The 2024 Miss Universe Cayman Islands pageant attracted an audience of more than 700 people, marking its highest attendance of the past few years, according to the organisation’s national director Derri Lee.
The packed, high-energy crowd at The Westin hotel ballroom on Saturday night, 31 Aug. cheered on their favourite contestants during the grand finale, with applause, shouts, airhorns, noisemakers, signs and posters, as well as wearing custom-designed T-shirts.
Six contestants vied for the title, with Cayman’s first Olympic gymnast, 22-year-old Raegan Rutty from East End, crowned the winner.
Tickets for the pageant were sold out more than a week before the staging of the event.
A mix of entertainment by local artists Rico Rolando and Jhenelle Colquhoon was received with rousing applause and a standing ovation for their powerful performances.
“The MUCI Organisation is very supported in the community as was evidenced on Saturday night,” Lee told the Cayman Compass.
“We have received additional sponsorship over the past year which adds to the development of our contestants. This is certainly a testament to the community spirit, and we are very grateful.
“Our hope is to continue to be a force for good in the hope of placing our beautiful Islands on the map on the world stage.”
Lee confirmed the organisation received 14 applications from potential contestants this year, which she called historic, adding “Some of the ladies aspiring to enter the pageant are very proactive and preparing to enter next year.”
The Miss Universe Cayman Islands pageant not only received local support but also garnered the attention of the wider Caribbean with the State of the Tourism Industry Conference being held in Cayman this week. Valérie Damaseau, commissioner for tourism and culture for Saint Martin, was among the delegates at the conference who also attended the pageant.
During his remarks on Saturday night, Tourism Minister Kenneth Bryan said, “I am probably the happiest minister in the Caribbean because the opening was so spectacular”.
He added, “This year’s theme, Hearts of the Universe, beautifully encapsulates the spirit of compassion, love and togetherness that we so deeply cherish here in the Cayman Islands. It reminds us that our hearts are not only the core of our being, but also represent the source of our collective strength and resilience as this little, small island.
“Miss Universe Cayman Islands pageant is more than just a competition. It is a platform for empowerment and fostering self confidence amongst our women and making a difference in the lives of all the people they encounter. It highlights the importance of our inner beauty and strength of character and the impact that each of us can have in our community and beyond our shores.”
Bryan encouraged attendees to “support and uplift each other, striving for a brighter and more compassionate for the Cayman Islands”.
Culture Minister Dwayne Seymour, who also spoke at the pageant, has been a long-time supporter of these events. “[It] has become a cherished tradition in our islands, fostering both personal growth and civic engagement,” he said. “This pageant has a rich history spanning over 40 years, during which has provided young Caymanian women with a platform to showcase their talents and intelligence, and commitment to their communities.”
Commenting on her support from the crowd, Rutty told the Compass, “Whenever they cheered, the stage was shaking. It was unreal. It was a lot more than I was anticipating, but I knew that my crowd was going to come out, but they came out strong.”
She added that the atmosphere at gymnastics meets is more restrained. “No crowd like that is in a gymnastics meet … [which] is quite posh … I’ve never heard an airhorn at a gymnastics meet; I’ve never seen big signs like that!”
Rutty will represent Cayman in Mexico at the Miss Universe pageant on 16 Nov.
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