Pathway to Miss Universe New Zealand 2012

[beautynz]

Does anyone know the full list of MUNZ entrants for this year? I've seen: Auckland, Celsius Gastro Bar, Howick, Wairarapa, Hutt Valley, North Harbour/sponsored(?), Manawatu, Otago? Any others you can add?

[steveybaby]

Couldn't have said it better myself beautynz! Got to move with the times!!

Girls today are just not that into Beauty Pageants like back in the 80s and 90s where you would have 20+ girls competing and you could barely fit them all on the stage! Look at Miss World NZ this year (12 girls), Miss Universe NZ 2011 (13 girls), the regional Pageants aren't attracting that many either - Miss Wellington only had 7 girls this year and the 2010 Miss Wellington won Miss Universe NZ last year! Other regional Pageants have had more girls in them but they have incorporated a Teen Miss component to their Pageants - which I think could be a good thing! Miss Auckland seems to do pretty good though, well established I guess! As with Miss Howick!

I think for most of the girls back in the day it was a social thing too, as they did the circuit they made lifelong friends and, like you said, gained confidence and poise etc - but also had experiences of a lifetime! Not that the few doing the Pageant circuit these days aren't... Some of the Pageant girls from the 80s and 90s have become very successful too - they have gone on to become TV personalities, News Anchors, International Models or been very successful in their chosen careers!

Good on those girls coming back for another crack at that Miss Universe NZ Crown this year!!! Am looking forward to seeing the rest of the line up - I already have my faves which I think are ready to be sent to Miss Universe!!!

[jgrayjnr]

I think in this day and age Reality TV shows have really kicked in - and the power of public voting is what draws peoples interest..theres something about people watching normal people try to get ahead in whatever talent (or not) they have and getting in behind them...
I wonder if there was a Miss NZ reality TV show where they pit beauty queen wannabes with model wannabes and TV celeb wannabes and then just see what happens?
I think half the rubbish that comes out of pageant girls mouths what be eliminated as the true behind the scenes look at peoples character would be in full public display...I even wonder why we expect these young women to be role models in any sense - when in reality they just want to look pretty and be admired.
I think we are ready for natural beauty, inner warmth, integrity and values to come through...someone truly well rounded and not afraid to not fit into a stereotype..most of these girls are promo girls who want to be noticed..
I have a friend who is so beautiful she would probably make Top 15 at MU but in no way shape or form would she ever want to enter a pageant - how do we modernise them and make them relevant (rather than parading the girls round malls, old folks homes and bars??)
While I do think our girls have some potential - I think they all need training, public speaking (dealing with the New Zullund accent) and how to project themselves in front of a camera, model walking and capturing a sense of X factor through some brutal challenges and harsh criticism! LOL
Now that would be fun. This old fashioned hair, makeup and sequins business does not reflect whats happening in the world internationally...we need to move on!

[scandanavian24]

Well I think JGray you have said it very well - how DO you make pageants more attractive and possibly the answer is you can't because they are now out of date. There is nothing clever about wearing ltos of make up and putting on false eye lashes, fake tan and hair extensions. Maybe it's time for NZ to be world leaders and say they will have a section where girls will have no make up! Forget the swimsuit section - Miss Wellington competition didn't have that this year. Be transparent about the entry requirements. It is very odd to see girls who say they are a certain height but clearly are not. does anyone check their claims for qualifications? The whole process is fraught. most girls would not like to be judged on their looks alone so maybe there should be a talent section again??

[garh]

The thing is New Zealand is far too small and our talent pool is too limited for the size of our country. YES there are girls out there that would make the cut and with proper training/coaching and mentoring we could claim back some of those glory days of the 80's and a period of the 90's. The whole industry needs an overhaul as well needs new blood, maybe someone like or in the form of Sara Tetro(NZNTM - New Zealand Next Top Model) to run both competetions. A reality show would be perfect, if only TVNZ would see sense as the national broadcaster as they were big supporters in the heyday. There needs only to be one competetion and either the winner goes to both majors MU/MW(or r/u goes to MW) and they select out of the other runners up to go to the minor shows or make a special award to the girls who makes or meets the requirement for Miss Earth, International etc. New Zealand needs to go forward in this new decade and the only way is for positive change, new blood,ideas and something to entice girls to feel good, positive and embraced to represent not only themselves but NZ on the world stage. We are good at other things in this world and have the "KIWI CAN DO" in fashion, being inovative in areas of business,trade etc and of course on the sporting arena but lose out in the beauty business(well apart from one or two ones that have gone on to do very well on the world stage)
So here is hoping 2012 can be a year of new change and direction and better results not only on the home turf but globally as well.

[kriscal]

You all have valid points to some degree and discussion is a way forward.
Changing the way pageants are run world wide will not happen and one would be a fool to think it will in the near future.
Personally I feel the last 4 posts have lost sight of what's happening.
In two weeks or so there will be a pageant in New Zealand for your girls and where's the support for those 8-10 that have put themselves forward. Come on New Zealand for a small country you do achieve alot!!!!!!!!.

[jgrayjnr]

An interesting article in the NZ Herald - just out now - and mirroring the reflections above! It is topical and time for an overhaul!

Beauty Queens Lose their Sparkle.

The beauty pageants that were once broadcast live from capacious town halls are now characterised by hired dresses and tired conference rooms. Susan Edmunds gets out the lipstick and hairspray and investigates.

Twelve big-haired, spray-tanned girls in tiny silver hotpants gyrate suggestively on chairs in front of a 450-strong audience. They teeter in sky-high heels across a stage, constructed around a pole holding up the ceiling. Lights flash and false eyelashes flutter.

This isn't a strip show - it's Miss World New Zealand, held at Auckland's Alexandra Park.

The title is much the same but the experience of becoming a beauty queen in New Zealand has changed dramatically from 29 years ago, when the country's most famous winner, Lorraine Downes, won the international title.

Downes' name will be forever linked with her Miss Universe tiara, but few people could now name 18-year-old Collette Lochore as the winner of this year's pageant, held three weeks ago.

Over the past two decades pageants have switched from glittering, glamorous events to slightly seedy sideshows that escape most people's attention - aside from the odd scandal.


This month, Miss World Fiji, Torika Watters, was stripped of her crown because she was only 16, not old enough to compete in the worldwide pageant.

Back here, even confirmed supporter Colin Mathura-Jeffree says New Zealand's pageant scene is in serious trouble. "They're on a slippery slope," he says, "slipping all the time."

And former Miss New Zealand Liz Aitken says she sees no future for pageants in their current form. They are, she says, "degrading".

UNIVERSITY OF Auckland historian Caroline Daley says there are a number of reasons pageants have dropped off in popularity. There are more options in what we watch on television , the contest is split into confusing rival camps (Miss Universe NZ and Miss World NZ) and people are not comfortable with the idea of women vying to be the prettiest, no matter how many world-peace questions are thrown in.

People are often surprised at how recent the decline in pageant popularity was, Daley says. We might be happier thinking 1970s advances in women's rights were the death knell for beauty competitions but she says they didn't start to become seriously unfashionable until the middle of the 1980s.

"It's almost like people now don't like to remember that we liked these contests until the 1980s."

Perversely, pageant-aficionado Mathura-Jeffree may have hammered the final nail in the coffin of the beauty queens. Television programmes such as New Zealand's Next Top Model, on which he is a judge, fill the pageant niche in a way most people are much more comfortable with, Daley says. "We're happier to think about beauty as a career option than just being beautiful and lovely for the sake of it."

Val Lott, organiser of the Miss Universe New Zealand pageants, says straitened finances also play a role in the shift from town hall to shopping mall. A big, glitzy pageant for television costs a lot of money to stage. After the 1987 sharemarket crash, the last year the pageant was on television, that money was a lot harder to find.

TVNZ spokeswoman Katherine Klouwens says: "The world is quite a different place from the 80s and we would rather spend our local production money on other priorities, which have much public interest."

Now, only nine regions hold competitions for Miss Universe New Zealand, so many of the finalists are models or promo girls, recruited by the organisers to compete for the overall title. They have to find their own sponsors to cover the $3000 needed to enter. Lott would like to find more franchise holders around the country. "You get sponsors, girls, run it like a business."

But she says people have unrealistic expectations of making a lot of money from the pageants.

DON'T MISUNDERSTAND her: Lott remains the biggest cheerleader for beauty pageants. She says they have lasting appeal and provide glamour. "People love it, they love to see girls doing well. They learn the most amazing skills. There will always be gorgeous girls and there will always be people running pageants."

Some competitors do it hoping for celebrity, others just want to gain confidence, she says. Lott's interest in pageants started when she watched them on television, scoring the contestants on her notepad. When she always picked the winner, she decided it was something she should get involved with.

But Miss Universe New Zealand 2006 isn't convinced of their merits.

Elizabeth Aitken was 23 when a friend talker her into entering.

A week in an East Auckland motel and a trip across the Langham Hotel stage later, she was Miss Universe New Zealand 2006.

But a year with the crown wasn't enough to convince her of beauty pageants' merits.

"If beauty pageants have any future they need to change in a big way. Times have changed - women work in important jobs, they raise children, they contribute to the world in a lot more ways than just how they look," she says. "Women should not be judged and given a ranking of how beautiful they are or how they look in a swimsuit. I feel it is degrading and needs to change."

At the Miss Universe competition in Los Angeles, Aitken was horrified to find the eventual winner, Miss Puerto Rico, had had six plastic surgery operations by the age of 18.

"If I had a daughter, I wouldn't let her enter a beauty pageant," she says. "It's a very degrading thing to do."

In the heyday of Miss New Zealand, contestants would travel around the country before the final and even tickets to the dress rehearsal would sell out.

THIS YEAR'S Miss Universe NZ will be selected at Queen's Birthday weekend. But winning isn't quite what it used to be, either. These days, life doesn't change much for our reigning beauty queens.

Lochore admits she's keeping a low profile. She went straight back to work teaching drama to schoolchildren after her win. There haven't been any public events to attend or ribbons to cut, although she will help plant a vegetable garden at New Lynn Primary School next weekend. Aitken's most memorable venture, apart from a stint on Celebrity Treasure Island, was a provocative photo shoot for Zoo magazine that led her to fall foul of the contest's organisers. Yes, controversy again ...

Of course, people who just want to show off are now more likely to post a few risque party photos on Facebook than take to a pageant stage in swimsuit and heels.

Tracey Cameron, a finalist in 1987, now runs Ican Models and Talent in Queenstown and agrees the interest now is in modelling as a career, not being a pageant queen. "It has lost that glamour, spark and power," she says.

"If you are an A-grade model, you don't need a beauty pageant, you'll be signed by an agency. It used to be another avenue to get into that world but now everything is bigger, faster."

And, as Torika Watters may discover, modelling agencies don't wait until girls turn 17 before signing them.

Lochore is happy she entered this year. She has even started a beauty contest at the drama school to give schoolchildren a taste of a pageant. "It's been the best thing I've done to date in my life."

[jgrayjnr]

Jgray PRE RANKING of CANDIDATES for MISS UNIVERSE NZ 2012

So the 2012 contestants list has not officially been released (there may be a few late recruitments) but these are the candidates we do know (though not 100% sure if Courtney Ramsdale has been confirmed?).

MISS AUCKLAND - Jennifer Lambly



The dish: American born, NZ raised since age 2 - Jennifer is a student and lives in Eden Terrace. Gained momentum by virtue of her strong ribbon - had photoshoots with Andrew Bignall and Angela Scott (two photographers behind the success of Ria Van Dyke, MUNZ 2010), and was spotted out on the town with reigning queen, Priyani Puketapu. Whether this all amounts to a behind the scenes favouritism remains to be seen.

Jgray ranking: Not sure if she can 100% pull off the win, she may make it lucky to place in the lower part of the Top 5.

Prediction: 4th

MISS GASTRO-CELSIUS BAR - Courtney Ramsdale (if competing, may be under another sponsor)



The dish: Courtney is a seasoned veteran and has already represented NZ internationally as her first major pageant, before becoming Miss Howick and 2nd runner up last year. Placing 3rd at Miss Auckland was a slight blip - and hopefully tells her the judges want to see something new. I saw some new pics from Andrew Bignall and see she is starting to embrace a more sensual appeal - which is exacty what she will need if she wants to come out on top.

Jgray ranking: I see her penetrating the Top 5 but unless she pulls something completely amazing and not seen before, then she may not even make her runner up finish again.

Prediction: 6th

MISS HOWICK - Avianca Bohm



The dish: Avianca is also a former competitor, placing 3rd in 2009 before winning Miss Howick in 2011. A Val Lott pageant winner - you must back her purely on the fact that if she follows the advice to the letter she will be seen as a contender. Val doesn't tolerate winners who dont listen (remember Ria and her national costume debacle?).

Jgray ranking: I think this girl has POTENTIAL similar to Miss World NZ 2011 Mianette Broekman, also another blonde South African born kiwi. Her modelling will need to be on par to uplift her average looks - but she could surprise. It would be a great achievement to make Top 5 but I dont know if shes in the running.

Prediction: 5th

MISS HUTT VALLEY - Rebecca Milne



The dish: Well not one of my in contention queens, but hey - she won her pageant - and with limited exposure (very few pics online) perhaps shes hoping to pull out the wild card. I think she will really need to project her face in its most flattering angles - but her body aint bad!

Jgray ranking: Not much to say but I hope she does well. Fighting for the wooden spoon.

Prediction: 8th

MISS MANAWATU - Miriam Shroeter



The dish: Miriam was German born and NZ residing student in Palmerston North. I think her look is crazy, in a 70's kind of way. The red hair, big eyes, wide mouth and the fru fru all a bit much for my taste. However, theres something there and the right styling could improve her chances. Last years winner Jasmine had a similar feel.

Jgray ranking: If I was styling her then I reckon she could get up to as high as 6th.

Prediction: 9th.

MISS NORTH HARBOUR - Talia Bennett



The dish: Well, well, well Talia's back - which is the dish all on its own. Widely touted as being ROBBED last year, her runner up placement - rankled on the forums of international fans as they turned their back on the winner who they meanly called Granny! What has she got going for her? Well fate for one - her pageant didn't happen for financial reasons and so she was asked to represent NH again, experience for two - Jack Yan the pageant magi really loves a return trier (Katie Taylor and Priyani Puketapu both won after previous efforts, and Ria won despite finsihed unplaced at Miss Auckland). Thirdly - well shes Talia. Damn HOT and with a pageant look and bod that will no doubt propel her at MU!!

Jgray ranking: If she has improved her projection and communication skills, tones down her makeup, follows along with the judges advice, and wears a hella better gown than last year - well I dont want to say it's quite in the bag, but there sure will be a cat about somewhere!

Ranking: Dont wanna jinx it - so will say either Number 1 or Number 2!

MISS OTAGO - Monique Cooley



The dish: So the first Miss Otago in 12 years (or something) in the form of this willowy beautiful brunette Monique Cooley. A goddess in my eyes, she has some pictures that look like just a dream - and channel the breezy warm qualities of the recent batch of Miss Australia's. I think she is a breath of fresh air and may just come to the rescue of the MUNZ organisation needing someone that people like and can rely on.

Jgray Ranking: She is photogenic, tall, classy - hopefully her communication skills are up there - and shes good to go. I see it as a battle between her and Talia, and a small part of me really wants it to be her.

Prediction: Miss Universe NZ 2012 if she nails EVERY category.

MISS WAIRARAPA - Renee Cummings



The dish: Renee is from a small rural place who hasn't had a pageant in a long while. For that reason she is my sentimental favourite for Miss Congeniality. We all love the kiwi spirit. her pic has already shown improvement.

Jgray ranking: Probably filling one of the last three places.

Prediction: 7th

MISS WELLINGTON - Lauren Mann



The dish: Lauren is a return competitor, who didn't exactly exemplify herself in 2011. However, she won her regional Miss after doing it on the sly. Her grandfather, a war veteran, passed on - and so her mother gave her blessing for Lauren to compete. Which she did, except she didn't tell anyone about it. Theres something quite resilient and humble about it. Obviously Lauren is blessed with height (reminiscent of Collette Lochore, Miss World NZ 2012) and is a catwalk model. The pic shows a look that I feel she should completely push - Nordic Goddess.

Jgray ranking: One of the most polarising candidates as I can see her with the crown on her head (if she is 1000% perfect on the night) or out of the Top 5, probably around 7th or 8th.

Prediction: 3rd (my biggest gamble thus far)

SO there you have it - who are your favourite girls????!!!

[beautynz]

Oh, this is all so exciting and I can't believe the final is exactly 2 weeks away!! Can't wait to start seeing them hit the media when they arrive in Wellington for their preparation week! JGray - I love your constructive and considered posts - they are fair and objective and it is such a breath of fresh air. From the girls I know that are in thus far (although I know of only 8 and I have seen some commentary stating there are 13 - so it's very subjective at this stage) here are my picks :
1. Talia (North Harbour). Some would say, robbed last year, but I think the experience and another year under her belt and to read the feedback and learn from it, could very well pay dividends for her this year. She is exotically beautiful (no argument!) and with a mix of NZ European/Maori and Italian - WOW! What a fabulous ambassador for our wonderful multicultural society - not to mention the body! I agree she needs to really 'bring it' on stage more and stand out from the crowd. But absolutely my favourite at this stage to represent NZ with full force internationally!

2. Jennifer (Auckland). Being American born she certainly has that all-American, ready-in-an-instant smile! Nice body, and looks like a very nice person. Only downside is that she looks the same in every photograph and looks very young and inexperienced. Plus her hair needs a lot more body to it. But I think it's about time Auckland got up there in the top 3.

3. Monique (Otago). In the one still shot that I have seen (with Michael Hill) she looks amazing! But the lying in the tree shot and the catwalk shot shown here on this blog, make me think she's very new to this (not a bad thing - but not a good thing when you are competing against countries like Venezuela, Mexico, Colombia, USA, etc). And she needs to tone up more if she is to compete with Auckland and North Harbour, but she has a lovely fresh NZ look.

Rounding out my top five, at present, would be Howick (Avianca) and Wellington (Lauren). Unfortunately I don't see that Courtney has improved upon last year, although she has a mega-watt smile on her.

But - good luck to all of them. Enjoy the experience, make some wonderful new friends and many happy memories!

[beautynz]

quote]I agree with parts of this story. It's about the management of these shows I believe and the fact that the promoters are not sourcing the quality support and sponsorship that they should and they are not making the shows 'relevant' for today's young women. Shopping mall parades - OUT! Fundraising on collection days for Breast Cancer, Daffodil Day, Red Cross - YES! But for previous winners who have had the benefit, that few do, of travelling internationally for free, experiencing cultures and sites that most people NEVER will, representing their countries and then to have wonderful careers to follow and then call their reign 'degrading' (quote Elizabeth Gray) - that's just totally indulged and ungrateful! AND she went on to appear in one of those NZ reality shows (Celebrity Treasure Island I think). She would have never appeared on that without having been Miss Universe New Zealand previously. And, I can say with some authority, that beauty pageants gave Lana Coc-Kroft, Judith Kirk (Dobson), Wendy Petrie, Lorraine Downes, Ria Van Dyk and Lisa Chappell, among others, a real boost in their eventual chosen careers! And these young women enter these shows by choice. When I entered pageants back in the day, it was totally so I could have the opportunity to represent this country that I am so proud of. I was never going to be a Silver Fern or Olympic competitor - but it was my way to represent New Zealand overseas. So if you don't like them - don't enter - there's not ambiguity as to what they are, so don't moan after the fact![/quote][quote=["jgrayjnr"]An interesting article in the NZ Herald - just out now - and mirroring the reflections above! It is topical and time for an overhaul!

Beauty Queens Lose their Sparkle.

The beauty pageants that were once broadcast live from capacious town halls are now characterised by hired dresses and tired conference rooms. Susan Edmunds gets out the lipstick and hairspray and investigates.

Twelve big-haired, spray-tanned girls in tiny silver hotpants gyrate suggestively on chairs in front of a 450-strong audience. They teeter in sky-high heels across a stage, constructed around a pole holding up the ceiling. Lights flash and false eyelashes flutter.

This isn't a strip show - it's Miss World New Zealand, held at Auckland's Alexandra Park.

The title is much the same but the experience of becoming a beauty queen in New Zealand has changed dramatically from 29 years ago, when the country's most famous winner, Lorraine Downes, won the international title.

Downes' name will be forever linked with her Miss Universe tiara, but few people could now name 18-year-old Collette Lochore as the winner of this year's pageant, held three weeks ago.

Over the past two decades pageants have switched from glittering, glamorous events to slightly seedy sideshows that escape most people's attention - aside from the odd scandal.


This month, Miss World Fiji, Torika Watters, was stripped of her crown because she was only 16, not old enough to compete in the worldwide pageant.

Back here, even confirmed supporter Colin Mathura-Jeffree says New Zealand's pageant scene is in serious trouble. "They're on a slippery slope," he says, "slipping all the time."

And former Miss New Zealand Liz Aitken says she sees no future for pageants in their current form. They are, she says, "degrading".

UNIVERSITY OF Auckland historian Caroline Daley says there are a number of reasons pageants have dropped off in popularity. There are more options in what we watch on television , the contest is split into confusing rival camps (Miss Universe NZ and Miss World NZ) and people are not comfortable with the idea of women vying to be the prettiest, no matter how many world-peace questions are thrown in.

People are often surprised at how recent the decline in pageant popularity was, Daley says. We might be happier thinking 1970s advances in women's rights were the death knell for beauty competitions but she says they didn't start to become seriously unfashionable until the middle of the 1980s.

"It's almost like people now don't like to remember that we liked these contests until the 1980s."

Perversely, pageant-aficionado Mathura-Jeffree may have hammered the final nail in the coffin of the beauty queens. Television programmes such as New Zealand's Next Top Model, on which he is a judge, fill the pageant niche in a way most people are much more comfortable with, Daley says. "We're happier to think about beauty as a career option than just being beautiful and lovely for the sake of it."

Val Lott, organiser of the Miss Universe New Zealand pageants, says straitened finances also play a role in the shift from town hall to shopping mall. A big, glitzy pageant for television costs a lot of money to stage. After the 1987 sharemarket crash, the last year the pageant was on television, that money was a lot harder to find.

TVNZ spokeswoman Katherine Klouwens says: "The world is quite a different place from the 80s and we would rather spend our local production money on other priorities, which have much public interest."

Now, only nine regions hold competitions for Miss Universe New Zealand, so many of the finalists are models or promo girls, recruited by the organisers to compete for the overall title. They have to find their own sponsors to cover the $3000 needed to enter. Lott would like to find more franchise holders around the country. "You get sponsors, girls, run it like a business."

But she says people have unrealistic expectations of making a lot of money from the pageants.

DON'T MISUNDERSTAND her: Lott remains the biggest cheerleader for beauty pageants. She says they have lasting appeal and provide glamour. "People love it, they love to see girls doing well. They learn the most amazing skills. There will always be gorgeous girls and there will always be people running pageants."

Some competitors do it hoping for celebrity, others just want to gain confidence, she says. Lott's interest in pageants started when she watched them on television, scoring the contestants on her notepad. When she always picked the winner, she decided it was something she should get involved with.

But Miss Universe New Zealand 2006 isn't convinced of their merits.

Elizabeth Aitken was 23 when a friend talker her into entering.

A week in an East Auckland motel and a trip across the Langham Hotel stage later, she was Miss Universe New Zealand 2006.

But a year with the crown wasn't enough to convince her of beauty pageants' merits.

"If beauty pageants have any future they need to change in a big way. Times have changed - women work in important jobs, they raise children, they contribute to the world in a lot more ways than just how they look," she says. "Women should not be judged and given a ranking of how beautiful they are or how they look in a swimsuit. I feel it is degrading and needs to change."

At the Miss Universe competition in Los Angeles, Aitken was horrified to find the eventual winner, Miss Puerto Rico, had had six plastic surgery operations by the age of 18.

"If I had a daughter, I wouldn't let her enter a beauty pageant," she says. "It's a very degrading thing to do."

In the heyday of Miss New Zealand, contestants would travel around the country before the final and even tickets to the dress rehearsal would sell out.

THIS YEAR'S Miss Universe NZ will be selected at Queen's Birthday weekend. But winning isn't quite what it used to be, either. These days, life doesn't change much for our reigning beauty queens.

Lochore admits she's keeping a low profile. She went straight back to work teaching drama to schoolchildren after her win. There haven't been any public events to attend or ribbons to cut, although she will help plant a vegetable garden at New Lynn Primary School next weekend. Aitken's most memorable venture, apart from a stint on Celebrity Treasure Island, was a provocative photo shoot for Zoo magazine that led her to fall foul of the contest's organisers. Yes, controversy again ...

Of course, people who just want to show off are now more likely to post a few risque party photos on Facebook than take to a pageant stage in swimsuit and heels.

Tracey Cameron, a finalist in 1987, now runs Ican Models and Talent in Queenstown and agrees the interest now is in modelling as a career, not being a pageant queen. "It has lost that glamour, spark and power," she says.

"If you are an A-grade model, you don't need a beauty pageant, you'll be signed by an agency. It used to be another avenue to get into that world but now everything is bigger, faster."

And, as Torika Watters may discover, modelling agencies don't wait until girls turn 17 before signing them.

Lochore is happy she entered this year. She has even started a beauty contest at the drama school to give schoolchildren a taste of a pageant. "It's been the best thing I've done to date in my life."[/quote]

[quote][/quote]

[Jaishee]

‎
I just love the title

[hakuna]

I am sooooooo excited! This year's contest will be really interesting

[PADboy]

I definitely would like to see this beauty in the Miss Universe

[Sone]

Pageants will have a chance in NZ if given the right environment. Just take Australia as an example.

I was at the Queensland state finals & it could easily have been a national final.

I've confirmed my media passes & runway seat for Miss Universe Austalia 2012. It's gonna be loads of fun.

Wishing the Kiwi girls all the best for your national titles.

[Magdalena Christo]

Gorgeous! -

[beautynz]

Oh no, not more Ria Van Dyk quotes - come on people, let's move on! Which might be made easier if there was ANYTHING online about MUNZ which is currently underway in Wellington!

[steveybaby]

Finally the girls are revealed - article from Jack Yan of Lucire:

Miss Universe New Zealand 2012: the events begin

Day one of the Miss Universe New Zealand 2012 pageant has been completed. The 10 contestants from around the country have had their fittings with both Louise Stichbury for a fashion show later this week, and Shika Braddock, for an eveningwear show on the 30th.

They also had a relaxing dinner with a view overlooking Wellington City at a private residence, before we subjected them to a mock interview session in preparation for the real thing on Friday. Today, they are spending the day rehearsing, and will venture to a restaurant for a meal this evening.

As usual, the profile photographs do them little justice. After meeting them in person, any prejudices one might have had based on nicely shot photographs are out the window, something that tends to happen every year. It’s also very difficult to say after a single day how things are shaping up.

Just going on basic statistics, there is a 30 per cent chance the next Miss New Zealand will not be locally born, reflecting the changing make-up of our country. Then again, three of seven on the judging panel are also Kiwis who were born outside New Zealand.

There’s little else to tell at this point. I’ve had very brief conversations with each contestant, and read their biographies. However, tomorrow, with the official functions starting with a lunch with Deputy Mayor Ian McKinnon (Mayor Celia Wade-Brown is presently in China) it will be interesting to see who shapes up in the ambassadorial stakes. It’s not a widely known fact that Councillor McKinnon picked the winner, Priyani Puketapu, last year after this luncheon, and his instincts may prove on target again.—Jack Yan, Publisher

Tickets to the final on Sunday night may be reserved at this page.

The contestants:
Miss North Harbour, sponsored by Tuscany Road, Talia Bennett

(Photographed by Andrew Bignall)
Talia is 23, 5 ft 8 in. She completed her Bachelor of Property and is a qualified commercial property valuer. Her interests include yoga, health, nutrition, fashion and tennis. Talia’s ambition is to climb the corporate ladder pursuing a career in property development.

Miss Auckland, Jennifer Lambly

Jennifer is 22, 5 ft 10 in. She is in her second year of a social science degree. Her interests include fashion, music, fitness and travel. Jennifer has been involved in aid work in South America, enjoying the experience. Her ambition is to continue this involvement, combined with working for troubled youth within New Zealand.

Miss Celsius, Courtney Ramsdale

Courtney is 20, 5 ft 10 in. She is in her final year of a bachelor of communications degree. Her interests include dancing, media, music, fashion and writing. Courtney aspires to having a career within television as a news reporter, or in production.

Miss Howick, Avianca Bohm

(Photographed by Andrew Bignall)
Avianca is 22, 5 ft 10 in. She recently graduated with a fashion degree. Avianca currently works as a brand ambassador, and is a part-time model. Her interests include fashion design, sports, and reading. Her ambition is to become a qualified chartered accountant.

Miss Manawatu, Miriam Schröter

Miriam is 20, 5 ft 6 in. She is in her second year of a Bachelor of Communications degree at Massey University. In the immediate future she plans to do a semester of study in America. Miriam also works part-time in fashion. Her interests include fitness, photography, art and travel. Her ambition is to have a people-focused career and to travel the world, exploring different countries and cultures.

Miss Nature Coast, Alex Beaumont

Alex is 20, 5 ft 6 in and a life insurance sales’ consultant. Her interests include fashion, music, playing piano, and fishing. Alex’s ambition is to gain a qualification as a dispensary technician. She also aspires to travel the world.

Miss Wairarapa, Rénée Cummings

Rénée is 21, 5 ft 7 in and works for a chartered accountant as a business services’ support person. Her interests include netball, fitness and travel. Rénée has recently completed a Diploma in Hospitality Management and is in her second year towards a Bachelor of Business Studies. Her ambition is to pursue a management career within the tourism industry.

Miss Hutt Valley, Rachel Millns

Rachel is 21, 5 ft 11 in, and a beauty therapist. Rachel’s interests include biology, photography, horse-riding, and swimming. She has also thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to model for charity fashion parades. She has a true passion for animals. Her ambitions are to own her own beauty therapy salon, and to travel the world.

Miss Wellington, Lauren Mann

Lauren is 23, 5 ft 11 in, and holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Marketing and International Business. She is also a part-time model and recently travelled with the World of Wearable Art to Hong Kong. Lauren has a passion for travelling and exploring new places. She also enjoys writing and hopes her first piece, a children’s book, will be published in the near future.

Miss Otago, Monique Cooley

Monique is 22, 5 ft 10 in. She is a qualified beauty therapist and is passionate about educating others in advanced skin care techniques. Her interests include painting, fashion, skiing, fitness and nutrition. Monique also aspires to speak fluent Japanese, a subject she enjoyed at junior school. Her ambition is to study psychology and to become a Victoria’s Secret model

Link to Article:
http://lucire.com/insider/20120528/miss-universe-new-zealand-2012-the-events-begin/

[jgrayjnr]

Well the 10 contestants have been revealed - only one addition who is Miss Nature Coast Alex Beaumont.

In terms of general stats and their bios - I will give marks to my first impressions of the girl at this point..who would make a worthy international ambassador?

First Impressions:

1. OTA: good age and height - great list of credits, interest factor with the Japanese and Victoria's Secret - finally someone who wants to go to Vegas. 9.255

2. NHA: good age/height/interesting corporate approach (Donald Trump would like that type of drive), mixed in with health/fitness goals. Who wouldn't want to play a game of tennis with Talia?? 9.243

3. AKL: young/tall, international aid experience and wanting to help disadvantaged youth - a good social conscience, and fit. 9.023

4. HOW: young/tall - qualified fashion designer with aspirations to be a chartered accountant? Thats drive and versatility. 8.989

5. WEL: good age and super tall - she needs to bring her personality forward - business/fashion and books - good combo. 8.875

6. CEL: young/tall - looks like her main ambition is to be in the glamour social circle set. We've seen it before. 8.760

7. HUT: young/super tall - improved photo, has a neat list of interests from biology to fashion - smart and beauty conscious? 8.566

8. WAI: young/average - looks like a career in hospo is where shes headed. 8.122

9. NAT: young/short - aspiring but not sure if aiming to be a dispensary technician qualifies her for the title. Cute but. 8.100

10. MAN: young/short - seems a bit all over the place with her ambitions, not sure if she would even stay in NZ? 7.750

Well there you have it - looking forward to the next pics in the upcoming days!!

[jgrayjnr]

My Analysis of Jack Yan's judging criteria as written below...

Tomorrow, the events for Miss Universe New Zealand begin. The contestants don’t converge on the Museum Art Hotel till Sunday, but the preparations begin: the pageant director, Val Lott, and her husband, arrive in Wellington, and any last-minute details get finalized.
This is my sixth Miss New Zealand pageant, and the eighth national one I’ve been involved in. I’ll be joined on an enlarged judging panel this year by Samantha Hannah, former fashion editor of this magazine; May Davis, runner-up to Miss South Africa some years back, returning to the mix; Carl Manderson, the wonderful Salute salon owner and a talented hairstylist in his own right; Danijela Unkovich, runner-up to Miss Universe New Zealand in 2010 and a young lady who managed to answer my trick question about Tito and the break-up of Yugoslavia in a surprisingly personal fashion; Dr Wayne Morris, a physician who is new to the panel, whom I will enjoy meeting; and Shika Braddock, the fashion designer behind her eponymous label, and whose gowns we will see at a fashion show on the 30th.

(Why is a Miss SA runner up on the panel? A physician?)

With 10 contestants—a sign that not all is well with the economy—we should have a more intensive interview session. Each judge, I am sure, is well aware of the issues surrounding pageants, including their relevance today.

(do we really need to keep asking the relevance question or should we just be pushing them to clone Miss Venezuela and try and make a semifinal for a change?)

I also believe each one of us would love to see women who reflect our country regardless of whether they conform to some figure; in the last five years we’ve managed, at least, to attract young women in to the competition who vary wildly in height.

(with no particular standard set it is hard to breed excellence in what the MUNZ organisation is looking for?)

Finally, too, there was official recognition from Miss Universe of the transgender community this year, though I was surprised to learn that this group had been excluded in the past. (If the law says someone is a woman, then what right does any pageant have to go against that? Are we looking for a Human Rights’ Commission case?)
In my years, we have always strived to find from our entrants a winner who is best summed up as ambassadorial: bright, cosmopolitan, and genuine.
This ambassadorial criterion already makes the choice of the next Miss New Zealand a difficult one, and while the formal criteria laid down each year do not change, a changing judging panel and changing times mean that it is very difficult to say to a contestant, or a sponsor, precisely what makes a winner. If human cloning is ever invented—even of Scarlett Johansson—it won’t guarantee first place.
One sponsor approached me at the end of the 2009 competition, having been certain that her entrant had the right qualities, so why did we not choose her? Contestants who miss the crown have also asked where they fell short. The latter group, however, usually already know, and merely seek confirmation.

(We MUST base ourselves on what works internationally - well prepared candidates who speak eloquently, know exactly what to say, know how to walk and present themselves and have the best bodies/gowns - its a PAGEANT people!)

There is, again, no one answer. If you took the previous five winners and subjected them to some psychological scale, I imagine there would be few correlations other than a reasonable amount of intelligence. (After their reigns, a similar test would definitely show that they have seen behind the veil of how media can work, both advantageously and disadvantageously.)

(A REASONABLE amount of intelligence??? Goodness. What creature has a reasonable amount of intelligence?)

The real answer is that each winner has had a quality that is over and above her competitors to such a degree that she stands out. It’s nothing to do with looks, figures, height or blogosphere buzz. (In Sweden, acknowledging this, we abandoned the smimwear segment, and some of the international jury’s work was done based on written responses to a Q&A. It’s no surprise that master’s degree holders had been winning the title.)
It’s almost trite to say that there must be an X factor, or, now that that term has been coopted by Simon Cowell et al to mean something else, a certain je ne sais quoi. In 2007, Laural Barrett was more poised and her earlier life abroad equipped her better than her rivals; in 2008, Samantha Powell—newly married to fiancé Tony Lochhead this month—was considerably more enthusiastic, and infectiously so.
This accounts for why some repeat contestants do better—and why some do worse—because the competitors have changed. And it’s that mix that often intrigues us: what do they bring forth this year?

( I would say that pyschologically the more/better you know a contestant - the more her chance will increase. Esp as NZ'ers are notoriously shy or dont really push themselves ahead of the pack. It may be endearing - but this is a competition. FIGHT!)


While we won’t see a Ph.D. candidate this year such as Nancy Yan (no relation—the transliteration may be the same but the original form is not), we will see three returning contestants from the 2011 competition. We also have our first entrant from the Wairarapa for many years, as well as a Miss Otago, the sole South Islander this year.
How they will fare is anyone’s guess. But I wish them all good luck, and I look forward to meeting all the contestants this Sunday. On June 3, we will have a new Miss New Zealand, taking over from Priyani Puketapu, who has served her year with dignity and grace.—Jack Yan, Publisher

The MU organisation look for bronzed, ethnic looking beauties who have killer bods and can adequately answer questions - for that reason, I think Talia has to be the most fitting of that image.

[kriscal]

Good luck to all the New Zealand girls who entered.
Nicely highlighted comments in the last post. Didn't you do that with the last two contestants in MU.
And did they place? Ria and Pryani filled that bio and didn't make top 16, maybe its time for a change from trying to clone a South American.

[beautynz]

Nice observations jgray. Yes, we missed the boat once by not selecting Talia - let's not do it again! And I agree, why so many Judges? And why so many that don't quite fit? We should have fashion designers, makeup artists or those in the beauty industry, beauty editors from magazines, etc... And there's almost as many Judges as contestants?? Anyway, as long as they make the right decision, that's all that matters.

[dahling]

Will be interesting to see who shines this year. Sad to see so few competitors... Perhaps it is too expensive for what is, at the end of the day, such a small scale pageant?

[dahling]

A couple of pics

[IHeartPageants]

New photo showing the Miss Universe New Zealand candidates at an event today modeling for label "Stichbury". Thoughts??

[beautynz]

Great! Looks like the girls are having a chance to have some fun too!! Good on them! Good to see! They all look fabulous and friendly and HOT!! Can't wait for more updates!! So excited!!!

[MISS_TWIX]

I like Talia. I like brunettes more.

Anyway, Ria Van Dyke is super gorgeous.

[dahling]

Opinions so far:

Monique, Jenni, Courtney and Talia are all contenders. Though Courtney isnt in as good a shape as she was last year. Jenni has a bit of a girl next door vibe, gorgeous still! But i look forward to seeing her in full glam mode.

Are there any pictures of Monique with straight hair? I have a feeling it could really work for her.

Alexi think is a bit out of her depth, i'm interested to see her styling over the coming days.

Miriams height lets her down hugely, she looks a million times better i the snapshots so far than she did in her official headshot. The 80's hair is ghastly, i am not sure what they were thinking!

Renee and Rachel don't havn't yet made an impression on me.

[IHeartPageants]

Some more recent group photos

[jgrayjnr]

HEADLINES



Miss New Zealand contestants descended on Parliament today, but World Peace wasn’t on the agenda.

Dressed to the nines, the 10 women and NZ Miss Universe director Val Lott were in Wellington for their annual meeting with National MP Maurice Williamson.

Unlike the daunting goals of Miss Congeniality, Ms Lott said the girls just wanted to “get on well”, rather than seek World Peace.

She said the girls loved their regular meet-ups with Mr Williamson, who “gives the girls a great overview of what Parliament is all about”.

“It’s education for the girls and it’s a window of opportunity because they are from all around New Zealand.

The group had just had lunch in the capital with the mayor and visited a rest home.





“And we will do a fashion parade in a number of malls – and even a hotel,” says Ms Lott.



Mr Williamson describes the girls as “very nice” and said he was going to call a point of order in the house to introduce them to his Parliamentary colleagues.

It wouldn’t be the first time Mr Williamson has interrupted the house during a visit by the girls.

“We were at a sitting of house once and there was a debate going on between Labour and National and Maurice Williamson proudly stood up and said ‘Excuse me, I’ve just had all these girls in my office’ and it hit the news. It was amazing,” says Ms Lott.

“Maurice said he’s never had anything so hilarious in Parliament. That was completely out of order, but it was a lot of fun.”

Ms Lott says the girls are “all very interested. Most of them, adding they have “also met with John Keys [sic] before.”

Mr Williamson explained that Ms Lott lives in his electorate and brings the contestants to Parliament every year.

“We show them around, give them a bit of a tour and they go in for question time.”

3 News




This time the dress has arrived.
Last October, Queenstown resident Monique Cooley (22) was crowned Miss Otago.

On Queen's Birthday Weekend this year she will be back in the limelight, in Wellington, competing for the title of Miss Universe New Zealand.

Miss Cooley has got her hands firmly on her dress, imported from China.

She had planned to wear the dress at last year's pageant, but it did not arrive in time, and she was obliged to wear a hired dress.

In the end, though, this made no difference to her pageant placing.

She said the situation last year had been a good learning experience.

It would help her cope with pageant crises.

The nerves were "of course" still there, Miss Cooley said.

However, she had been preparing herself through gym sessions and speech lessons.

"I do generally keep fit, but this has been more intense training." The support of her mother, Linda, and local sponsors Michael Hill Jeweller and Solo Clothing had also set her up for a stress-free trip to Wellington on May 27.

Miss Cooley would not reveal the colour of her pageant dress just yet.

She will spend a week in the capital, where she and 10 other girls will run through rehearsals, have interviews, do photo shoots and visit Parliament.

They would also visit rest-homes, Miss Cooley said.

Although this was only her second pageant, Miss Cooley believed she had an even chance of winning the national competition, and of being the first Miss Otago to do so.

"To represent Queenstown as the wee town at the bottom of the South Island is great," Ms Cooley said.

A few of the girls had done more than just one pageant, she said.

However, she did not feel she had a big disadvantage.

The beauty therapist hoped for a career as a model.

This was a step in the right direction.

"I'll see where the pageant takes me," she said.

"It would be great to get called up by a modelling agency."

But for now, her ideal result would be to take home the title of Miss Swimwear and Miss Universe New Zealand on June 3, Miss Cooley said.

[kylet3]

Talia Bennett is the obvious standout for me she is gorgeous and stands the best chance of returning New Zealand to the semis at Miss Universe, obviously I think Ria was hugely robbed of a spot in the semis at Miss Universe along with Elena Semikina but after I looked at the way Elena was styled, I'm not surprised she didn't make it, Ria not making it though was just highway robbery.

I think Talia though does have what it takes to get there, she's got the fresh faced look that Trump likes, Auckland and Howick to me are the runners up. She's the best bet for New Zealand. Hope she can pull it through and win! She'd make a great rep at Miss U!