

Highly excited about her surprise win, Rhodelsa, 26, an accounts assistant with Exova in Askar, said: "It is a great feeling to have won the contest. I love everything connected with beauty and fashion and I joined the contest for the fun of it. The talent round was tough and I tried to be as natural as possible ... thankfully it worked. I also had very supportive friends who cheered for me and encouraged me."

The judges clearly thought so too as Rhodelsa's guitar-playing proved a hit.

A runner up at the Miss Philippines 2005 contest, Rhodelsa felt that the experience was all about making new friends and showing creativity in a natural way.

Accounts assistant Princess Apple Sinchongco, 24, from the Philippines took the first runner up award and the second runner up was New Indian School student Shaika Alseddiqi, 17, from Bahrain.

Princess Apple also won the Best in Gown Award, Best in Active and Casual Wear and Miss Photogenic Award. A model during her spare time, she said the event gave her a lot of confidence adding: "This is my birthday month and winning this award is like getting a great big bonus."

For Shaika Alseddiqi it was a first time experience at any beauty contest. Also the winner of the Best in Talent Award, in which she sang and danced her way into the judges' good books, she felt the contest helped her overcome stage fright and gain confidence.

She said: "The event was a challenge for me. I had to prepare for the talent contest and had to overcome nervousness.

"It also helped me understand the work that goes on behind such a show, the stress of preparing for it and at the same time having fun and making loads of new friends."

The Miss July Rose beauty pageant is one of the most popular summer events in Bahrain. It has helped launch several modelling careers.

Jacqueline Fernandez, a beauty queen from Sri Lanka, who competed in Miss Universe 2006, is one of its past winners.

Other winners at this year's event included Mona Jawher who took the Miss Friendship Award and Jun Garcia Atelier who got the Best Designer Award.

Event creative director Romero Paulo said every year the event tries to incorporate new ideas. This year it showcased Natasha Apparel which has a range of smart casual wear.

Next year he hopes to bring in an educational aspect to the contest, which aims to develop the personality of today's woman.

Judges at this year's event were Suhayla Adok of Bank Muscat International, Louie Capistrano of HBGC, a professional hairdresser's group, Viveke Anderseen of Sabaya magazine, Juni Capulong, chairman of the board and representing Trinity Advertising, Priya, Al Jazira Group Fashion Division and former Miss July Rose winners Analise and April Joy. And sponsors of the event included Natasha Apparel, Electronics World and Yousif A Wahab Al Hawaj and Sons.