When I met Miss Universe in my dressing room

In 1983 I was hired to perform escapes at New Zealand’s main showground in Auckland at their Easter Show.
Among the performers were the twelve girls who were finalists for the title of Miss New Zealand.
They were trained initially to dance every day and judging for the title was on the last evening.

While performing in the Showground’s theatre doing escapes, I was fortunate to be allocated the number one dressing room right next to the green room.
On the first day, the girls wanted to see the same dressing room number one that Cliff Richard had recently used.  They all trooped in to see its luxurious facilities.

I remember how delighted the two young police officers were to be guarding the girls against backstage intruders.

The winner of Miss New Zealand went on to the 1983 Miss Universe competition in the USA and a  few months later I read that Lorraine Downes from New Zealand had been crowned Miss Universe!

Following is the picture’s unusual provenance.
“Lorraine Downes, Miss Universe 1983 in the Oval Office, White House, Washington.
It includes a printed message ‘To Lorraine Downes with best wishes,’ and is signed by Ronald Reagan. As Miss Universe 1983, Lorraine Downes travelled to over 30 countries, and frequently met heads of states. She met Ronald Reagan during a visit to the Oval Office with Miss USA, Julie Hayek on January 9, 1984.”

The official White House photographer was Pete Souza. The photograph was donated by Lorraine Downes in 2012 and is now in the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa.