Competition finalists spend one week touring the Easter show and Sydney.

Professional development, meeting new people and charitable activities are all part of the schedule.

“It was a week of 16 amazing young women making new friends and experiencing all these new things together,” Miss Corbett said.

“There were 500 girls entering the competition and to be one of the final 16 is just an amazing honour,” she said.

A trip to Government House was also scheduled, with the showgirl finalists meeting NSW Governor Marie Bashir.

“She took a particular interest in the Riverina showgirls, Carly Acheson (Wagga), Emily Chilvers (Griffith) and myself, she told us we were ‘practically family’,” Miss Corbett said.

At Westmead Children’s Hospital, the showgirls distributed showbags to the children who weren’t able to get to the show because of medical treatment.

“It was a really good feeling to be able to provide a sick kid, to see their face light up upon receiving a toy or a showbag,” she said.

“It’s very rewarding and humbling.”

The finalists also toured agricultural newspaper, The Land’s Richmond headquarters and received more training on public speaking.

It wasn’t all meeting movers and shakers however, with the showgirls finding out where Australian agriculture started on a visit to Balgenny Farm – started by pioneers John and Elizabeth McArthur in 1805 and looking behind the scenes of the show.

“Visiting the Royal Easter show as a showgirl opens your eyes to what goes into it ... to be a part of spreading the message that agriculture is sustaining your life was really good,” Miss Corbett said.