Latest news with #MissUniverseNewZealand
Otago Daily Times
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Otago Daily Times
Miss Universe entrant a mother
Miss Universe New Zealand finalist Dr Deborah Lambie and her husband David Cameron hold their now 5-month-old son Theodore Cameron-Lambie when he was born on January 4 this year. PHOTOS: SUPPLIED A former Dunedin resident and budding beauty pageant contestant will be competing for the elusive top spot in the Miss Universe New Zealand pageant five months after giving birth. Next week, Dr Deborah Lambie will take to the Miss Universe New Zealand stage in the hopes of representing New Zealand at the worldwide pageant in Thailand this November. If she takes the top spot on Tuesday, she will be the first mother to represent their country at the competition. While Dr Lambie said she was excited, she also had a healthy mix of nerves. "I'm just really focusing on trying to enjoy it, and not worrying about the outcome ... just being able to be a finalist at this stage in my life is amazing." Her son, Theodore "Teddy" Cameron-Lambie, was born on January 4, 2025. Becoming a mother was "so rewarding and amazing," but it was good for her to do something she loved to do, she said. Dr Lambie will be back competing in Miss Universe New Zealand five months postpartum. "I had thought that this chapter of my life was closed, and so to have the opportunity to open it back up is really, really nice. "We've never ever sent a mum to Miss Universe." Initially, she was worried whether she would be confident enough, or had recovered enough to cross the stage so shortly after giving birth, she said. "I was super lucky that I wasn't sick during my pregnancy, so I was able to just keep going with my normal exercise like walking, yoga and pilates. "I've been super fortunate during my pregnancy, which has meant I've been able to recover well — I'm so grateful for that because that's not the same for everyone." The pageant's preliminaries will be held on Sunday, and the Miss Universe Grand Finale would take place on Tuesday at the SkyCity Theatre, Auckland. When she was a medical student studying at the University of Otago, Dr Lambie found herself representing New Zealand at the 2015 Miss World competition in China. Back then, there were rules around eligible ages, whether people could be married or have children and the type of people who could enter, Dr Lambie said. "They have really taken a step forward in the right direction in my mind, and it's basically got rid of all of those rules. "I think it is a great step in the right direction of embracing a broader definition of beauty." She is now living in Auckland, but visits family in Dunedin regularly.
NZ Herald
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- NZ Herald
On The Up: Tauranga artist, model Hannah Cross selected as finalist in Miss Universe New Zealand 2025
'Once you leave high school ... all of these amazing opportunities for performing arts, they actually just kind of disappear because you get thrust into the adult life.' When she found pageanting in Auckland, she found a way to blend her love of getting involved in the community and 'be on stage again and perform'. Cross entered her first pageant - Miss Auckland - last year and came second runner-up. It was an 'incredible experience' - she raised money for charity I Am Hope through a paint and sip event and volunteered at schools and Everybody Eats - a charity which provides free meals. She said it felt 'amazing' and 'fulfilling' to give back. Becoming a Miss Universe New Zealand finalist Cross finished her degree at the University of Auckland, moved back to Tauranga at the end of last year and was 'living a quiet artist life'. In late February/early March, Cross was asked by Miss Universe New Zealand if she wanted to be involved. Cross said she initially felt a bit sceptical as she had planned on taking a break because it was 'such a full-on world'. Cross said the director had seen her work with Miss Auckland and her modelling photoshoots and collaborations with brands, which she had done for the past three years. 'Being in Tauranga again and being around my family and my friends ... I thought, why not? I can use this platform to promote my beautiful Mount Maunganui and also be really proud of where I come from ... and put that on the world stage.' Cross was confirmed as a finalist in the 2025 pageant. Between now and the final in June, Cross was planning and hosting charity fundraisers, including a 'pink-themed' art auction for the Breast Cancer Foundation, which she would be including some of her work in. She was also 'jumping for cancer' - a skydiving initiative by the Cancer Society. Cross said she would do photo shoots, rehearsals, and attend other pageanting events in Auckland. 'Incredible' opportunities She said it was 'widely accepted' that 'you have to be pretty in order to be successful' in the pageanting world. Cross said this was not true as self-confidence, a positive mindset, personality, technique, poise, and grace were all part of it. 'What's also really amazing about pageantry now and how it's evolved is it's able to use a platform to raise money and build awareness for charities ... ' 'It encourages other young women as well to really see their place in their community and go, 'Well, where can I help?'' Cross said she had some 'incredible' opportunities resulting from pageanting - she had worked with well-known brands and was walking in New Zealand Fashion Week this year. 'It's been so great for my modelling career.' One of her biggest goals was to win Miss Universe New Zealand, as she would love to put her artwork 'out there' on a global scale. Another was to have her own fashion designer brand, as she was already designing clothes, including her national costume for Miss Universe. Cross also planned to enter the World of Wearable Art competition in the near future. Rotorua came second in the Miss Tourism Worldwide pageant.
