I think those mothers are selfish. Who wins the money? The parents or the kids? If the kids the parents are stealing from their child. If the money goes to the parents, then they are being selfish because they are using their kids to win money.
If it's something they want to do, then the parents wouldn't be selfish at all because their kid made the choice, not them. Plus those kids look unhappy. Sure my son cries when I put clothes on him or change his diapers but that isn't me being selfish. It's about him, not me. But I am not forcing him in pageants. I did buy him a suit for 30 bucks and put it on him to see Santa so I guess I can be a little selfish.