The little lad with the curls and cute smile, Austin Shearing (1), scored a winner's sash in the contest but will definitely not be pursuing a modelling career, says his dad, Kyle Shearing.
‘‘Nope - he'll be a digger operator when he grows up, like his dad.''
While he was too young to strut the catwalk, too young to walk even, Austin was unfazed by all the fuss.
Sporting trendy jeans and a checked shirt, his toy dinosaur firmly grasped in one hand, sunglasses in the other, he sat placidly for his moment in the spotlight and smiled on cue.
Austin had to be woken from a nap to take part and still had the imprint of the dinosaur fabric on his cheek, but it did not affect his chances in the contest.
The Shearing family, of Invercargill, were holidaying in Cromwell and Mr Shearing later capped the day off by competing in the Sprintcar War of the Wings, staged at the Central Motor Speedway last night.
Envisage Cromwell owner Marie Heaps organised the Mr Muscles contest, along with Miss Tiny Tot, for girls aged up to 6, and Miss Princess, for girls aged 6-10, ‘‘on the spur of the moment, almost, as a bit of fun''.
Held in the shop, the contest proved popular and she planned for it to become a regular summer event. Eileen Gundry, of Cromwell, was the judge and said it was a difficult task.
‘‘With the littlies, it's judged on their smiles mostly ... and their personalities.''The runner-up Mr Muscles was 2-year-old Raumyn
Stuck-Campbell, who was ‘‘ a reluctant starter'' in the event, his mother, Tracey Stuck, admitted. ‘‘But it's all just a bit of fun, though.''
Kiera Ainsley (5) won Miss Tiny Tot and Elita Derham (6) won Miss Princess.
