The best milkmaid in Belarus – and other bizarre state-sponsored contests

Best couple in love, best J-Lo lookalike, and Miss Railway ... for his photography series The Winners, Rafal Milach travelled through Belarus capturing the champions of the nation's many regional contests
  
  


Natalya, the winner of the contest for the best lookalike of Jenifer Lopez
Natalya, Best Jennifer Lopez Lookalike. The contest is organised by Komsomolskaya Pravda, a local newspaper. She dreams of having her own private prosthetic clinic. All photographs: Rafal Milach/INSTITUTE Photograph: Rafal Milach/Rafal Milach/INSTITUTE
Belarus, Bobruysk: Stas and Vlad, award winning twins
Stas and Vlad, award-winning twins from Bobruysk. Photograph: Rafal Milach/Rafal Milach/INSTITUTE
Belarus, Minsk: Marina, Miss Belarusian railway in Brest region. She doesn't like her job
Marina, Miss Belarusian Railway in the Brest region. She doesn't like her job. Photograph: Rafal Milach/Rafal Milach/INSTITUTE
Belarus, Baranovichi: Sasha, the best welder of the Republic of Belarus
Sasha, the Best Welder of the Republic of Belarus. Winner of the Brotherhood of Russian and Belarusian Nations contest. Photograph: Rafal Milach/Rafal Milach/INSTITUTE
Belarus,Asinovshina: Olga, the mother of the best large family of Smorgon region holding a peacock
Olga, the mother of the Best Large Family of the Smorgon region, holding a peacock. Photograph: Rafal Milach/Rafal Milach/INSTITUTE
Belarus, Zhodino: Natalya and Konan, the best couple in love
Natalya and Konan, the Best Couple in Love. The contest in Zhodino is organised by the Belorussian Youth Association, a state organisation that recruits the most active people under the age of 35. Many of them become the political elite of Republic of Belarus. Photograph: Rafal Milach/Rafal Milach/INSTITUTE
Belarus, Staryca Agro: Elena, the best milkmaid of the Slutsk region
Elena, the Best Milkmaid of the Slutsk region. Her personal best is 1160 litres of milk per month. Photograph: Rafal Milach/Rafal Milach/INSTITUTE
Belarus, Grodno: Ania, fitness queen
Ania, Fitness Queen of Grodno. Photograph: Rafal Milach/Rafal Milach/INSTITUTE
Belarus / Volozhin / 20.09.2011 / Arri, the multi-champion in dog beauty contests
Arri, a multi-champion in dog beauty contests. Photograph: Rafal Milach/Rafal Milach/INSTITUTE
Belarus / Slutsk / 26.03.2013 / Anastasia, winner in BRSM (Belorussian Youth Association) beauty contest
Anastasia, winner of the Belorussian Youth Association's beauty contest in Slutsz.

• The Winners is published by Gost Books Photograph: Rafal Milach/Rafal Milach/INSTITUTE
 

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