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week ending november 10, 2013 | guyanatimeSinternational.com
Umblita Van Sluytman
Olive Gopaul Part I
B
eauty pageants have always been hugely popular – as well as controversial. As with anything involving aesthetics, it’s often a subjective experience. Miss Guyana pageants have been no exception. With pageant fever running high after the recent crowning of Miss Guyana Universe 2013 Katherina Roshana, who is about to take part in the 2013 Miss Universe pageant in Russia later this week, Guyana Times Sunday Magazine looks back at the highs and lows of the Miss Guyana World and Miss Guyana Universe pageants over the years.
Miss Guyana World
While virtually nothing is known of a local Miss World pageant when Guyana was British Guiana, 1966, the year of Guyana’s independence, saw Guyana arrive on the Miss World pageant scene with a bang when the country’s first Miss Guyana World, 19-year-old Umblita Van Sluytman, made it to the semi-final round. Though Guyana did not go on to the finals, which was won by Miss India, it was a proud moment for the brand new state. Umbelita died in 2004. Then in 1967, Miss Guyana World Shakira Baksh, at 19 placed third (second runner-up) in the pageant which saw Miss Peru crowned Miss World. It would be the closest to winning,
Shakira Baksh
Adrienne Harris
Alexis Glasgow
Suzette Shim
to date of writing, that Guyana has made it at either a Miss World or Miss Universe pageant. Baksh, who also acted and modelled, subsequently married British actor Michael Caine and now lives in England. When the 1968 Miss World was staged, Guyana was again among the notable beauties when Adrienne Harris placed sixth (fifth runner-up) among the seven finalists of the pageant, won by Miss Australia. Pamela Patricia Lord continued the run at the 1969 Miss Guyana World when she became third runner-up at that year’s Miss World pageant in which Miss Austria was crowned queen. After four years of consecutive pageantry appearances in which Guyanese beauties had consistently showed their potential, 1970 would see Miss Guyana World in the spotlight when Jennifer EvanWong received a place among the semi-finalists for the event which was eventually won by Miss Grenada. Evan-Wong died in 2005. The new decade seemed to continue shining for Miss Guyana World contestants when in 1971 Nalini Moonasar came in fourth (third runner-up) at the pageant won by Miss Brazil. However, she would be the last contestant Guyana would send to any international beauty pageant for almost two dark decades.
Pamela Patricia Lord
Nalini Moonasar
Christine Jardim
Jasmine Herzog
Imarah Radix
Althea Shepherd
Arti Cameron
Ruqayyah Boyer
The country finally did return to the Miss World pageant in 1988, but its fortunes changed drastically, and to date it has yet to field any contestant that has reached the previous pageants’ levels. Despite her beauty, the first Miss Guyana World after the long hiatus would create local controversy, and earn no place among the top most beautiful women in the world. When 20-year-old Christine Jardim won the 1988 Miss Guyana World pageant, the first one for Guyana after a 17-year absence, her victory was particularly marred by dissent about her weight and the usual subjective ideal of beauty. Nevertheless, despite not gaining a place on the world stage –Miss Iceland won the event that year – Christine continued with her studies and is now director of enterprise development at Florida International University. The following year Lyla Shalimar Ryhaan Majeed claimed the crown in the 1989 Miss Guyana World but was unsuccessful in repeat-
ing such a feat in the international pageant. That year the pageant, won by Miss Poland, was held, for the first time out of England, on the island of Hong Kong. Guyana would for ten years after, again not produce Miss World contestants. Then, in the year before the new millennium, Indra Changa became the 1999 Miss Guyana World but did not gain a place, and Miss India took the Miss World title. With no pageant contestant competing in 2000, it would be in 2001 that Guyana fielded a Miss Guyana World when Olive Gopaul was chosen to represent the country at the Miss World. She too failed to place at the event won by Miss Nigeria, but remains a well-known business personality. In 2002 Odessa Phillips was chosen Miss Guyana World and headed to London for the 52nd Miss World pageant after its planned staging in Nigeria was cancelled. She also failed to place and the event was won by Miss Turkey.
Twenty-one-yearold Alexis Glasgow was the 2003 Miss Guyana World. Though the New Amsterdam beauty would suffer the same fate of her contemporaries, and it was Miss Ireland who took the coveted title, she has since moved on from the pageant and now lives in Iceland. Suzette Shim would shrug off her 2003 loss to Alexis Glasgow in the Miss World Guyana contest and in 2004 achieve the title and the opportunity to go to the Miss World pageant in China. The 19-year-old failed to place in the pageant which was won by Miss Peru. In 2005 Jasmine Herzog arrived in China to participate in the 55th Miss World pageant. Despite the high hopes of the rest of the country, she failed to make an impact in the event won by Miss Iceland. Miss Guyana World 2006 Dessia Braithwaite; Candace Charles, Miss Guyana World 2007 and Christa Simmons in 2008 would continue Guyana’s dismal run at the pageant which was won by Miss Czech Republic, Miss China and Miss Russia respectively. Then, in the 2009 Miss World contest won by Miss Gibraltar, Imarah Radix placed among the top 22 in the Miss World Talent segment of the pageant; the closest Guyana had come of note since 1971. In 2010, UK-based Miss Guyana World
Althea Shepherd made it into the top 20 of the Miss World Sports segment of the competition whose crown went to Miss United States. Shepherd, a model and actress, continues to be active in her careers. Arti Cameron would be crowned Miss Guyana World 2011, but there was no Guyanese Miss World at the 2011 pageant which was won by Miss Venezuela; visa troubles led to the unique absence of the Guyanese contestant in 2011, and as a result she was permitted to wear the crown in 2012 and represent Guyana at the 2012 Miss World pageant. Despite initial signs of calamity again in 2012, she eventually made it to the 62nd Miss World pageant. Though failing to impress the judges, she earned a People’s Choice Award at the event, which was won by Miss China PR. Ruqayyah Boyer was chosen by the Miss Guyana World franchise holder to represent the country at the 2013 Miss World contest that was won by Miss Philippines. Boyer too failed to pull the country out of its dearth, despite being among the top 32 in the Beach Fashion segment of the competition. Next week we take a look at Miss Guyana Universe where, among other things, we shall discover some contestants who had the extreme good fortune of representing Guyana at both Miss World and Miss Universe pageants.