Crowning achievement
Clarenville’s Mackenzie Dove cries tears of joy
Clarenville woman named Miss Newfoundland and Labrador
Standing alongside the other five contestants as well as Melanie Barnes, the previous Miss NL, Mackenzie Dove could hardly contain her emotions as the crown was placed on her head, and a sash with the title “Miss Newfoundland and Labrador” was set upon her shoulders.
The 20-year-old was then instantly surrounded by friends, family and fellow contestants who expressed their excitement and happiness for Dove through hugs and kind words.
For her success, Dove will receive a multitude of prizes, including cash, several photo shoots with photographers and a chance to attend the Miss Community Gardens Pageant in Prince Edward Island.
“I’m both shocked and excited,” said Dove, a second-year pharmacy student at Memorial University. “Miss NL has such a platform to do so much, and it’s really a role that’s a representation of the achievements of young women in our province.”
The Miss Newfoundland and Labrador Pageant took place at the Splash Centre in Harbour Grace, and was hosted by both Barnes and Jamie Korab, Olympic gold medal-winning curler and Harbour Grace native.
The six pageant contestants were judged in seven different areas — the introduction (worth five per cent), an interview (40 per cent), their speech (15 per cent), an impromptu, onstage question (10 per cent), a fitness test (10 per cent) and their evening and casual wear outfits (10 per cent each).
The first runner-up of the competition was Stephanie Roberts, 19, who also won the Miss Fitness award for scoring the highest in the fitness test that all contestants completed prior to the pageant. The second runner-up was Chelsea Butler, 23, of Conception Bay South. Butler was also presented with the Miss Photogenic award. The Miss Friendship award was given to Kristen Pevie, 22, of Chance Cove.
“The Miss NL pageant has been going on since the 1950s,” said Wendy Penney, one of the directors of the pageant. “It’s a lot of hard work from everyone involved, but it’s all worth it in the end.”
Dove spoke highly of past Miss NL pageant winners, and says she has always looked up to Miss Newfoundland and Labrador as someone who inspired not only her, but women all over the province.
“The most important thing to remember when coming into things like this is to just be you,” she said amid all the excitement. “Getting to know yourself is really important, and Miss NL allowed me and the other girls to learn a lot about who we are.”
When asked about what was next for the new Miss Newfoundland and Labrador, Dove excitedly spoke about the ideas she was brainstorming for the future, and how she planned to use her well-earned role to the best of her abilities.
“You’ve only got one year, you know? I plan to do as much as I can to use it to the fullest.”