Thirty years after first picturing herself representing South Africa abroad, 47-year-old Cathy Heaton from Fourways will be joining 22 representatives from countries across the world at this year’s Mrs Globe Classique in California, USA, from 18 to 23 June.
Cathy will arrive prepared to steal the show, having been crowned Mrs South Africa Second Princess in 2015, and serving as a pageant mentor for the programme ever since. In addition to being a loving wife and mother of two, she is the owner of the acclaimed Ace Models Joburg North modelling school, as well as an award-winning makeup artist, life coach, marketing expert in the aesthetics industry, and a published photographer. Her second book on pregnancy and baby photography is currently available in stores.
“I feel like I’ve been preparing for this moment for ten years, and I’m better prepared now than I’ve probably ever been for an opportunity like this. With my experience in mentoring, combined with my experience in modelling, I feel like I have a unique edge going into Mrs Globe Classique,” she says.
“Now I just need to practice what I preach, and go out there and show everyone that confidence is the key to winning a competition.”
Cathy has been competing in pageants since the age of 12, and began dreaming of representing South Africa on an international stage when she was 17. She set her dream aside in her twenties and thirties, until she decided to give it another try ten years ago by participating in Mrs South Africa – an experience that reignited her passion for pageantry and inspired her to become a mentor for other contestants, where she has coached four queens to victory.
“But when this opportunity came, I knew I had to give it a shot one last time for myself. That dream and wish to represent South Africa, to be able to walk on a stage with South Africa boldly written on my chest – that still tugged at my heart. And now, I finally get to live my dream – I can’t tell you what that means for me.”
Mrs Globe Classique is a celebration of married women over the age of 45, renowned as the most prestigious event of its kind in the world.
Cathy hopes to use the Mrs Globe Classique platform to garner support for the various charities she’s involved with, including the Ilamula House girls’ orphanage and Changing Lives Ministries’ foster home, where she regularly hosts workshops to teach modelling, deportment, public speaking, financial wellbeing, and even self-defence.
Joani Johnson, CEO of Mrs South Africa, explains that as the longtime licence holder for Mrs Globe Classique South Africa, an expert panel of Mrs South Africa judges selected Cathy to represent the country after an intense vetting process, and that the entire team looks forward to supporting her from home.
“Cathy has always been fiercely competitive and never lets anything stop her from succeeding. But stronger than her fighting spirit is her love for others. I’ve come to cherish her as a friend, and she is always valued and trusted among the ladies in the Mrs South Africa sisterhood.
“We strongly believe that she’s the most deserving and best-suited person to don the Mrs Globe Classique crown, and that she will be a fantastic, committed ambassador not only for the country, but for the pageant.”
Mrs South Africa is the country’s leading pageant and female empowerment programme for married women. The programme aims to celebrate and empower ‘bona fide’ women, giving them the tools and support needed to realise their ambitions.
Cathy expresses gratitude to her personal sponsors, family, friends, the Mrs South Africa sisterhood, and her Skin Renewal family for supporting and believing in her. “This road would have been considerably more difficult and lonely without each of you there to motivate me.”
Mrs South Africa’s ability to send deserving women to international competitions is only possible because of its sponsors: Chery Krugersdorp, Skin Renewal, Hirsch’s Homestore, PR Worx, Brentoni Eyewear, BTL Aesthetics, Slimz, Protein Feed Haircare, PKF Octagon, iStyle, Espavo Hair Design, Action Coach, Kryolan Professional Makeup, Flora Mystique, Collagen Lift Paris, Lashout by Monise Beauty, Whirlpool, Wild Coast Sun, Caribbean Tan, IME, Bio Sculpture, Dyson and Clearwater Mall.
