Ninteen-year-old Wingham born and bred Brooke Anderson is excited to take on Taree Showgirl 2018 and give back to the community which has provided her with a lifetime of memories.
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Having competed in local shows and attended pony club since she was four, Brooke has seen a lot of the agricultural side of the Taree Show, and this year hopes to explore the other attractions.
“Pretty much as soon as I could walk I wanted to be on a horse,” Brooke said.
“It’s just always been what I’ve wanted to be doing.
“From the age of eight I was competing in campdraft competitions just about every weekend, I loved it.”
With a horse stud and dairy farm in the family, it’s no wonder Brooke has the love of agriculture running through her veins.
Other weekend pursuits of her childhood included showing beef cattle and taking part in junior judging at beef week.
“With such a big family interest in showing cattle and competing in the horse events, that is an aspect of the show that is very familiar and comfortable for me,” Brooke continued.
“I was really excited to give showgirl a go last year, but it fell right before my HSC and that was my priority at the time so I ended up not applying.
“Since then I was very excited to do it this year.”
Studying a Bachelor of Medical Radiation Science at Port Macquarie doesn’t leave a lot of time to visit home, but Brooke said she was still back in her cowgirl boots every chance, chasing cattle or heading out for a ride.
“It’s great to be able to get back into it and continue competing, even living away from home and the horses,” she said.
“I haven’t been as involved in the community as I would like to be previously, because I had HSC last year and now the ongoing commitment of university, so I figured if I competed in showgirl it would be a good way to reconnect and become a lot more involved again.
“I’ve competed my whole life in the shows and now I want to give back to that community.
“Everyone has always done such a great job organising the shows and events that I have competed in, and as a young person you never really think about all the work that goes into it behind the scenes, so I would love to help out with that and get really involved in the show community.”