Renessa Ortiz wins Miss Tobago pageant

RENESSA ORTIZ says her victory in the Miss Tobago beauty pageant on March 3 at the Shaw Park Cultural Complex symbolises growth and new beginnings.

“It is about the achievements I have made in the past two months because this journey started in October where we would have undergone rigorous training. It symbolises new beginnings,” said Ortiz, 23, who represented the village of Golden Lane.

But she said her achievement has not sunk in.

“It still has not registered. I am still in disbelief but at the same time very excited and ecstatic to start this journey,” Ortiz told Newsday on March 4.

A crowd favourite, the aspiring fashion designer beat a field of nine young women from communities throughout the island.

She will represent Tobago at the Miss World Trinidad and Tobago pageant in Port of Spain later this year.

The statuesque beauty, who owns her own clothing business, Ren Creations, said she intends to capitalise on the intervening period.

“I will use the time to prepare mind, body and spirit and just keep up to date with current affairs because that is what Miss World is about. So I am just going to continue what I have been doing for the past four months.”

For her victory, Ortiz received eye wear and a flat-screen television courtesy Courts and a cash award, courtesy Penny Savers Supermarket. Ortiz also won the Miss Intelligence title.

Placing second was Miss Plymouth, Ayanna Baird. The 17-year-old student also won the Trinidad and Tobago Top Model competition and will get the opportunity to model internationally. She also won the title for best evening gown.

Miss Speyside Monique Joseph placed third while Miss Charlotteville Lily Mc Kenzie and Miss Moriah Jhovell Sealey came in fourth and fifth, respectively.

In other special presentations, Joseph won the Miss Photogenic award while finalist Miss Patience Hill Deja Vincent got an award for best physique. Another finalist Makayla Mc Kenzie, Miss Bon Accord, received an award for most improved delegate.

Titled Makin’ Style, the three-hour show featured three events: a graduation ceremony for the students who participated in the Tobago Youth Creative Arts Workshop; the Top Model T&T contest; and the signature presentation, Miss Tobago beauty pageant.

In the pageant, the delegates paraded in swimsuits and evening wear. There was also an intelligence segment before the announcement of the results.

Fifteen young women, including several of the beauty pageant delegates, participated in the Top Model T&T competition. They paraded in swimsuits and evening/resort wear.

Baird, who won the competition, received designer eyewear from Courts Optical, an award courtesy Coco Velvet International and an international management contract, courtesy Elsa Exclusive Look.

Coco Velvet International chief executive Christopher Nathan told the audience, “What happens with this contract is that we are managing the career of the models but we don’t find work for them. So our next job is to find agencies in New York, London, Paris, Milan and the other fashion capitals to actually get work for the models as we continue to manage them – John Bilboa and I – as the mother agency.”

He said the project has been hugely successful.

“We started it in 1999 and the first winner Dominique Armorer was signed by Elite Model Management in New York. In 2010, Crystal Noriega won and she was signed to D&A Models, then Elite Model Management, then Select Model Management, then Modelwerk in Germany, Premium Models in Paris and an agency in Copenhagen as well.”

Nathan also introduced the audience to Noriega and two other past Top Model T&T winners: Latifah Morris and Sarah Jane Jones.

Noriega models for agencies in London and New York while Morris will be representing TT at Top Model of the World 2024 in Egypt in May. Jones is assigned to agencies in New York, Spain, Milan and Paris.

Nathan said 2024 appears to be the year for Tobago to shine.

“This is the first time that Top Model Trinidad and Tobago is happening in Tobago, and 13 out of the 15 finalists are from Tobago.”