You're reading: New Zealand man wins contest to travel to Ukraine in search of bride

The fame of Ukrainian girls, who many ironically call the main export of Ukraine, has reached New Zealand.

After a month-long contest promising a Ukrainian wife as a prize, the popular kiwi radio station The Rock FM announced the winner on Feb. 28. Winemaker Greg, whose surname is kept in secret, got the most votes from the radio listeners, as well as round-trip tickets to Ukraine and 12 nights in Zaporizhya.

Responsible for hooking up with Greg, New Zealand marriage agency Endless Love didn’t explain their choice of this eastern city. Before he leaves home though, Greg will get an unlimited number of translated emails from potential brides and two video conferences.

Unfortunately Greg is not interested in being interviewed by any media.”

– Kristy Craig, marketing manager of The Rock FM.

Open to adult single males, participants had to fill out an application form consisting of 31 questions. Among them were “What is the greatest length you have gone to or stupidest thing you’ve done in the hope of scoring a particular girl?”and “Some women are nuts, but what can you tell us about your craziest ex that sets her apart from the other nut-jobs?” It was also important to answer things like “Do you shower every day?” and “Do you fold or scrunch the toilet paper?” to win the prize. Greg apparently got most of these puzzles solved.

This isn’t his first attempt, however, to find a Ukrainian soul mate. In his radio profile online, he mentioned that he’s already tried to meet a woman from Ukraine but two days before his departure she apparently said that “she’ll be unable to meet during my three weeks in Ukraine.”

Kyiv Post contacted the radio station in attempt to find more about the lucky winner.

“Unfortunately Greg is not interested in being interviewed by any media,” replied Kristy Craig, marketing manager of The Rock FM.

It looks like the still-bachelor is busy browsing the agency’s catalogues and thinking of ways to spend another part of his gift – $1,500, a rose bouquet for his bride, a three-hour river cruise, a photo session and interpreting services. With Zaporizhzhya being an industrial city of pipes and metals, it may be a challenge.

But Greg seems to be ready for anything it takes, as he describes himself as “confident, exciting, mature, romantic, fun loving, financially secure” and promises to treat his future wife “as a princess.”

It is a reminder that there is still an attitude towards women in New Zealand that is deeply troubling – that they are commodities to buy and to own.”

– Carol Beaumont, New Zealand Labour party.

According to his application form, he is interested in “loving, loyal, attractive romantic, outgoing, exciting young woman who wants to share a life and build a family together.”

The contests sparked outrage from some politicians and women’s organizations on both ends of the globe: New Zealand and Ukraine.

On March 1, nine members of the Ukrainian organization Femen protested topless in from of the City Hall but that seemed only to entertain the supporters of the contest.

Their picture was uploaded to the “Win a Wife” Facebook fan page, which has more than 2,750 fans, and yielded comments such as “I think it might be time for a trip to Ukraine if that’s how they do things” from user Matt Baeriswyl.

New Zealand Labour party rebelled as well but in a more discreet way: “It is a reminder that there is still an attitude towards women in New Zealand that is deeply troubling – that they are commodities to buy and to own,” Carol Beaumont wrote in her blog on Feb. 10.

Greg is expected in Zaporizhzhya on March 23.

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Kyiv Post staff writer Nataliya Horban can be reached at [email protected].