Showgirl 2019 gets Gympie Show on track to win
Dual win for Greens Creek entrant and fundraiser
Gympie
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BRILLIANT contributions by Gympie Showgirl Tania Clem and her fellow competitor Myrella Corbet have put the upcoming Gympie Show on track to success and a return to profitability, a beaming Show Society president Graham Engeman said on Sunday.
Regional shows have faced challenges in recent years, but Mr Engeman said early bookings for outside exhibiting had ensured a return to profitability, along with an amazing $50,000 fundraising effort by showgirl competitors, he said.
Greens Creek's Tania Clem won the Miss Charity fundraising event at Saturday night's Show Ball, held at Gympie State High School's Hamilton Hall.
Her amazing $38,564 contribution was helped along by about $28,000 from a stunningly successful Bull and Bronc event, he said.
Myrella Corbet's $11,000 contribution took the total to within a whisker of $50,000
.
"We've never raised less than $25,000 and I think the most was in the high 50s,” he said, adding that this was usually the work of between three and five fundraising entrants.
"So for two girls to raise $50,000 is a hell of a boost,” he said.
It was all a promising start to the Gympie Show season, with the next big event the Show itself, in less than three weeks.
"We've had some difficult years, but this year's will be back in the black,” he said.
Another good reason was the pre-booking of almost all outside exhibition space.
"Machinery Alley is completely booked out,” he said. "Last year, a lot of exhibitors booked for this year immediately after the show.”
Miss Clem was named Miss Showgirl at what Mr Engeman described as a "brilliant night.”
Ring events chief steward John Warren was equally proud, especially of his protege and energetic ring events volunteer, Miss Clem.
"The Ring Committee entrant won - and you can't do any better than that,” Mr Warren said.
"Her fundraising was a huge effort, helped by her great family, especialle mum and dad, Narelle and Col Clem.”
Miss Clem said she had been involved in the Ring events and involved with livestock and horse riding "pretty well since I was born.”
"We had our cocktail hour and were joined by the Mayor Mick Curran and councillors and other officials.
"Then we had a dance and we had to give an impromptu speech based on our answers to six questions - and we didn't know what those questions were until we were on our feet,” she said.
"I had a feeling I might win the Charity event, but the Showgirl win was completely a shock,” she said.
A hairdresser most days, she also has her jobs to do on the family's Greens Creek property.
Originally published as Showgirl 2019 gets Gympie Show on track to win
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