Rotorua Daily Post
  • Rotorua Daily Post home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Sport
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Residential property listings
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Rural
  • Sport

Locations

  • Tauranga
  • Te Puke
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Tokoroa
  • Taupō & Tūrangi

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales

Weather

  • Rotorua
  • Tauranga
  • Whakatāne
  • Tokoroa
  • Taupō

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Rotorua Daily Post

Miss Rotorua 2022: Teenager Eden Brons named as winner

Megan Wilson
By Megan Wilson
Multimedia Journalist·Rotorua Daily Post·
6 Nov, 2022 06:00 PM4 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Eden Brons said her favourite part of the Miss Rotorua contest was meeting her "pageant sisters". Photo / David Rowe Photography

Eden Brons said her favourite part of the Miss Rotorua contest was meeting her "pageant sisters". Photo / David Rowe Photography

From basketball shorts and hoodies to winning Miss Rotorua 2022 - it's been quite the 12 weeks for Eden Brons.

On Friday, the 19-year-old was crowned the pageant's winner at the Harvest Centre Rotorua, and said the win is "still sinking in".

When she realised she was the last contestant standing "it just hit me, and I started bawling my eyes out even before they called my name".

Brons decided to join the contest after its director Kharl WiRepa and operations manager Nataria Hepi Tekeeti told her she would be "perfect" and should sign up.

She did so "quite reluctantly", but thought it would be a good experience and a chance to try something new.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

As a member of the Church of Latter-day Saints, she said she also saw it as an opportunity to prepare for her upcoming mission, helping her to gain confidence and get out of her shell.

Eden Brons said her favourite part of the Miss Rotorua contest was meeting her "pageant sisters". Photo / David Rowe Photography
Eden Brons said her favourite part of the Miss Rotorua contest was meeting her "pageant sisters". Photo / David Rowe Photography

Miss Rotorua was a 12-week programme, which started as a "learning experience", Brons said.

"I went from dressing in basketball shorts and hoodies and sneakers all the time to actually wanting to wake up and put some makeup on or some jewellery and actually dress myself up."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Miss Teen Rotorua 2022 - Jasmine Clarke.  Photo / David Rowe Photography
Miss Teen Rotorua 2022 - Jasmine Clarke.  Photo / David Rowe Photography
Miss People's Choice - Shakeera Ututaonga.  Photo / David Rowe Photography
Miss Te Arawa 2022 - Merepeka Raukawa-Tait.  Photo / David Rowe Photography
Mrs Rotorua 2022 - Lua Vu Palfrey.   Photo / David Rowe Photography
Miss Multicultural Rotorua - Jevilyn Basical.  Photo / David Rowe Photography

Image 1 of 7: Miss Teen Rotorua 2022 - Jasmine Clarke. Photo / David Rowe Photography

She said it was "full on" and involved training, talent practices, meeting sponsors, a 'stiletto camp' and doing a city clean-up at Mount Ngongotaha.

Being involved and doing mahi in the community was "an amazing journey and experience".

The contestants were fundraising for charities - Brave (a charity that combats sexual violence), Mauri Tau Mauri Ora Trust (homeless support), Animals Are Hungry Two (animal welfare), and the Rotorua Citizens Club (social spaces).

Brons' charity was Brave, for which she did a hāngī sale and an island luau night.

Discover more

Annual city cleanup and crowning night coming up

20 Oct 08:16 PM

Miss Rotorua takes first-runner up in Mrs Universe NZ

20 Oct 08:35 PM

An 'incredible' experience and milestone

06 Oct 11:16 PM

She said her favourite part of the contest was meeting her "pageant sisters".

"They've been amazing support - it was such a diverse age range this year, and cultures and sizes and looks... It was just amazing to get to know all of them and their stories, especially the older women. They were like my aunties, and I so appreciated that."

She is now looking forward to spending the Christmas holidays with her family and is also preparing for her mission, which she expects to leave for next year and continue on for a year and a half.

Brons was born into the Church of Latter-day Saints and will go on a mission somewhere in New Zealand or overseas.

Eden Brons was the winner of Miss Rotorua 2022. Photo / Shelz Media
Eden Brons was the winner of Miss Rotorua 2022. Photo / Shelz Media

"Basically, we're just spreading the word about what we believe in - to those who want to hear about it, of course - and just sharing what we know and sharing our light. Just being in the community, helping them. So, this is a perfect opportunity for me to prepare for that.

"After my mission, I do want to study. I'm not too sure what yet, but I want to study, [and] hopefully, build a business. I want to be my own boss - it has always been a dream of mine."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Pageant director Kharl WiRepa said there were 20 contestants who represented "the true diversity and the beauty of Rotorua".

"The night was a beautiful event of fashion and entertainment, talent, and personal development for every single one of the contestants that participated.

"It was great to see the life-changing experience that they had come to fruition."

WiRepa said the contestants raised more than $30,000 for their chosen charities.

The other 2022 Miss Rotorua pageant results:

• Miss Te Arawa 2022 - Merepeka Raukawa-Tait
• Mrs Rotorua 2022 - Lua Vu Palfrey
• Miss Mana Wāhine 2022 - Celestina Aolele-Grant
• Miss Teen Rotorua 2022 - Jasmine Clarke
• Miss Multicultural Rotorua - Jevilyn Basical
• Miss People's Choice - Shakeera Ututaonga

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Rotorua Daily Post

Rotorua Daily Post

Red and black: How Whaka plans to seize rugby glory

Rotorua Daily Post

Rotorua science fair aims to inspire young women in stem

Premium
Rotorua Daily Post

'Stay on your side of the Bombays': Rotorua developer's swipe at Auckland firms


Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Rotorua Daily Post

Red and black: How Whaka plans to seize rugby glory
Rotorua Daily Post

Red and black: How Whaka plans to seize rugby glory

Whakarewarewa faces Tauranga Sports in the Baywide Premier Men’s final on Saturday.

17 Jul 12:12 AM
Rotorua science fair aims to inspire young women in stem
Rotorua Daily Post

Rotorua science fair aims to inspire young women in stem

16 Jul 09:30 PM
Premium
Premium
'Stay on your side of the Bombays': Rotorua developer's swipe at Auckland firms
Rotorua Daily Post

'Stay on your side of the Bombays': Rotorua developer's swipe at Auckland firms

16 Jul 09:03 PM


Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

06 Jul 09:47 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Rotorua Daily Post e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Rotorua Daily Post
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP