FOR all my complaining about the odd working hours and frequent thankless nature of this job, I have to admit that there are some perks to working for TE.
One of them was being asked last week to judge the semi-finals of COVERGIRL 2000 at The Castle.
I and four others, including a past Miss Indy winner, found ourselves perched beside the catwalk sipping complimentary drinks and nibbling mixed lollies.
On stage 15 of the most gorgeous women paraded up and down in evening wear and (gulp) swimwear, while doing their utmost to impress us that they were, indeed, the FACE OF NEWCASTLE. Out of a possible 30 points, we were to award up to 10 for 'appearance' (they were all eights and nines in my book), up to 10 for style (I ain't no GIANNI VERSACE) and up to 10 for an interview with CAROL DUNCAN and THE DONSTER from NEW-FM. Tonight's semi-finals at The Castle will decide another seven finalists for next week's Cover Girl grand final on Wednesday, July 5.
Four of last week's finalists (pictured left to right) agreed to chat to me after the show to explain why they entered.
Apart from the prizes on offer to the winner, including a brand new Hyundai Excel and thousands of dollars worth of cash and other prizes, the reasons were varied.
For AMY WELLHAM, 18, from Kilaben Bay, Covergirl is her second quest.
The waitress, who works at The Mercury Hotel, is studying fitness instruction at TAFE.
She hopes to make some extra cash from modelling and registered with a local modelling agency after making the semi-finals of another beauty quest.
Wellham, whose aunt made her 'evening wear' dress and who borrowed her swimmers from a friend, said she didn't feel intimidated at all by the audience.
'It is good once you're out there,' she said.
Last year LIANA COOK, 21, of Merewether won a holiday for two people to Hamilton Island, and still uses a gym membership that she won in Miss Surfest and Covergirl last year.
Cook, training to be a financial consultant after completing her Bachelor of Commerce degree at the University of Newcastle, said the experience had boosted her confidence.
She entered her first quest after friends encouraged her to try her luck.
EMMA HOWARD, 22, of Whitebridge, said having the car on offer was 'a bit of an advantage' when it came to making a decision to enter.
Howard, who works as a bar supervisor at the Kent Hotel, said she had entered Covergirl twice before, as well as Miss Surfest, Miss Hawaiian Tropics, Miss Indy and Miss Calendar Girl.
'The prizes are always good,' she said.
'I'd like to get into modelling on the side for a bit of extra money. And it's fun to do.'
LISA GLEAVE, 23, from Sydney, is Covergirl 2000's most experienced contender, entering on the advice of her Sydney modelling agency.
She won her first major title at 19, taking out the MISS INDY national title in 1996, which saw the Queensland-based model hit the quests in a serious way.
In February 1999 Gleave featured on the cover of prestigious glossy men's magazine INSIDE SPORT, which included a six-page pictorial spread and now earns most of her income from modelling.
In March this year she won $US7500 in the SWIMSUIT INTERNATIONAL for which contestants from all over the world were flown to the Caribbean.
In Australia she has done 'bits and pieces' of television.
COVERGIRL 2000 is sponsored by THE POST/TE. TE
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