In Pictures: All The Glitz And Glam Of The Australian Golden Sash Awards 2023

On Saturday, the 2023 AGSA (Australian Golden Sash Awards) took place at La Montage. It was a star-studded affair as several Australian beauty queens graced the prestigious red carpet, much to the delight of keen photographers and various media personalities. The event was brought to you by MS Entertainment Network.

The Australian Golden Sash Awards is an annual ceremony that aims to showcase the most outstanding contributions made by Australian beauty queens to the pageant industry during the year. This event attracted the cream of the crop in the beauty pageant world. The attendees dazzled in their beautiful sashes and glittery crowns, making it a high-profile industry event.

The ceremony featured various categories and awards, with the winners being selected based on their talent, beauty, intelligence, and overall contributions to the pageant industry. The event was a celebration of beauty and a showcase of the hard work and dedication that goes into preparing for pageants and representing Australia on the international stage.

The 2023 AGSA was a resounding success and a testament to the growth and popularity of the pageant industry in Australia. The event provided a platform for beauty queens to connect with industry professionals, build their network, and inspire others to pursue their dreams in the pageant industry. Overall, the Australian Golden Sash Awards was a night to remember, celebrating the beauty and grace of Australian pageantry and highlighting their achievements in the pageant world.

Photo Cedit: Paul Vasquez

         

Introducing The Beauty Behind The Cover Of The April 2022 Issue Of Mrs. Universe Magazine: Tannaya Javier

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– Mrs. Universe Central Australia 2022 – Mrs. Universe Official
– Sole Trader and Part-time Beauty Therapist
– Full-Time Home Loan Manager
– Brand Ambassador and Model for Chocolate Day Spa and BareLife Naturals Australia
– Skincare Agent – Seacret Direct Australia

A young entrepreneur who is currently engaged and soon to be married, Tannaya Javier is a mother of two (Cali, aged 11, and Manila, aged 7) who kick-started her career in the finance banking world for over ten years – she is now moving into the world of beauty. Tannaya was originally born in the Australian Capital of ACT. After growing up in Whitsunday, Queensland, she eventually moved to Wollongong when she was 11 years old with her father, who sadly passed away in 2014; where she then moved to Sydney, NSW, to start her family and build the life, she had always wanted.

Tannaya has a real passion for dermatology and wants to share with the rest of the world what she has experienced firsthand – how she overcame her own struggles about her skin to become a public image for others who also experience the same problem she once had. Currently employed full-time with one of the major banking institutions in Australia, she’s also studying at one of the leading academies in Australia (Australian Academy of Beauty Dermal and Laser) and completing a double diploma in Beauty Business (Diploma – Beauty Therapy, Salon Management with an extension course IPL and Laser Dermal) to achieve her career goals in opening a salon of her own. Tannaya is also self-employed, a part-time beauty therapist at one of the leading spas in Australia, and a brand ambassador/model for the very own BareLife Naturals Australia and Chocolate Day Spa. Despite running a busy lifestyle, she still sets aside time to ensure she has a work/ life balance showing others that even though she has so much on her plate; she can still do everything she loves doing while maintaining time with her family and making the most out of her time multitasking with what she has a passion to do – which is to inspire others that if you put your mind to it anything is possible.

Tannaya’s advocacy promotes awareness of the Mental health of women, men, and children struggling with depression, anxiety, self-doubt, and self-awareness to help create change. She believes that advocacy is an essential means of raising awareness of mental health issues and ensuring that mental health is on the national agenda of governments. Advocacy can lead to improvements in policy, legislation, and service departments to help all walks of life overcome the struggles we face every day behind closed doors that others may not see. She has a passion for making a change towards this as she herself indirectly has had to overcome mental health issues.

Tannaya thrives on positivity, caring for others, and is focused on building her own empire that she can one day hand down to her own children. She believes this is a great platform to inspire and empower others to do the same. While she has a passion for everything, she will always endeavour to attend Mass on Sundays and make sure she attends charities to satisfy others and her own inner peace.

Tannaya’s background is half Australian and half Filipino, with her mother being full Australian and her father being full Filipino. Her father had always wanted her to get into the pageant life from a very young age, while her mother always knew beauty and fashion would become her vocation. Tannaya wants to inspire her own daughter to grow into the best woman she can be while being a role model.

Tannaya’s advice to everyone being in the pageant life is never to lose sight of yourself and always remember where you started and came from. Always be willing to help others and always support everyone while also putting yourself first. Never lose your confidence regardless of the negativity you may receive. Be yourself and love yourself. Remember being that 8-year-old girl you imagined you would be and the 80-year-old woman you want to become. Put God in the centre of everything you do, and everything will always fall together.

Introducing The Beauty Behind The Cover Of The February 2022 Issue Of Mrs. Universe Magazine: Joanna Gunay

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Joanna Gunay is a 33-year-old wife and proud mother of two beautiful children, a 5-year-old daughter and a 2-year-old son. She was born in the Philippines and raised here in Sydney, Australia. She graduated with a Bachelor in Oral health from the University of Sydney in 2008 and currently works as a specialist in Orthodontic practice.

Joanna enjoys an active lifestyle, being outdoors, and spending time with her family. Some of her passions include fitness, fashion, health, and well-being. She started modelling after being scouted by an agency and since then has worked with different photographers and walked the runway for various well-renowned designers.

She was Miss Philippines-Australia 2012, and during her reign, Joanna represented the Australian-Filipino community through various social and charity events in Australia and the Philippines.

Her advocacy promotes awareness of women and children suffering domestic violence and helps create change. She believes that true beauty radiates from within and would like to use this platform to inspire, uplift, and empower other women to value their self-worth and reach their full potential. Some of the Mrs. Universe Australia Official pageant titles and awards she recently won include Mrs. Universe Australia Official 2022, Mrs. Chocolate Day Spa 2022, Best in Catwalk, and Best in Swimwear.

We recently caught up with Joanna to discuss her journey in the industry, and here’s what went down:

How did you get into the pageant industry?

I would watch the annual Miss Philippines -Australia pageant, and I always had the thought of joining at the back of my mind. I never had the confidence to participate until a visit to my hairdresser, Ching Mercado. She encouraged me to go for it, and she also became my pageant coach and hair and makeup artist. That same year, I was scouted by a modelling agency which also exposed me to the fashion world and sparked my interest in exploring the pageantry world.

What do you like most about being a beauty queen?

women to value their self-worth and believe in the beauty of their dreams. As a proud wife and mother of two children, being a beauty queen with the title ‘Mrs’ adds more meaning because it is a testament to my strength as a woman and as a mother to lead by example and to be a role model for my kids that nothing is impossible and no dream is too big. Being able to share this experience with my children, especially my 5-year-old daughter, has been so special. To see her face light up with pride when she sees me on the stage has been absolutely endearing.

Downside to being a beauty queen?

One of the challenges is finding the balance between being a beauty queen and family life. Sometimes, my schedule can get quite busy, and juggling work, motherhood, and the responsibilities of a beauty queen can be difficult.

What has been the most memorable experience of being in the industry so far?

I had the opportunity to do some charity work in the Philippines, which included visiting and donating to an orphanage and providing scholarships to some college students. It was very rewarding to see all our efforts and hard work in fundraising come to fruition and extremely uplifting to know the significant impact this would have in the lives of so many disadvantaged and less fortunate within the community.

Who have been the most interesting people you’ve met so far in the industry?

I’ve had the pleasure to get to know Miriam Scott, the CEO and founder of Barelife Naturals Australia and owner of Chocolate Day Spa- one of the sponsors for Mrs. Universe Australia Official. Coming from an impoverished background and achieving everything she has accomplished today, her life story is one of resilience and unwavering determination.

I am honoured to be one of the Barelife Naturals Australia and Chocolate Day Spa models to help bring her vision of a peaceful and sustainable world to life through this organic hub of beauty products.

It’s also been an honour to get to know Maryrose Salubre, the CEO and founder of Mrs. Universe Official, and the different candidates during the Mrs. Universe Australia pageant and hear and be inspired by their different life journeys.

What has been the most valuable lesson you’ve learned while in the beauty pageant industry.

With the pressures and expectations of the beauty pageant industry, you can easily lose sight of yourself. I have learned the importance of being humble, staying true to yourself, and being confident in who you are despite criticism and negativity. To have the courage to stand by your beliefs and value your self-worth.

Is your family supportive of you being a beauty queen?

Absolutely. They are my biggest supporters! I am truly grateful to my family for their relentless love and support over the years and their unyielding faith in me. They are my inspiration and driving force to continue doing what I love.

If you could go back in a time machine to the time when you were just getting started, what would you do differently?

To be honest, as cliché as it may sound, I really wouldn’t change a thing. I’ve enjoyed every part of my journey, and I’ve learned and grown through each experience to better myself.

What is the best advice you have ever been given?

My parents instilled in me to always believe in myself at a young age. That advice has brought me to where I am today.

What are your future plans? Inside pageantry or out of it.

I will continue to promote my advocacy of domestic violence and women empowerment and be involved in charity events to help those underprivileged within our community. It is a privilege to have this platform to promote awareness, help create change, and be a voice for those who feel silenced.

Pageantry has also ignited my love and passion for modelling, and after a few years away from it, I would like to continue modelling again. I am very excited for my reign as Mrs. Universe Australia official 2022, leading up to the big event of the Mrs. Universe Official International pageant later this year.

Announcing The New Mrs. Universe Australia 2021, Susan Turner!

Photo Credit: George Azmy

MS Entertainment Network, the company behind Mrs. Universe Official, has decided to strip Ms. Kristine (“Tootsie”) Aseron Santos of the title of Mrs. Universe Australia 2021 which was conferred upon her on the 30th of October 2021 by its Managing Director Maryrose Salubre with immediate effect.

The reason for the decision taken was Ms. Kristine’s failure to comply with certain obligations required of her, concerning her non-attendance at the crowning of the last Mrs. Universe Australia 2022 event held on the 26th of December 2021 and certain other serious issues concerning her conduct and performance during the tenure of her appointment.

On that note, the Mrs. Universe Official organisation has decided to appoint Susan Turner as Ms. Kristine’s replacement. Moving forward, Mrs. Susan Turner will bear the title of Mrs. Universe Australia 2021.

Mrs. Susan Turner came from a wonderful family with a mother who was a head nurse and a beauty queen; her father loved to sing at weddings and was also known as a famous unbeaten boxer and a long-distance runner.

Mrs. Turner has been married to Steven Turner for 31 years, and together they have eight children who have grown up to be amazing adults. She’s also a proud grandmother of 12 grandchildren and has been a French bulldog breeder for 15 years. Her primary profession is in the beauty industry – she runs her own beauty salon.

When Mrs. Turner was only seven years old, she won the little miss MS multiple sclerosis pageant; this started her journey towards her passion as a beauty queen. From there, she worked tirelessly with her mother in many charities. In fact, her charity hours amount to around 60.000 hours, and she has raised over $100,000.00 in 2018/2019 through various car shows. Some of the charities she supports include Domestic violence association Sydney, MS multiple sclerosis, Child’s vision Australia, Breast cancer foundation, Wesley mission, Salvation Army, Cystic fibrosis foundation, Starlight foundation, and Destiny Rescue.

She is the director of the “I hear voices” parent support form for addiction and has worked alongside the justice system to help prevent criminal activities. She also has her own show car – a Subaru WRX my05. This car has been used to raise much-needed money at various car shows around Australia.

As a featured public figure influencer, Mrs. Turner is a global mentor within the pageant industry to all beauty queens worldwide. She has also won many awards as a beauty queen, including Mrs. Earth Air Australia 2017, Mrs. International Global Australia 2018, Mrs. international Global Australia 2018, Humanitarian International 2018, Woman of the World 2018, and AGSA’s International Beauty Queen of the year 2019.

Mrs. Turner’s passion has led her worldwide, seeing firsthand many disturbing events such as famine and disease. Because of that, she helps many other situations around the world. Sue is currently the CEO of GEQ (Global Elite Queens) magazine, and her vision is to give voice to those who inspire to become the best they can be in their industry.

This year, the 2022 Mrs. Universe Official pageant will take place around October in Sydney, Australia, where Mrs. Turner will crown her successor and pass on her crown to the new Mrs. Universe Official winner. Further details will be announced at a later date.

Introducing Philippines’ Delegate To Miss Supermodel Universe 2021: The Beautiful Shanica Chua Sy

The Philippines has finally found a stunning beauty queen to compete at the 2021 Miss Supermodel Universe to be held in Bulgaria – it’s none other than Miss Shanica Chua Sy.

Shanica Chua Sy is a 23-year-old beauty queen who hails from Quezon City. She graduated Cum Laude at the De LaSalle College of Saint Benilde with a degree in Fashion Design & Merchandising. She competed in various pageants both local and international such as Miss Glamour Look Philippines in 2020 where she won the Spokesmodel Award, she won 2nd Runner Up in Miss Regal World 2021 and was Little Miss Chinatown when she was young.

On behalf of MS Entertainment Network, we wish Shanica all the best!

Introducing The 2022 Mrs. Universe Australia Finalists

Mrs. Universe Australia provides a platform for the country’s most beautiful, confident, and honourable women to compete for the Mrs. Universe Australia title. Mrs. Universe Australia is a unique organization that provides a platform where all women are represented and supported. The Mrs. Universe Australia finalist must be between the age of 18 to 55, have a family, have her own career, and be involved with a significant cause in favour of other people. The Mrs. Universe pageant is not just open to married women, it’s also open to divorced or widowed women. The idea that unites them is the motto “against violence” which in different years covers different causes. Past finalists have gone on to use their platforms to advocate for significant world issues as well as build successful careers.

After passing regional screenings, 10 finalists were selected to compete for the Mrs. Universe Australia 2022 title. Below is the list of candidates:

Lili Cao

Lili Cao is a 42-year-old entrepreneur who hails from Greenvalley – she was originally born in Nha Trang Vietnam, and she’s a self-employed lash beautician. She speaks English and Vietnamese, she’s a mother to three beautiful children, she loves running businesses, she loves the outdoors, and enjoys all kinds of sports. She’s very friendly and she loves to be part of the community to contribute in a humanitarian way or work with people to be their best as much as possible. She also strongly believes that the future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.

Rukeshma Lata

Rukeshma Lata is a proactive woman that comfortably juggles between her career, her two teenagers, community involvement, and being a socialite. She’s a fashionista and always have been since she was a child. Her passion for fashion has led her to many ramp walks as a model and through joining pageants, she wants to make a difference in the world through social justice causes such as inequality and discrimination. She grew up in Fiji and then moved to New Zealand before coming to Australia in 1998. Coming from a family where volunteering your time for the community was a natural thing to do – As soon as she arrived in Australia, she started the same here. She’s a volunteer for Rural Fire Service with Macarthur Catering, Middleton Grange Station, and her love for cooking and having her own page called Cook’s Creations is where she inspires many people about healthy cooking and ethnic foods. In fact, this is what led her to join the catering team at RFS. Supporting child orphanages is something she’s also passionate about as it gives her so much satisfaction to show empathy and kindness towards the less fortunate. She supports girls and boys orphanages in Fiji and Nepal and she’s happy that her children have taken on the role of ambassadors for these orphanages and support them through clothes, stationery, and money.

Joanna Gunay

Joanna Gunay is a 33-year-old, proud wife and mother of 2 beautiful children. She was born in the Philippines and raised here in Sydney, Australia. Joanna is a graduate from the University of Sydney with a Bachelor in Oral Health – she’s currently working in an Orthodontic practice in Castle Hill. Her passions include health, fitness, and well-being, and she loves to spend time outdoors being active. During her reign as Miss Philippines-Australia in 2012, Joanna represented the Australian-Filipino community through various social and charity events both here in Australia and in the Philippines. She started modelling after being scouted by an agency and since then has worked with different photographers, she has also walked the runway for various well-renowned designers. It is her advocacy to promote awareness of the plight of women and children suffering domestic violence and help create change. She believes that true beauty exudes from within and would like to use this platform to inspire and empower other women to value their self-worth.

Patricia Singh

Patricia Singh is a 33-year-old Fiji Indian living in Sydney, Australia. She’s a proud mum of two and she’s a nurse who’s currently finishing up her laboratory skills studies – she’s also got an account and leadership background. Patricia is a makeup artist as well which is her personal hobby apart from doing charity work for her beloved Fiji at Fiji blind school and other non-profit organisations in Sydney. She loves supporting charity events and her platform is advocating domestic violence as well as its effects on mental health. She’s very privileged to be part of Mrs. Universe Australia – meeting new challenges and getting support from her director and her lovely queen sisters.

Monique Cantalejo Rivera

Monique Cantalejo Rivera, with an inspiring story of struggle and success, is an accomplished entrepreneur, wife to Engineer Joven V. Rivera, and a loving mom to Nicoh Jovelyn and Johan Patrick as well as an ardent advocate of children’s welfare and protection and volunteer charity worker through Onessimo Foundation. She is not a newbie in pageant competition having participated in Eat Bulaga’s Beautiful Girl in 2002 and won as Dream Girl 2nd runner-up. She also holds the title of Mrs. South East Asia a few years back before becoming Mrs. Universe Philippines Laguna 2021. Aside from her family, her greatest motivation in joining pageants is not the allure of fame that goes with the crown, but the platform it gives and the bridge it builds between her and the generous people and corporate sponsors willing to lend a helping hand and those children in difficult and vulnerable situations.

Vannet Meas

Vannet Meas is a 39-year-old hard-working mother of two beautiful girls. She comes from a Cambodian/Chinese background and she has a degree in Fashion Design and Aged care. Her passion at the moment is caring for the elderly and those with a disability. She decided to follow her heart and work as a Disability Support Worker to support herself and her family. She can speak Khmer, Thai, and English. She’s proud to be part of Mrs. Universe Australia 2022 and she would like to encourage others to fulfill their dreams and to believe that if you put your mind to it you can achieve your goals in life. She wants to set a good example for her children to follow and empower other women like herself and let them know that no matter what we have been through we can come out stronger and better. In her free time, she loves travelling and going on adventures, and spending quality with her family.

Yelitza Martinez

Christine Escalante

City of Manila’s Christine Escalante is a proud mother of three beautiful children. Also, a successful lady who owns several firms such as Custech Contact Center Philippines (a BPO), GVHR Trading, and Construction to name a few. A multi-faceted and talented queen, she is also a freelance commercial model and movie actress under Star Magic and current host of ATC International at TV 31. A philanthropist at heart, Chrizzie as she is fondly called, is an active officer of different socio-civic organizations such as VP of Wanita Filipina, an organization that aims to empower women, President of League of Empowered Women in the Philippines that aims to support domestic women in their mental, spiritual and emotional needs and lady queen of WCEA or World Council of Educators Association, which is a charity organization for professionals, helping children, the elderly and people with disability.

Debasrita Mukherjee

36-year-old Debasrita Mukherjee is a mother of a 10-year-old gymnast, a wife, and the dutiful daughter of two beautiful souls, who has taught her great life lessons. She feels life is too short to be good at one thing. Hence, she’s an HR professional working for an esteemed organisation in Sydney. She’s also a Bollywood, Indian classical, and belly dancer as well as a plus-size model and an influencer. She’s an advocate of mental health awareness as well and she strongly stands for women’s rights, empowering them and creating domestic violence awareness.

Susan (Sue) Turner

Susan (Sue) Turner came from a wonderful family with a mother who was a head nurse and a beauty queen. When Sue was only seven years old, she won the little miss MS multiple sclerosis pageant; this started her journey towards her passion as a beauty queen. From there, she worked tirelessly with her mother in many charities. Some of the charities she supports include Domestic violence association Sydney, MS multiple sclerosis, Child’s vision Australia, Breast cancer foundation, Wesley Mission, Salvation Army, Cystic fibrosis foundation, Starlight foundation, and Destiny Rescue. She is the director of Crimes Against Humanity Missing Persons Australia and has worked alongside the justice system to help prevent criminal activities. Sue is a global mentor within the pageant industry to all beauty queens worldwide as a featured public figure influencer. She has also won many awards as a beauty queen including Mrs. Global World International, Mrs. Earth Air Australia 2017, Mrs. International Global Australia 2018, Mrs. International Global Australia 2018, Humanitarian International 2018, Woman of the World 2018, and AGSA’s International Beauty Queen of the year 2019. Sue is currently the CEO of GEQ (Global Elite Queens) magazine and Global Elite Media Group and her vision is to give voice to those who inspire to become the best they can be in their industry.

 

 

 

In Pictures: The 2020 Australian Golden Sash Awards

The AGSA (Australian Golden Sash Awards) is a ceremony aimed at showcasing Australian beauty queens who have made the most outstanding contributions to the pageant industry during the year.

To provide integrity in the judging of the categories, National Directors are typically invited to nominate beauty queens who have competed in their respective pageant systems in the specified categories. Entries are usually judged by the entire pageant community. You must be a National Director, a titleholder, or a beauty pageant contestant to be eligible to vote.

This annual event is the first of its kind in Australia. The ceremony is brought to you by MS Entertainment Network in collaboration with StarCentral Magazine.

Unfortunately for 2020, biosecurity measures and travel restrictions have been put in place to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Thus, Australia’s borders were closed and sadly, other National Directors and beauty queens from interstate and overseas were unable to join our 2020 celebration.

On a happy note, the 2020 Australian Golden Sash Awards was a sold-out event and we’d like to thank our major sponsors for this event: Sanjiv Bhalla’s Elite Supermodel Australia and St. Patrick’s College Australia. Thank you for continually supporting our projects.

Event Review: The FIRST EVER Sydney’s Best Dressed

The first-ever Sydney’s Best Dressed finally had its official event last year and it was definitely a night to remember!

Set against the backdrop of Sir Stamford Circular Quay, Sydney’s Best Dressed brought together beauty queens, fashionistas, entrepreneurs, and stunning models from all over Sydney as well as sponsors and several high profile individuals. Fabulously facilitated by the StarCentral team, it was an amazing event where fashion, pageantry, and the elite members of the community came together as one. Sydney’s Best Dressed honoured men and women of distinction who were selected for their accomplishments, achievements, services, excellence, and fashion sense.

Congratulations to the CEO of Sydney’s Best Dressed Maryrose Salubre for pulling off an incredible night – it was an amazing effort in a spectacular setting. Congratulations also to all the beautiful and dashing awardees.

Check out some of the amazing photos from the event below courtesy of George Azmy:

 

 

Coming Soon: Mrs. Universe 2020 Down Under

What: This prestigious international pageant believes that physical beauty is just a part of of the whole allure of a person. Its award is for the most honorable married woman. According to its rules she must age 25 to 45, has a family, has her own career and involved with a significant cause in favour of other people.

That is why every year this international event takes 7 to 10 days. During that period the married women from different countries are involved in different initiatives.

The idea that unites them is the motto “Against violence” which in different years covers different causes.

2009 was devoted to children and young women who are abandoned or suffer home violence. Representatives of different countries shared their experience in that field and many of them started a good cooperation lasting through the hole next year in different projects.

2010 was devoted to ” Women of the world against violence and human trafficking”.

The idea of all this international event and the activities going through the hole year is that mature women, who have already achieved a lot in their life, who have built their own families, have become mothers themselves, who are indepedent, due to their own efforts, are the women who can use their beauty for the sake of a big cause.

In this aspect it is obvious that beauty is just a small part of the hole allure of a women deserving to be honored. So we leave it for the final night. For that reason we also invite the members of the jury to be with the delegates though their hole stay and follow their steps to get a view of their personality too.

Another idea of the event is to show the host country and the people living there that they deeply believe that getting in touch with new places, culture and people will make the most honorable women real ambassadors of the country they have been to for these 10 days. The way they organize the event aims to be interesting for the participants and aims to help them make friends instead of concurrency.

Where: TBC

When: TBC