THE future of the big event might be a little hazy, but the Showgirl will go on.
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Twenty-four-year-old Goulburn Mulwaree Library customer service officer Melissa Lieschke has been named Goulburn Showgirl for 2016.
Miss Lieschke, who has lived in Goulburn most of her life, said she was honoured to be named Showgirl.
She recalled regularly attending the Show since high school, where she would enter into various Show exhibitions.
“I’ve still got my ribbons,” she laughed.
She said she was initially keen to enter in a bid to become more involved in the community and bridge the divide between city life and agriculture.
“I went into the local rounds thinking I would just see how I go, and I know that there are zone and state finals too, which is bigger than I even imagined in the first place,” she said.
“I thought the Showgirl competition would be a good way to start to get involved and advocate for women, especially in the post-high school 18 to 26 age group where there seems to be a little bit of a lack of engagement.
“I’ve found in a lot of my associates and friends that have grown up here the mantra is ‘there’s nothing to do here’ and I would like to really change that and point out to people what great events we do have here and maybe help with the promotion of them and see how I can lift the community.
“What I’ve said about being Showgirl so far is I want to try and bridge the gap between the ‘in town’ and ‘out of town’ socioeconomic groups. I grew up as an in town person in Goulburn but I did have a lot of friends who lived on farms and working properties, and I think there is a bit of disconnect between those two groups.
“A lot of the ‘in town’ people don’t know a lot of the work that goes on behind the scenes on farms and for agricultural shows. I’d like to bring that in more to the ‘in town’ people and they can get a bit more involved.”
From here, Miss Lieschke will prepare for a personal development camp in Dubbo in mid-January, before zone finals in Tumut in late- January.
Previous Goulburn showgirls Bonnie Skinner and Jemma Reid will help her along the way.
In the forefront of everyone’s mind, however, is one question: Will there be a Goulburn Show in 2016?
“As the Showgirl I just really hope that the show can go ahead and it’s an amicable conclusion for all parties. It’s been sad to see all the differing comments on the media, I do hope that it goes ahead,” Miss Lieschke said.
“I know the AP&H has put a lot of work in the last 8 months planning it and so I think if they can somehow put that to use at the Goulburn Show that would be really good.”