Maitland AgShow Young Woman off to Zone competition at Gulgong

There will be nine young women at the final competing to be selected to represent the zone at the Sydney Royal Easter Show in April.

Ms Johns was elected Maitland Showgirl in 2020 and has remained in the role as the Maitland Show was cancelled last year due to COVID.

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Ms Johns said she's excited and nervous for the competition to finally go ahead.

"I'm really keen to finally get to Zone, and hopefully COVID doesn't interrupt our plans this time," she said.

"It's a great opportunity to challenge myself and represent the Maitland Show."

The contestants will be judged on personality, confidence, ambition, life goals, general knowledge, rural knowledge, presentation and speech.

Ms Johns said the gala dinner will involve contestants being individually invited on stage to answer a question, usually about career ambition, or a rural or agricultural issue.

The issues most important to Ms Johns are rural health and environmental sustainability.

"The theme for the Maitland Show this year is 'celebrating our resilient community', and agriculture has definitely been impacted by COVID," she said.

"You don't have to go too far into Woolworths to see the supply and demand of food has been impacted, but it's been good for local growers as people have been encouraged to shop more locally,

"There's the good and the bad, but focusing on the positive is what has helped a lot of people get through lockdown."

Ms Johns said being an ambassador for Maitland is an experience she is grateful for, as it has opened a lot of doors for her.

"Despite everything being impacted by COVID, I've continued my role with the National Rural Health Student Network as an allied health officer, I was able to be involved in a podcast with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency, and I was able to attend the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation's Voices of the Future summit online," Ms Johns said.

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Ms Johns has also had the opportunity to have a Zoom meeting with the Governor General, was Hunter Young Volunteer of the Year, spoke at Maitland RSL Sub-Branch's ANZAC Day ceremony and has been involved with the Maitland Business Chamber.

"That was definitely an incredible opportunity while stepping out of my comfort zone," she said.

Ms Johns said she urges others to join the Maitland Show Young Woman Competition at this year's show.

"I'm encouraging local young women to participate in the 160^th Maitland Show, so women aged 18-25 are invited to get involved and apply," she said.

The 160^th Maitland Show will be on from Friday, February 18 to Sunday, February 20, 2022.

Entries for the Maitland Young Woman Competition close on Thursday, January 27 and the application form can be found on the Maitland Show Facebook page.

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