Each year model hopefuls strut their stuff with the hope of becoming the world’s next supermodel. Sunday night was no different as hundreds of young Jamaicans took to the runway inside the ballroom of the Wyndham Hotel in New Kingston for a shot in the local leg of Pulse’s Caribbean Model Search.

There were a total of four titles up for grabs — Fashion Model, Petite Model, Male Face and Full-figured.

At the end of a too long four hour presentation, the winner in each category was announced as chosen by lone judge, artistic director of the National Dance Theatre Company and noted fashion designer, Barry Moncrieffe.

However, before the announcements the audience which filled the hotel’s ballroom, almost to the point of being uncomfortable, were introduced to the more than one hundred hopefuls in the Fashion Model, Petite and Male Face categories as they paraded in swimwear by The Mushroom and then collections from some of the country’s top designers including Mutamba, Keenea Linton, Julan, Attitude by Ashley Martin, Drenna Luna and Jae Jolly. The Full-figured finalists were dressed in pieces from Shades by Kerry Kay.

This segment proved long and laboured and failed to excite a room full of fashion followers and family who were more interested in seeing how their favourites fared in the search.

There was respite however, when international pop star, Barbados’ Shontelle, took to the stage at 10:15. She opened her three-song set with her popular hit T-Shirt, which set the ballroom ablaze. As a special treat on her Jamaican debut, she premiered her latest release, Perfect Nightmare. This lively dance track seems like the type of song that will do well in the clubs throughout Europe, but her local audience was extremely receptive. Performing on tracks which also had backing vocals, it was sometimes difficult to hear Shontelle’s ‘live’ voice, but once she delivered the a capella introduction to her final song, Impossible, it was clear that this Bajan does have the pipes.

Another of the night’s moments was the special guest appearance by IT girl and runner-up at Miss Universe, Yendi Phillipps. The announcement set off another round of applause, cat calls, screams and whistles, as the audience saluted their girl, who seemed to love every minute of it. She sashayed down the runway showing off the body which earned her the 9.42 swimwear score in Las Vegas, wearing a pale pink ensemble designed by Jae Jolly.

Four hours after the start of the event, came the moment most had gathered for, the announcement of the winners who will hopefully follow in the fashionable footsteps of Pulse stars including Althea Laing, Lois Samuels, Kimberly Mais, Jaunel McKenzie, Oraine Barrett and young Sedene Blake.

Twenty-year old Hanna-Kay Lettman strutted away with the Fashion Model title, Lara George took the Petite Model title, Male Face went to 19-year old Seth Verley, and Tara Wright was awarded the Full-figured title.