“I did go into it thinking maybe it was a little bit of a beauty pageant. I definitely didn’t expect it to be as in-depth as it was,” she said.

Ms Hockley was crowned the 2016 Showgirl and has spent the past year being an ambassador for the region.

It’s been a busy 12 months where she’s gotten to know important members of the community, the Dubbo Show Society and herself, Ms Hockley said.

“It’s a confidence builder. It allows you to build on yourself and find more about who you are,” she said.

Entries for the 2017 Dubbo Showgirl have almost closed. For those who are hesitating, Ms Hockley said she would recommend the experience “110 per cent”.

“I would encourage everyone considering it to give it a go, even if you’re not overly confident. It’s three days of your life and you’ll have an amazing experience.”

The Showgirl said part of the secret to her success was having an interest in the questions she was asked by the show society. When asked about things she didn’t know, Ms Hockley said she would make an effort to learn about it afterwards.

She is also deeply passionate about the Dubbo Show, calling it the best in the region, despite her bias.

It was hard to pick a favourite moment from her year as Showgirl, Ms Hockley said, but one of the standouts was the Zone final in March. Despite not walking away with another sash, Ms Hockley said it had been great to meet like-minded people from across the region.

For those who wish to apply to be the 2017 Dubbo Showgirl, information is available at the Dubbo Show Society website at dubboshow.org.