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Feilding's Claire Kirby thought she had "blown it" at the Miss Earth New Zealand national pageant on the weekend. "My interviews with the judges went really well and I thought I got on really well with them," the 19-year-old said. "But during the show I thought they were passing over me."
She need not have worried, as it turned out she had already been picked for the title. "I found out later that they didn't want to give it away." The Feilding barista heads to the Philippines next month to join about 80 other women competing for the international Miss Earth title. She qualified for the national competition by winning the Palmerston North event in July, despite only entering to support her sister Charlotte.
Ms Kirby said the competition is different from other beauty pageants. Miss Earth contestants are expected to be attuned to world affairs and will spend a month in the country before the showpiece event.
"We'll be travelling round in buses and going to charity events." National organiser Ros Taylor said Ms Kirby was a fantastic choice to represent New Zealand. "She'd be very comfortable talking to Nelson Mandela or Prince Charles or whoever you put her in front of," Mrs Taylor said.
There is plenty to do between now and then and Ms Kirby still does not know how many dresses she will need. "I was talking to the girl who won last year and she took 20," she said.
She was busy trying on outfits yesterday afternoonand has "lots of other beauty type things" to do before she leaves. One of Ms Kirby's tasks is finding a "national costume" and she is eager to hear from anyone with ideas. "We're thinking maybe a Maori princess theme but we're not sure yet." She is also hoping to attract corporate sponsorship to go towards the cost of clothes. "Even $50 here and there would be helpful." /Stuff.co.nz
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