Bonniest babies compete to be face of merino

Reporter·Herald on Sunday·

31 Oct, 2015 04:00 PM2 mins to read

Sarah Neal with Baby Walter Neal. Photo / Doug Sherring.

All new life brings joy. But babies Walter Neal and Willow Newcombe could claim to have brought more than most.

And now peaceful images of the new arrivals could land one of them in the spotlight as the next Face of Merino Kids.

Three-month-old Walter, right, with mum Sarah, from Hamilton, and 2-month-old Willow, from Christchurch, are two of six finalists in a competition to front Merino Kids' autumn/winter 2016 range.

The finalists, who also include 7-week-old Auckland twins Kendall and Britta Harris, were chosen from almost 1000 entries.

Willow's mum, Anna Newcombe, said as well as being "pretty cute", her daughter had given her parents hope during a dark time.

The newborn's dad, Adam, was diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer when his wife was 14 weeks pregnant.

He completed six months of chemotherapy and his last treatment was four days before Willow was born.

"She has been amazing," her proud mum told the Herald on Sunday this week.

"To have her here, it has given us heaps of hope. Just her being here, being a goal we were looking forward to the most, and meeting her. It's important having that family time."

She did not want to talk about her husband's prognosis; for now they were enjoying watching Willow thrive. "She's starting to make lots of noises and she's smiling a lot."

Walter Neal is also delighting his parents, Sarah and Dudley. The dark-haired, blue-eyed boy arrived after three years of trying and two rounds of IVF.

Anna and Adam Newcombe with baby Willow (9 weeks). Photo / Doug Sherring

His mum thought he had a good chance of winning, although she admitted she was biased. "He's just beautiful. I'm just so happy to have him, he's such a fun, happy little guy."

Walter, Willow and the other finalists were professionally photographed on Friday and a judging panel, including Honor Carter, star hockey player and wife of All Black Daniel Carter, and Deanna Sigmund, wife of former All White and Wellington Phoenix player Ben Sigmund, will choose the winner, whose name will be announced later this month.

Sigmund, who dresses her 5-year-old son Cameron in merino because it doesn't aggravate his eczema, said the judges would be watching for babies with "that little bit of charisma" and who looked "peaceful, warm and happy".