AS the Queensland Country Life Showgirl celebrates its 40th anniversary at this year's Royal Queensland Show, Lorraine Crothers and Helen Walker spent time to compile the amazing history and reflect on those that made the journey possible over the years.
It was in 1982 when a conversation took place between the then deputy editor of Queensland Country Life, Blair Chadwick, and Queensland Ag Shows director Graham Jensen at the Dalby show.
They suggested both Queensland Country Life and QCAS should create a competition for single women between 17 and 25 years of age.
The idea was to to promote agricultural shows, provide sustainability to agricultural shows and give entrants of the competition a unique opportunity at public speaking and personal development skills through participation.
The Miss Showgirl had been a part of that culture with many shows conducting the competition on a local level for years before the competition progressed to a state competition.
A committee was formed and included Lillian Krog, Richard Pietsch and Gilbert Lange with Graham Jensen OAM representing the Darling Downs sub-chamber, and QCL's Blair Chadwick.
Together they formulated the competition, rules, judging criteria and the judging panel.
The competition was largely modelled around The Land Sydney Royal Showgirl competition in NSW.
There was a 12-month meeting and planning process before the competition was officially launched in 1983 at the Brisbane Royal Show.
During this time the committee worked on a shoe string budget and through their tireless work and the support of the Queensland Country Life, sponsors were obtained and rules and guidelines were developed.
In the beginning, Queensland Country Life provided all the secretarial support and sold sponsorship for the state finals while Queensland Ag Shows provided the chaperone and facilitated the competition back throughout agricultural shows across the state.
Queensland Country Life's Helen Walker was appointed the showgirl coordinator and set about seeking sponsorship and organising the trip to Brisbane.
Lorraine Crothers, at that time, was the state coordinator for the Queensland RSL Girl in a Million Quest, and her advice was sought on the aspects of bringing state finalists to Brisbane.
Over the 40 years there have been a number of changes made to the competition.
Originally the age was 17 to 25 but this later changed to 18 and under 28 years.
More recently the Awards have widened the eligibility to include married women and dropped the Miss to be now known as Queensland Country Life Showgirl Awards.
Lillian Krog was the chaperone of the first state showgirl and continued until 1992 while Dot Hamilton OAM fulfilled the role of chaperone from 1992 to 2008, and Elizabeth Wilson was a sponsor of the awards and joined the committee as chaperone from 2009 to 2018.
Ironically, many years later Lorraine became a director on the Queensland Ag Shows board and later joined the showgirl committee in 2004 becoming the chair in 2005, and was a driving force until the 2018 showgirl finals.
Since its inception there have been many valued sponsors associated with the awards.
The Queensland Country Life alongside James and Carmel Delahunty have been there since the beginning.
In 1984, Bruce Robinson Diamonds commenced their partnership by providing finalists with bracelets and, in the later years, a much sought after strand of pearls with a gold ferris wheel pendant.
For more than 30 years Dorothy March crafted and presented state showgirl finalists with a showgirl kewpie doll.
The Crest Hotel accommodated the state finalists in the early years and then in 2004 the Brisbane Riverview Hotel became the finalists home away from home.
About 25 years ago, a decision was reached between the organising committee comprising of Queensland Country Life staff and Queensland Ag Shows members that Queensland Ag Shows should have more control of the facilitation of the competition and to alleviate the workload of the Queensland Country Life staff.
Since 2019, the Queensland Country Life Showgirl Awards committee consists of Ellie O'Hara, Janine Milne, Lucy Connolly and Kylee Matthews who have had to compete with the COVID-19 pandemic and the cancellation of the 2020 event.
There has been tremendous support provided by the RNA to the showgirl competition in hosting their presentation and announcement at the Royal Queensland Show.
They continue to embrace the competition and include the showgirls in many of their functions.
The role of MC at the announcement ceremony always belonged to the Ekka main ring announcers John Nash and Angus Lane OAM.
In 2008 until 2018 Jill Temple, a former Queen of the Downs and showgirl committee member took over the role from Angus Lane.
A highlight of the 40th year celebrations will be when many of the previous entrants join a high tea celebration and attend the annual awards dinner at The View on August 5 before the winner is announced on August 6. Tune into the livestream from 2.30pm on the QCL Facebook page.
Queensland Country Life Showgirl Awards Roll of Honour: 1983 Esther Smith; 1984 Sue Robinson; 1985 Kylie Williams; 1986 Kim Watkins; 1987 Margie Page; 1988 Stacey Kibble;1989 Michelle Cole; 1990 Michelle Piddock; 1991 Anita McAulay; 1992 Kylie Farmer; 1993 Julianne Paget; 1994 Sharee Ware; 1995 Lucy Johnston; 1996 Allison Storie; 1997 Alita Blackmuir; 1998 Lauren Pearce, 1999 Helen Dennis; 2000 Bronwen Croner; 2001 Kate Burton; 2022 Jacqui Illa; 2003 Michelle Franz; 2004 Rebecca Jennings; 2005 Sara Dieckmann; 2006 Jacinta Tonschek; 2007 Amanda Lindeman; 2008 Ayla McIntyre; 2009 Aimee Davina; 2010 Christine Menzies; 2011 Samantha Gluer; 2012 Jessica Robinson; 2013 Donna Baker; 2014 Sophie Hughes; 2015 Michelle Mesner; 2016 Kaitlyn Schultz; 2017 Claire Jackson; 2018 Mikaela Tapp, 2019 Clare Webb; 2020 COVID; 2021 Brittany Kugel.