Mon 31 Aug 2009 In: New Zealand Daily News View at Wayback View at NDHA
23-year-old Rye Drummond, who was crowned the new Mr. Gay Waikato at the weekend, tells GayNZ.com he's shocked to have won the coveted title. Waikato winners: Mr. Gay Waikato 2009 winner Rye (left) with last year's winner Shane "I would have been happy to be second, as there were so many good guys in there," the modest Hamiltonian explains. "I'm lost for words." Five keen young men - and one risqué 44-year-old - took to the stage to rev up the crowd with their dancing, swimwear, casual wear and question answering rounds at Hamilton's Shine nightclub on Saturday night, where Drummond emerged victorious after the audiences votes were counted. "I just planned to go hard-out," the Rotorua-born winner says. The 'fantasy' round saw him burst out from a man-sized cardboard and clear plastic box dressed at a G.I. Joe figure, and spraying the crowd with party string he fired from a wooden toy rifle. Drummond knew getting the audience on side would be important, so took time to meet and great everyone in the capacity-packed venue on the night before their ballot forms were filled in the slotted into the box on the bar top. He even produced dozens of 'Vote 4 Rye' lanyards for his supporters to wear. The new Mr. Gay Waikato says he wants to acknowledge the hard work and popularity of the pageant's second-place getter John. "He had the loudest support crew and is well-known at Shine, he would have been a great winner too." Drummond was presented with a bunch of flowers, his hard-earned Mr. Gay Waikato 2009 sash, a variety of products from Erox stores, and a generous bartab to use at Shine on future visits. On the video below: 44-year-old pageant entrant Aaron gets awarded a special 'Mr. Congeniality' award for his dressing-up efforts, then John is named runner-up, then Rye is announced the Mr. Gay Waikato 2009 winner.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News Staff
First published: Monday, 31st August 2009 - 7:59pm