Anonymous Reviewer
Pageant Year: 2025
Participation: Other
Application Process
Did you feel guided and supported through the process and expectations adequately? To the best of your knowledge, were all contestants treated equally?
No, it was obvious that the director had favourites. Overall, all the contestants were treated so badly on the final night — you could tell they were not looked after well. From watching them on the stage it was so obvious. I feel so bad that after months of hard work & training they couldn’t even be given a proper show! The director always asked different people who they thought would “win”. In my opinion I believe every contestant deserves a public & personal apology for the way things were handled throughout the pageant & on finals night. In fact a refund for their money would be necessary, as they didn’t get anything in return for their money!
Rating (0-10): 0
Franchise/Directors/Organisers
Professionalism, contracts, fees, treatment of contestants, discrimination, financial responsibilities, prizes, are they motivated correctly, etc.
It’s no secret that all the contestants paid a large amount of money for their entry fee. The only thing I question here is what did they do with all that money they generated from the entry fee, ticket sales, etc. What did these contestants get back in return? They are only covering all the costs for the winner… but what about the other title holders? The flowers they all received were pretty much fake! Can they not afford to give them real fresh flowers? There was also no presentation of the charity money to the organisations that the contestants worked so hard to raise money/advocate for, like they would’ve done in previous years. Where is the proof the organisation gave the money to charity?
Rating (0-10): 0
Rehearsals
Well organised, value, treatment of participants, expectations, respect versus compromise, qualified trainers, etc.
When I asked some of the contestants how they were treated… it was noted that there would be many cancelled rehearsals/contestants did not show up to practice. This was because they did not receive consistent pasarela training & when they did show up there wasn’t any rehearsals other than a few opening dance practices which they would wait hours for until someone showed up. It needed to be organised more effectively where contestants are able to plan out their time in advance & receive training. There would apparently also be many last minute invites to places/sponsor visits. It was expected for them to drop everything and attend?
Rating (0-10): 0
Safety
Health, medical requirements, dietry, personal, sexual, physical, privacy, financial, event security, etc.
N/A
Rating (0-10): 0
Empowerment
This experience increased/decreased my self confidence, my sense of purpose, my capacity to dream bigger, and my propensity to lead others to their inner greatness.
I can only imagine this would’ve really affected all the contestants both mentally & physically. Some of them I hadn’t seen since the start of the pageant journey… and quite a few of them looked they had lost an unhealthy amount of weight. Even looking back at their social media posts it is quite evident. I hope they are all okay. Such a toxic environment that can really affect someone due to all the unnecessary stress they would’ve been put under. The lack of support & guidance is also evident.
Rating (0-10): 0
Judging
Qualified, conflicts of interest, fair and unbiased, racial, discrimination, etc
It was noted that the judges scores were never even taken into account. From pre judging… everyone was apparently told that they would be able to make up for it during the finals. There was no judging done at all on finals apart from the Q&A section… even then everything was all pre determined. They had to make the girl who won Miss Auckland win, as to which she has been working closely with them for a few years now. It was obvious that some outshined the winner with their performance on finals night. These poor girls were all given false hope & broken promises. I believe some of the girls even asked to see their pre judging scores & final night scores. Unfortunately they were all denied to see this and were told they need to get the approval of each judge (in that case not all agreed) therefore, we’re not allowed to see any of their rightfully earned scores. Every contestant SHOULD have had the right to see their scores no matter what! How else would they know where they are lacking and how to improve if they want to win a title in the future or even if they go overseas as a title winner? So unprofessional of the organisation. They hid behind many questions waiting to be answered. The fact they wasted these poor girls time, effort, and dedication towards the pageant JUST for them to already have the winner picked out is appalling. All the contestants deserved to be scored fairly and given a proper shot. The way they had also read out the winners for each prize on final night was shocking — you could tell they had everything written down already. There was no presentation of an envelope or an accountant that SHOULD HAVE been doing the adding up of scores on final night. It was not only badly organised but everyone in the audience could see how rigged & pre determined this pageant was. It was again shocking who the winner was picked out to be considering there is a standard when going overseas to compete in an international pageant. I can assure you if those scores are released the winner wouldn’t have even made the cut to win.
Rating (0-10): 0
Reigning Year
What did you like/dislike about your reigning year? Were events throughout your regning year honourable or did you feel used?
N/A
Rating (0-10): 0
Services
Value for money, contribution respected, etc.
No value for money — I believe the title winners had to pay for their own photoshoot (except the winner) for their overseas pageant? As an organisation wouldn’t you want your contestants to be producing the best photos possible overseas (cost free). Where is their financial support here from the organisation? Furthermore, their sashes also looked so cheap… why did it have “1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th runners up” written on the sashes rather than just their titles! Oh my gosh these poor girls!
Rating (0-10): 0
General Comments
If you don’t have a good relationship with the director & the entire organisation/chairman don’t bother joining or wasting your precious time. There seems to always be politics behind the scenes each year. It’s a complete scam! As long as you are giving them money & sponsorships you will be their best friend. They always seem to pre determine the winner each year as to what I have been told, and honestly I can tell! How rigged and unfair is that. All the contestants over the years and especially THIS year deserved far better and again deserve a public & personal apology. I can only imagine the current title holders would be left on their own to fend for themselves internationally. No financial support, advice, or anything. It was announced they would all have “packed schedules”… there obviously isn’t anything planned or posted about what the title holders are doing to prepare for overseas. The main focus here is opportunities provided for the pre determined winner. If you want New Zealand to place well overseas…. you firstly need a good chairman & director/organisation team who does things with honesty. New Zealand is a small country and we need a strong team backing them up, there needs to be change in order to succeed on the international stage. Therefore, if you are a girl of age to compete…don’t be manipulated by their comments and false information to join the pageant — whether it be Miss Teen, Miss Auckland, Miss New Zealand or other pageants related! Save your time and focus your energy on other things that you will gain something back from and not be affected by something that is only a money making scheme.
Total Score
Application Process: 0
Franchise/Directors/Organisers: 0
Rehearsals: 0
Safety: 0
Empowerment: 0
Judging: 0
Reigning Year: 0
Services: 0
Total: 0 (out of possible 80)
Total Rating: 0%
Next Review
Anonymous Reviewer
Pageant Year: 2023
Contestant
Application Process
Did you feel guided and supported through the process and expectations adequately? To the best of your knowledge, were all contestants treated equally?
I thought I was guided at the time but looking back it wasn't the case. Most of my posts were never shared. Once I got a title I wasn't supported as I should have been even just on the social pages. The winner was favored from the very start. Invited to dinners and events and hang outs with the national director, head judge and reigning Miss NZ as well as sponsored by another judge. Not treated equally in the slightest. Many of the girls were humiliated and knew who the winner was from day 1.
Rating (0-10): 2
Franchise/Directors/Organisers
Professionalism, contracts, fees, treatment of contestants, discrimination, financial responsibilities, prizes, are they motivated correctly, etc.
National director showed up to rehearsal hungover and telling all the girls how shit they were. The costumes of everything seemed a bit excessive but as a hopeful naive girl I didn't overthink it. Asked my entry fee refund and was denied as "it was too late".
Rating (0-10): 0
Rehearsals
Well organised, value, treatment of participants, expectations, respect versus compromise, qualified trainers, etc.
Rehearsals were held in a school hall. Constantly told how shit we were. Watched the winner be favored. No respect. Just the national director and reigning Miss NZ judging
Rating (0-10): 2
Safety
Health, medical requirements, dietry, personal, sexual, physical, privacy, financial, event security, etc.
Nothing. No security, no food ever provided, no privacy etc
Rating (0-10): 0
Empowerment
This experience increased/decreased my self confidence, my sense of purpose, my capacity to dream bigger, and my propensity to lead others to their inner greatness.
It left me feeling unworthy, broken, ugly, fat, no meaning or worthy of life.
It completely broke me.
Rating (0-10): 0
Judging
Qualified, conflicts of interest, fair and unbiased, racial, discrimination, etc
Conflicts of interest, biased, white blonde barbie
Rating (0-10): 0
Reigning Year
What did you like/dislike about your reigning year? Were events throughout your regning year honourable or did you feel used?
I felt used for my money.
Rating (0-10): 0
Services
Value for money, contribution respected, etc.
None of it was worth it. Complete sham.
Rating (0-10): 0
General Comments
I would never recommend for anyone to do this pageant unless you have blonde hair, super skinny and look like a barbie. Oh and have a lot of money
Total Score
Application Process: 2
Franchise/Directors/Organisers: 0
Rehearsals: 2
Safety: 0
Empowerment: 0
Judging: 0
Reigning Year: 0
Services: 0
Total: 4 (out of possible 80)