Donkey farrier Caylin King named 2024 Maitland Young Woman

Ms King was announced as Maitland Young Woman at a dinner on Saturday night at the showground.

Over the next year she will take part in public speaking engagements, be involved in the show and be an ambassador for Maitland's youth, before competing at zone in February 2025.

Ms King, who was runner up in the 2023 competition, said she is looking forward to getting involved with the community and learning more. "I'm excited to connect with different sides of Maitland," she said.

Ms King is a long-time volunteer at Donkey Welfare With Heart and a qualified donkey farrier.

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She said her family has always had horses and rescued a range of other animals over the years.

"We came to Maitland 16 years ago, I went to school here and we've always been animal people," she said.

Ms King said over the next year as Maitland Young Woman she will get a chance to exercise her different skills and step out of her comfort zone.

Maitland Young Woman competition coordinator Margaret Enright said the three entrants in this year's competition; Caylin, Meredith Blair and Gemalla De Beuzeville-Howarth, were all wonderful. "The girls are wonderful, the girls who came in were absolutely exceptional," she said.

Ms Enright said she believes what gave Ms King the competitive edge was her wide knowledge of and passion for animals.

The entrants will all make their first appearance at the Maitland Showground Biggest Morning Tea in June.