Meet the 2023 Queensland Showgirl Award winners, entrants
A 21-year-old Moura woman has taken out the top gong in a field of 10 finalists for the 2023 Queensland Country Life Showgirl quest.
Bundaberg
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University student and grazier Isabella Hanson has been named the 2023 Queensland Country Life Showgirl.
Isabelle, 21, originally from Moura, joined the program from a family-owned Brangus and Ultrablack stud operation in Theodore, and was announced as central Queensland‘s Showgirl representative at the sub-chamber finals in Ridgelands on July 2.
Since 1983, hundreds of young women from across Queensland have represented their local show societies as Showgirl, highlighting the struggles and triumphs of their regions while serving as the friendly face and helpful guide to show attendees.
In 2023, 10 young women added their name to the list of Sub Chamber nominees aiming for the title of 2023 Queensland Country Life Showgirl.
Ahead of their week at the Royal Brisbane Show, the finalists and winners were presented at the annual Celebration Dinner on Friday, August 11.
Judged on their personal and professional goals, general knowledge, agricultural show and industry awareness, community participation, interview skills, public speaking and presentation, all of the finalists were impressive representatives of their communities.
Olivia Harrison, representing the Toogoolahwah Show Society and West Moreton Brisbane Valley Subchamber was named the 2023 runner-up.
Casey Cleary, representing the Mount Perry Show Society and Burnett Subchamber was named 2023 Showgirl’s Choice winner.
Image credit: Queensland Country Life Showgirl Awards.
2023 Qld Country Life Showgirl winner
Isabella Hanson – Central Queensland
Isabella Hanson, 21, wears many hats, from Griffith University student studying a Bachelor of Communication, to freelance writer, photographer, editor and assistant at Hewitt Consulting and Communications, music teacher, marketing manager and cattle grazier.
After moving to Theodore from Moura in 2021, she joined the show society and went on to become chief cattle steward.
“Initially when I joined my local show committee, my goal was to get the showgirl competition running again as we hadn’t had a show in four years,” she said.
Despite being new to the area, Isabella said she could trace her memories with ag shows back to the age of four.
“Dad chucked me on a mutton ride and away it went right from underneath me,” she said.
“Memories after that grew from fairy floss and rides and we first started showing cattle when I was around 10 years old.”
Since those early days, Isabella has travelled hundreds of kilometres with show cattle, and in 2022 exhibited cattle from the family stud at the Ekka.
She also has a long history with judging cattle, including competing in her State Junior Stud Judging competition in Year 10, and in Year 11, winning runner up reserve Junior Stud Judging champion to her brother, the first time in the event’s history that two siblings took out the top spots.
2023 Queensland Country Life Showgirl Runner Up:
Olivia Harrison – Brisbane Valley and West Moreton
Olivia Harrison, 23, has had an impressive head start in her Ekka preparation when she was selected to represent the Brisbane Valley and West Moreton Sub Chamber in September 2022.
The livestock administrator and accounts clerk for Teys Australia feedlot in Condamine said she was excited to return to the Ekka with the showgirl program.
She thanked the Toogoolawah Show Society for its support through the program as a new face on the show society scene.
“The committee is very welcoming and supporting, I’ve been very lucky,” she said.
“I don’t really have a long history with Toogoolawah show as I didn’t grow up in the area but I have loved my time as their showgirl and attending the show and show balls.”
Originally from Proston, Olivia said she drew on her time as Junior Showgirl for the Proston Show Society and was humbled to be selected on behalf of the sub chamber.
“It was very exciting and a real honour as I was against some really great ladies,” she said.
2023 Queensland Country Life Showgirl’s Choice:
Casey Cleary – Burnett
Burnett Sub Chamber Showgirl Casey Cleary has a long history with the region and her local show society.
Born and bred in Mt Perry, Casey is studying nursing, and has spent years supporting and working with the show society as pavilion steward, in the secretary’s office and on the grounds.
In 2023, she decided to put her hand up for Showgirl and was selected to represent her town on behalf of her community.
On July 1, she attended the Gin Gin Showgrounds for the Burnett Sub Chamber awards, going up six other young women.
At the awards ceremony she took out the top spot and was invited to represent the sub chamber at the Royal Queensland Show, and said it was an “honour” to be selected.
“It was very exciting to be able to represent my small country town of Mount Perry but now the Burnett region,” Casey said.
“I have always felt quite connected to the whole Burnett region. It’s an honour to represent the whole region.”
The nursing student is gearing up for a big week in Brisbane, and has spent time reaching out to previous winners from across the state for advice heading into the final round of judging.
Back row from left: Gina Hamilton (Eidsvold Showgirl), Grace Eggmolesse (Bundaberg Showgirl), Flynn Suendermann (Mundubbera Showgirl), Tylen Wallace (Bundaberg Rural Ambassador), Jessica Hardy (Biggenden Rural Ambassador)
Front row from left: Isabella Mielczarek (Teebar Showgirl), Casey Cleary (Mt Perry Showgirl), Whiteney Woodfield (Gin Gin Showgirl), Shan Steffen (Gin Gin Rural Ambassador), Shahna-Leigh Dakin (Teebar Rural Ambassador).
Jessie Gofton – North Queensland
Despite being a long time committee member and show contributor, accountant Jessie Gofton is a first time showgirl for her local Ingham Show Society.
“The earliest memory I have of the show, I was presented with the opportunity to lead a little heifer in the cattle parade,” Jessie said.
“Every year since I’ve entered in the baking or the arts right through school, and now mainly am involved in running the centre ring.”
The 24-year-old accountant and cattle grazier was selected to represent her show society in 2022, and on May 27, 2023 was selected as the North Queensland Sub Chamber showgirl.
She is hoping to use her business background to boost her showgirl skills through her work with the community.
“Business and accounting links in directly with agricultural aspects of the community, and I am able to help the agricultural people of my community daily,” she said.
“I think it’s so important to recognise, develop and celebrate young women and leaders in agriculture.”
Due to the timing of the North Queensland showgirl cycle, Jessie has been busily preparing for her Ekka appearance by attending local shows, sometimes three in one week.
She is preparing for her very first visit to the Ekka, and said she was excited to visit through the unique lens of a Queensland showgirl representative.
Bethany McDonald – South East Queensland
At only 19 years-of-age, Bethany McDonald is one of the youngest showgirls heading to the 2023 Ekka.
A student assistance officer at Southern Cross University, and long time friend of the Mudgeeraba Lion’s Club, Bethany will represent the South East Queensland Sub Chamber and her local Mudgeeraba Show Society in the Showgirl quest.
Despite only joining the show society in recent years through a TAFE diploma in event management, she has a passion for her community and a strong work ethic.
Bethany admitted she had apprehensions about the program, due to the old-school pageantry it was previously associated with.
“After Melanie Bryson (Mudgeeraba Show president) explained it to me, I realised it was much more of a leadership program,” she said.
After taking out the top spot at the subchamber in a tight competition, Bethany is preparing for her very first Ekka event and has thanked her show society for its continued support.
Emma Franz – South Burnett
When Emma Franz was selected to represent her sub chamber on Saturday, June, 18 2023, she was “honoured”.
Emma will represent not only the South Burnett Sub Chamber, but also her local Nanango Show, where she has spent years in the cattle ring, both judging and handling.
The 24-year-old meat language co-ordinator at Nolan Meats has been a long-time show contributor, including running for the 2014 Nanango Show Miss Teen Showgirl.
She said she was drawn to the showgirl program because of the opportunities it offered young women in agriculture.
“I think it's very rewarding for individuals, and I don’t think it is published enough the amount you get out of being a showgirl, where it can take you and who you can meet for years after being a showgirl,” she said.
“A lot of people think it is just a pageant, but it is so much more than that, it is more about personal development.”
“I think the program will help me with my career personally and allow me to pass that on to younger people in the agricultural industry who are looking for a little more direction.”
Unlike a few other contenders, Miss Franz is an old hat when it comes to the Ekka, and has spent several years judging in the cattle ring.
Rebekah Miller – South West Queensland
Primary schoolteacher Rebekah Miller is excited to take the learning and personal development opportunities from the showgirl program back to the classroom.
It was her drive for community engagement that pushed her towards the program and she has not looked back.
Rebekah will represent the South West Queensland Sub Chamber, and her local St George Show Society in the quest.
A new face to the local show scene, she said she never really appreciated the amount of work that went into running a local show and called the experience “eye-opening”.
As the journey approaches the final judging in Ekka in August, Rebekah said she was excited to “soak everything up” and take it back to her students.
“I can use this knowledge to help me understand where I can be leading these kids, even if they are not going to go into the agriculture industry,” she said.
Elizabeth Neal – Central North West
Through her role as executive assistant to the Longreach Mayor and CEO, Elizabeth Neal has a unique understanding of the challenges her region faces.
The 24-year-old was approached a year ago by Longreach Show Society president Mary-Ann Ringrose to join the committee following her good work with the Longreach Flyers Ball, an annual event that raises money for the Royal Flying Doctor Service.
In 2o22, the ball raised $60,000 with a committee of five women including Elizabeth.
Since joining the Longreach Show Society, Elizabeth’s eyes have been “opened” to the ins and outs that go into making the event happen.
“I learnt how important (it) is to the community,” she said. “I found the show is the only event where every single person in the community has the opportunity to go.
“It brings the whole town together, to see things that are changing in the ag industry and get the whole community together.”
Elly Close – Darling Downs
Another young contender, 19-year-old Elly Close is excited to use the showgirl experience to help attract more people to agricultural shows.
The car sales receptionist and grazier said despite entering the showgirl program on a spur-of-the-moment decision, she had enjoyed the ride.
When she was asked to join, Elly realised she could also encourage younger people into the industry.
“It’s good to have youth involved with the show society because they are a dying a tradition and not a lot of young people want to be involved these days,” she said.
Elly is not new to the show society life, and has followed her parents and grandparents onto the scene, including running for the 2022 Junior Miss Showgirl at the Crows Nest show.
She will be returning to the Ekka for the first time since her childhood this year, and is excited to discover new chances to connect the youth in her region with her local show.
“We need to keep the youth participation up so we can continue these shows for another 100 years,” she said.
Lillian Lawrence – Central Highlands
Clermont showgirl Lillian Lawrence is the youngest contender for the 2023 program, at just 18 years-of-age.
In her role as Chief of Children, Lillian is kept busy as a nanny on a Clermont cattle station, where she is also studying a Bachelor of science majoring in Animal Studies and Plant Agriculture.
While her family can trace their connection with the Clermont region back more than a century, Lillian only relocated to the region in 2022 and immediately felt at home.
She joined the showgirl program in the hopes of following in her mother’s footsteps, who was also a showgirl.
When she was nominated to represent the 2023 Central Highlands Sub Chamber, Lillian was thrilled.
“I am so excited and honoured to be nominated on behalf of my sub chamber,” she said. “It truly is a very surreal and exciting feeling to be able to journey to the Ekka and represent my sub chamber, my show society, our community and our industry.
“I am very much looking forward to my Ekka experience, as this will be my very first time attending the Ekka, and what better way than as a Showgirl!”
Due to timing issues, the Near North Coast Sub Chamber will not have a showgirl for the 2023 program but is already looking towards the 2024 season.
Best of luck to all nominees running for the 2023 title!
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