With entries closing on Friday, and equine studies student Miranda O’Brien the only entrant, the 2016 winner Jessica Allen has stepped in and publicly urged young women to stand up. 

She said young women had the wrong idea about the competition.

She said they saw it as an out of date beauty contest for rural women living on the land, when in fact it, was an opportunity to share their visions with the community and develop their confidence and self-esteem. 

The competition aims to find a young woman between 18 and 24 who will represent the showgirl movement at Maitland Show and at The Land Sydney Royal Showgirl zone final.

The winner will also spend her reign representing the city’s youth as Miss Maitland and attending various functions. 

Ms Allen said the experience had given her a huge confidence boost and allowed her to prove to herself that she could succeed in social settings as well as at public speaking engagements.

She said young women with or without a rural background should apply and reap the benefits the long-standing competition offered. 

Ms Allen first entered the quest in 2015 and was named runner-up to Olivia Richardson, who went on to become a state finalist.

She re-entered the competition in 2016 and won.

“It gives young women a voice and it gives them a chance to be heard,” she said. 

“It was an opportunity to stand up and prove to myself that I am capable of more than I thought – by putting myself out there I proved to myself that I am capable of speaking to people.”

Ms Allen attended several functions throughout the year and will finish her duties at the Australia Day celebrations next week. Then she will represent Maitland at the zone final and vie for the chance to become a state finalist. 

Ms Allen, 20, is studying to become a high school English and history teacher and will graduate next year. 

She is also a talented poet who recently won an award for a poem she wrote about life on the land.

“I’ve been involved in horses all my life and I’ve always lived on cattle properties,” she said. 

“Being able to teach people and help them explore different perspectives interests me.”