KELLY Hull knows all about shows.
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On Saturday, she swept into Moruya Showground and left with the Eurobodalla District Showgirl sash after impressing the judges with her zest for life.
The 20-year-old legal assistant works in Narooma, has just bought her first home, and is about to start studying for a law degree at Southern Cross University.
She lived on a small farm in Bingi until six months ago, when she moved to Bodalla.
With her mum Jean and dad Brent Hull she shows a team of thoroughbreds and mixed-breed horses at agricultural shows around the state to qualify for the Sydney and Canberra Royal shows.
She has been riding in the hack ring “ever since I could walk, or even before that”, she says.
A knee reconstruction operation in November has put her off the sporting fields in Moruya – and hack ring – for a few months.
“I love touch football, and I play league tag and soccer,” she said.
She was roped into being the media officer, photographer and ticket-seller for Moruya Speedway by the president, who just happens to be her boyfriend.
As if all that isn’t enough, she and her parents are on the Eurobodalla Hack and Stockhorse Show committee.
Since the first annual show was held in 2012, she says, numbers are increasing every year.
Annual visits to the Sydney Royal inspired Ms Hull to enter the Eurobodalla District Showgirl competition.
“I looked at the showgirl competition every year and thought that was something I would like to be involved in,” she said.
She entered the Eurobodalla competition last year, and enjoyed the experience so much she sent in her resume again.
On Saturday morning the entrants were interviewed by three “local identities” on topics such as the Eurobodalla Shire and its many attractions, the Australian political system, and their reasons for entering the competition.
That evening, at a dinner held at Moruya Showground Pavilion, each entrant had a final hurdle – to give an impromptu speech in reply to a question.
Ms Hull, asked her plans for the next 12 months, said her ambition was to qualify not only for the Royal Shows in Sydney and Canberra in 2016 but also the Grand Nationals Championships.
For the next 12 months, Ms Hull intends to be a worthy winner of the Showgirl crown.
She says she will promote the Eurobodalla Shire, and encourage more young women to enter the competition next year.
“There were only three entrants this year, which was a shame, but the other finalists, Maree Knight and Karmen Ison of Moruya, were very worthy of the award,” she said.
At the Eurobodalla District Show this weekend, she will be helping her parents with their horses, visiting the pavilions, attending the opening ceremony, and presenting prizes to show-winners.
After that, she would dearly love to be fit enough to ride her three horses that have qualified for this year’s Royals.