Mayreau lass takes Miss Easterval crown

Of all the gifts Justlyn Ollivierre has ever received, the one she received on Monday morning may just be her best one yet.{{more}}

The 18-year-old Mayreau resident, sister of former Miss SVG and Miss Carival 2005, Casynella Ollivierre, was on Monday, April 1 crowned Miss Easterval 2013.

Even before the MC announced her as the winner, Ollivierre began shedding tears of joy as patrons at the event chanted “Mayreau” while running around the Ashton hard court, singing “Happy Birthday” to her.

En route to the crown, the Mayreau resident got the judges’ nod in three of the five judged categories: Best Swimwear, Best Talent and Miss Photogenic.

Second runner-up was Shackell Bobb, Miss SVG, and first runner-up was Miss Barbados, Heidi Barrow.

Not surprisingly, the Facebook People’s Choice award went to Miss Union Island, Laurel Ambrose.

However, the local girl gave a good account of herself and in her monologue, showed how much Easterval has changed over the years. That, however, was not enough to win her anything other than the People’s Choice award.

The pageant was fiercely contested by the top three, as Barrow also won the Best Interview category and Bobb took the title for the Best Evening Wear.

“I never expected this. This is my first pageant. I have never been on stage, so this just shocked my whole world. Today is my birthday and this is the best birthday gift I’ve ever had,” an elated Ollivierre told SEARCHLIGHT shortly after her win.

Clearly a crowd favourite, the young woman had the crowd’s attention with her witty talent entitled: “The vendor”.

Ollivierre explained that she portrayed a vendor from Mayreau and noted that she wanted to keep it local.

In her monologue, she said she wanted to show some of the problems vendors have with tourists and some of the problems that the locals create for tourists.

Ollivierre said her cousin and chaperone helped prepare her talent, which was put together in two days.

The former St Joseph’s Convent Kingstown student said she took a break before going to college so that she could pursue her life-long dream of entering the pageant.

“Preparation was hectic. It was rough. I lost a lot of weight. I was sick and I couldn’t believe I won,” she added.

It might not be long before Vincentians see Ollivierre following in her sister’s footsteps and entering the Miss SVG pageant. She said as soon she turns 21, she will be entering the show – maybe even earlier.

With the Easterval title under her belt, Ollivierre is now thinking about entering a pageant in Petit Martinique next month.

“Since I have won, it has given me the confidence to go and enter and big up my little island of Mayreau,” she smiled.

Other noteworthy performances came from Miss Venezuela, Mariam Barbar, who belted out an original song worthy of an encore.

Heidi Barrow of Barbados also executed a beautiful dance piece with smoothness as she glided gracefully across the stage.

The event, despite its late start, saw entertainment provided by former Miss SVG contestant Shanel Nanton, singers from Carriacou and a local comedy duo.

The show also saw last year’s winner, Barbadian Zhane Padiore, make her final walk.

The other contestants were: Miss Trinidad and Tobago, Victoria St Louis; Miss Margarita, Tiffany Paola Da Silva Escobar and Miss Carriacou, Francelyn Tamara Lessey.