KATLEGO PHEEHA
On a day that saw Tuks lift the Varsity Cup trophy for the first time, the university also brought home another prestigious title. Cayla Esterhuysen, who won Miss Tuks Varsity Cup on 5 March, represented Tuks at the nationals of Miss Varsity Cup against seven other contenders for the title. The results were announced during the half time of the final at the TuksRugby stadium. With 26% of the online votes, Cayla Esterhuysen was crowned the 2012 Miss Varsity Cup. “I’m very honoured to be Miss Varsity Cup, but more importantly, I’m so proud to be a Tukkie. I hope to give more to other people with this title than to gain from it myself, and am extremely excited for all the opportunities ahead to make a difference and represent the Varsity Cup as a Tukkie,” she told Perdeby. It was a long journey for the participants of the contest. The organisers made it clear from the very beginning that the Miss Varsity Cup race was not a mere beauty pageant. Personality played the biggest deciding factor in the judging process, as contestants were expected to be knowledgeable not only in rugby, but also in issues such as domestic abuse, global warming, world peace and the Pink Shorts Campaign. Being Miss Varsity Cup comes with its fair share of duties. As one of the main ambassadors of domestic schools’ rugby, Cayla Esterhuysen will be part of the organisation and launching of Varsity Cup 2013, will work closely with the Pink Shorts Campaign and other charity organisations and will also be expected to judge several pageants in order to spread the word about varsity rugby. Like others before her, the 20-year-old BCom Marketing and Tourism Management third-year student aims to leave her mark in her one-year reign as Miss Varsity Cup. “I hope to add value to other people’s lives since I feel that that brings true happiness. You should know who you are and always be yourself because why would you try and fit in with the rest when you are made to stand out? What I want to leave behind is that all students must enjoy their student life to the fullest – but responsibly, and have high morals and values. Success comes with opportunity and preparedness, so always look for opportunities,” she said. See our previous interview with Cayla for the Miss Tuks Varsity Cup and additional photos: pPerdeby748d or view it here
Photo: Brad Donald
