'Nothing to lose': How a 'random hobby' turned into an inspiring career

"My dad had a love for finding random hobbies for us kids," Ms Dimmock, 25, told the Daily Liberal.

"When we were younger, I think I was around 10, Dad saw brahmans at the show one year ... and so he went out and bought a bull.

"And we just started showing this brahman bull around and then we got some cows and you know ... that instilled such a love for me.

"I'm now an ag teacher."

Ms Dimmock was named the Dubbo Young Woman of the year at the 2023 Dubbo Show, and is preparing to hand over the crown at this year's show, which will take place at Dubbo Showground from Friday, May 10 to Sunday, May 12.

But it hasn't been all flowers and sashes throughout the year - there's been work to do.

"For the successful Young Woman, you become an honorary member of the general show committee, so then you get to start seeing behind-the-scenes runnings of what goes into the show - organising sponsorship, organising stewards and subcategories within the show," Ms Dimmock said.

Ms Dimmock will be in the general cattle committee, and will also be responsible for taking some of the children from the school where she works as an agriculture and science teacher, Anglican Grammar School, to show their own cattle.

"[I'll also be] showing the new [Young Woman] entrants around and making them feel comfortable ... " she said.

When Ms Dimmock gave her acceptance speech at the Dubbo Show in 2023, she was nervous. Talking in front of crowds was something she wanted to work on and she's been able to hone this skill throughout the year.

A few weeks ago, she competed against the other Young Women in her 'zone' to attend the state competition at the Sydney Royal Easter Show, and though she wasn't chosen, she said she wouldn't change a thing.

"Just because you're entering this competition, it's not like you enter and you become a better public speaker, you're just exposed to more situations that push you out of your comfort zone," Ms Dimmock said.

"That's why it's so beneficial - you're not having these opportunities if you don't go in it."

The competition fosters a "good environment" for "personal growth" - and teaches young women that they should get up and have a say.

"I've become more confident in what I have to say and genuinely believing that people do have an interest in what I have to say - and I think that's really important for young women ... once they get that appreciation and confidence that people actually really do care about their opinions," Ms Dimmock said.

As a teacher, Ms Dimmock is passionate about getting the next generation of young people involved in agriculture.

"If we don't invest youth into this industry, it's not going to strengthen and it's not going to have that new blood and energy coming into it to ensure its longevity," she said.

One of her favourite things as a teacher is showing young kids that they can enter the industry in various guises - it doesn't have to be on a tractor or in the paddock, it can be in finance, marketing and more.

When Ms Dimmock was 17, she won the Teenage Showgirl competition, which exposed her to the Young Woman competition and what she could get out of it.

"For me, it's encouraging young girls to enter the Teenage Showgirl so that they're exposed to the young woman at that earlier age and have something to aspire to," she said.

Something that will stay with Ms Dimmock is how hard the show society works.

"I think that shows are the showcase of the community. If you have a bad season, the grains are going to look different in the shed. If you have a good season, the cattle are going to be fatter," she said.

"I think it just shows the productive nature of a town and it really engages people because the show has so much in it."

She said being involved in the competition showed her that the future of the industry - and the future of women - is "in good hands".

Her advice for young women thinking of entering is that they will "get out of these competitions what you put in".

"Put yourself out there because it's much easier once you're in it and no one has ever left a competition like this feeling like it wasn't worth it or it wasn't beneficial," she said.

Entries for the 2024 Dubbo Young Woman, Rural Achiever and Teenage Showgirl are now open. Find out more at www.dubboshow.org