Human dolls

Are child beauty pageants a way to train children to be competitive from a young age, or are they teaching young girls that beauty, above all, is what gives you value? Many of these little girls of course love these pageants and take the competition very seriously. Whereas some of the mothers seem to play with these girls as if they are human dolls. Isn't it then just like any other 'sport', say swimming or running track? I think what makes this so destructive is the fact that these girls are taught that one form of beauty is valued higher than another and that if you 'loose' in a pageant, you will loose in life. How will these girls treat girls in the real world, who they consider to be ugly?