As a titleholder, if you (or your parent on your behalf) have signed a contract, be sure you fulfill the terms. If the contract you signed has a restricted non-compete clause, DO NOT register for another pageant or compete at another pageant until you’ve fulfilled your reign and the terms of the contract you signed.
Titleholders who don’t uphold their end of the contract are title thieves. They stole the crowning moment from the girl standing next to her in line who I’m willing to bet would’ve gladly given up all her other obligations just to hold that title. Is that strong language to use? ABSOLUTELY. But it’s 100% accurate.
Why you should pay attention to the fine print
If you are that contract breaker, do not be surprised when/if your director approaches you to return all the swag you received as part of your win. That’s in the fine print that you signed.
If you break the contract to go compete for your “dream job”… You probably told the judges in the interview room for the title you just dumped that THAT was your dream job. The question has been asked recently, “How many dream jobs can you have in a year?” And it’s 100% valid. When you advertise that you’re “interviewing for your dream job” but you can’t even last one full year as a titleholder, it makes you look unreliable and untruthful. The judges you impressed to win that prestigious title may be the same ones at the next “dream job” you “interview” for.
The pageant industry is a very small world.
Word travels faster than a girl late for lineup. Directors compare notes. They watch social media accounts. And no amount of blocking people from your friends list can contain it.
Parents: it’s your responsibility to teach your children to follow through on their commitments. Don’t sign your child up for three pageants in a row and then once they’ve won pick and choose which obligation to honor. I get that there are no refunds in pageantry. That’s why for scholarship programs you pick ONE and follow through. If your child holds a title from a program that does NOT have a restricted non-compete, do NOT enter them in a program that DOES. If they are lucky enough to hold the first title, work that title and learn how to be a good titleholder.