Judges praise high standard of Face of 2009 entries

Dec 18 2008 by Shirley Bartynek, Hamilton Advertiser

Judges praise high standard of entries

IT was just over five weeks ago that we launched our search to find the Advertiser’s Face of 2009.

We teamed up with award-winning photographers Premier in Hamilton and other businesses to offer one lucky winner and two runners-up the opportunity to win fantastic prizes.

More than 40 catwalk hopefuls last month queued outside Premier’s studio in Quarry Street to have their photograph taken.

We opened the phone-lines two weeks later in a bid to find your favourites.

A total of 6725 votes were cast during the competition as readers desperately tried to save their favourite from elimination.

It was last week that the voting finished and pictures of the top 10 photographs were handed over to professional modelling agency The Model Team Scotland.

Cathy Owen, operations manager at the Model Team, who ensures that models and clients receive the best possible care and attention, was able to select our winner and two runners-up.

Cathy has over 10 years experience herself as a model and with a background predominantly in business she applies this to the fashion industry.

Cathy selected Hamilton’s Suzanne Clark as the overall winner because of her “natural look.”

Suzanne this week celebrated the news with her family at a presentation in the Advertiser’s office in Campbell Street.

She was presented with a glass star trophy and a bundle of fabulous prizes including: a professional photographic portfolio from Premier Photography, an evening gown from Eleganza Sposa, dinner for four and a complimentary bottle of wine at Angels Hotel at their Strum Party Night on December 18, a selection of vouchers for Rita Rusk International Salon in Hamilton, a £100 Versace gift box set from Elspeth Hamilton, and a £50 voucher for cosmetics or perfume/aftershave and a fantastic make-over for Bairds in Hamilton and a fabulous bouquet of flowers from Always and Forever in Larkhall.

Our two runners-up, Justine Semple and Asten Hill, each received a bouquet of flowers from Always and Forever, a £25 gift voucher to be used in any of Lisini Pub Co’s outlets - The Croft, Croftfoot, or Angels Hotel in Uddingston, vouchers for Rita Rusk and a bottle of perfume for Elspeth Hamilton.

Competition partners Premier Photography were delighted by the standard of the entries.

Owner of Premier Elaine Dempsey said: “I am glad I didn’t have to choose a winner. They were all beautiful in their own way.

“The competition was a great success and it was great fun to do.

“The standard of entries was really high they were all lovely young men and women.”