And, she only just scrapped through as an entrant in the annual self-development program.

The Land Sydney Royal Showgirl Competition rule book states contestants must not be over the age of 24 on May 1 - Ms Murrell turns 25 on May 2.

So why did the avid horse rider pick up her life and move back home four months ago to take part in a longstanding competition that many believe is outdated?

It turns out she owes a lot to the quest.

She entered the 2018 Maitland Showgirl competition and it gave her the confidence she needed to take the plunge into the Canadian horse industry to develop her skills.

It was always something she wanted to do, but she lacked the confidence to make it happen.

"Moving over there and trying to start a life over there was something that was very scary," she said.

"Showgirl gave me the confidence I needed to do it and my life has changed so much since then. I've become so much more confident.

"This is my last chance to give it a go so I decided to come home and go for it - I'm excited to have the opportunity to be part of it."

Ms Murrell, of Largs, bought her plane ticket soon after the 2018 competition finished. She arrived in Canada without a job lined up, but she soon found a suitable role.

Ms Murrell was based in the province of Alberta and travelled to nearby provinces Saskatchewan and British Columbia.

"I was lucky to end up working for a wonderful family who treated me as one of their own children. I've made a lot of good friends and family over there now," she said.

"I worked with chuckracing horses in Canada and went to calgary stampedes," she said.

"The job has made me a lot more confident. I had to travel a lot with my work across three provinces and I had to meet a lot of people and that has definitely brought me out of my shell."

"Between two barns we had approximately 80 thoroughbred racehorses which we had to harness up and train every day - sun, rain or snow - it didn't matter what the weather was doing.

"We went to competitions over summer - for three months we competed in different towns every week."

When she learned that Neigh - a foal she had handled at a stud in Luskintyre before she departed - was going to be sold, she decided to take a leap of faith and buy her.

She says the mare is her "heart horse" and the two of them have had a special bond from the beginning. Now she's looking forward to training her and putting her in the show ring.

"She'll make a great competition horse in the show ring, particularly in hacking," she said.

Ms Murrell has also agreed to organise Maitland Show's annual rodeo, which will take place on February 14.

She was grateful for the opportunity and said it will be a fun night out for the whole family.

She said Maitland Show was an iconic event in the city and it was important that it continued to help unite the city and the country.

She said the showgirl movement was still as relevant today as it was when it began.

"I don't think showgirl is outdated at all. "It's very lady-like and some people in this day and age don't know how to act like that and don't understand the concealment of your body," she said.

"For ladies who don't understand what it's like to be a lady it's obviously a big learning curve for them.

"Learning how to act like a lady is what you get out of it. The last time I did showgirl in my heels and my dress I actually fell up the stairs when I was going on stage, so this time my goal is not to fall up the stairs."

When Ms Murrell spoke to The Mercury back in 2018 she said the thought of spending time in a dress and high heels was far more daunting than climbing onto the back of a wild horse.

She still agrees with that statement, although admits she is much more accustomed to dresses now than she was back then.

Entries in the 2020 Maitland Showgirl quest close at 5pm on Friday, January 24. Ring Maitland Showground on 4933 5052 for an entry form or phone Margaret Enright on 0422 769 053.