Beauty queen slammed by a spiteful letter

Magdalena Schoeman is Miss World New Zealand. Photo / Supplied

An open letter slamming a beauty queen's "bad attitude" is causing headaches for Miss World New Zealand bosses.

The letter, emailed to pageant organisers and media outlets over the past week, makes a series of allegations against Magdalena Schoeman, a 19-year-old beauty therapist from Christchurch who will represent New Zealand at the Miss World pageant in South Africa in December.

Allegations include the suggestion that Schoeman did not go through the proper process to win the Miss World New Zealand title and that judging was unfair.

It is also alleged she "destroyed" a relationship with her modelling agency and her coach is no longer involved with her because of her "attitude problem".

The letter was signed by Siara-Rose Wahlberg. There was no response to emails asking for further comment and the Herald on Sunday could find no record of Wahlberg's existence.

Desmond Foulger, one of the Miss World New Zealand pageant organisers, was among those to receive the letter, which he dismissed as "scurrilous" and "completely untrue".

"We have no concerns whatsoever with Magdalena. She's doing very well."

Foulger said he would not let the Herald on Sunday speak to Schoeman because the allegations could "harm her efforts to represent New Zealand". Schoeman refused to comment.

Foulger, who runs the Miss World New Zealand pageant through the New Zealand Asia Pacific Trust, said he believed the letter was written by someone from LMC Models, Schoeman's agency.

An agency spokeswoman said the letter had nothing to do with them and described the claim as "disgusting".

Foulger said Schoeman asked to be released from her contract to concentrate on Miss World after she won the Miss New Zealand title, but LMC refused.

The letter accused Schoeman of owing $5000 to LMC Models after pulling out of her contract.

The agency spokeswoman said Schoeman didn't owe any money and was still on the books.

Schoeman won Miss World New Zealand as Miss Canterbury. She was selected to represent Canterbury and coached by Andhy Blake, who represents Miss World New Zealand in the South Island.

The letter casts doubt on the fairness of Schoeman being given the title of Miss Canterbury, because she did not win a competition.

It also suggests Blake, as one of the Miss World New Zealand judges, had an unfair influence on the other judges.

But Foulger said it was of no interest to pageant organisers whether contestants had won regional competitions or not.

"They just have to be in the right age bracket and conform to all the regulations."

The rules include being aged between 17 and 24, not being in a de facto relationship, never having been married or given birth, having "beauty of face, figure and personality", being of good moral character and having completed at least secondary school education.

Entrants pay a $1000 fee to the New Zealand Asia Pacific Trust to compete.

Foulger denied the judging was unfair. "The marking between Magdalena and the first runner up was very close and by a unanimous vote it was decided that she was the one who could better represent New Zealand."

Blake is no longer involved with coaching Schoeman. The letter says he "dropped her" because of her "attitude problem", but Foulger says there was an "amicable agreement" that Schoeman's coaching be carried out by her parents.

"Andhy Blake still remains our agent in the South Island and is concentrating on helping with Miss World 2010."

Blake did not return emailed requests for comment.

Colin Mathura-Jeffree, a "special ambassador" for Miss World New Zealand and one of this year's judges, said no judge had any influence over another and confirmed the marking between the top two was very close.

He said he had found Schoeman to be "sweet and accommodating".

"But everyone has claws if you push them hard enough," he added. "You can't be a pushover in the pageant world."