LAURA Penfold had a plan as far back as 2011.
At the Moree Show 14 years ago, seven-year-old Laura was crowned Junior Showgirl.
She won the title again eight years later as a 15-year-old, and those two successes set in motion a dream of one day representing Zone 4 at the Sydney Royal Easter Show.
Now 21, Laura’s aspirations edged that little closer, when she was last month named 2025 Moree Show Young Woman – the second time she’s worn the senior crown.
Laura was just shy of 18 when she won the 2021 Young Woman Initiative the first time, and now with four sashes bearing her name, Laura believes it’s time to take the next step and travel the road to the 2026 Royal Easter Show.
Laura, who works in the aviation industry in Moree, was named 2025 Young Woman at the April 25-26 Moree Show.
She will now prepare for the Zone 4 regional finals at Warialda on February 7, 2026.
“I wanted to enter again this year in the hope of making the Royal Easter Show. Ever since I won in 2011, I knew I wanted to one day achieve this,” Laura said.
“I’m very thankful for all the support and love I’ve had from my community, and very proud to live in Moree.
“I am so excited and grateful to be named the Moree Young Woman for 2025 and cannot wait to see how I grow in the next 12 months,” she said.
The dream Laura nurtured in 2011 when named Moree Junior Showgirl, is now all very real.
“I remember as a little girl, my mum, Kathryn, mentioned entering the showgirl competition at the Moree Show,” Laura said.
“I had no idea what it was all about but wanted to do it. Mum took my sister, Maddy, and I down to enter and I came away with showgirl in my section.
“I remember seeing the older showgirls and thinking they were all super-pretty, and that one day I wanted to be like them,” Laura smiled.
Laura’s next step is preparing for the Zone 4 finals at Warialda next year. It’s a road she travelled to Wee Waa when named Moree Showgirl in 2021.
“When I entered in 2021, I still didn’t know much about the program but I knew I wanted to enter,” Laura recalled.
“When I went to Zone 4 finals in Wee Waa, I walked away feeling very proud. I knew then, it wasn’t my ‘last hurrah’.
“I had the most amazing experience and met some beautiful friends who I still keep in contact with.
“Also, I grew as a person, gained more confidence and walked away feeling like I had made a difference,” she said.
“As I was only 17 when I won at Moree and 18 when I competed at zone level, I felt I was still quite young and still had so much time to learn and grow.”
There are seven zones across New South Wales.
Each zone consists of two groups, with the Sydney Royal AgShows NSW Young Woman program running over six days at the Sydney Royal from March 31 next year.
“Every year I would see the Young Woman program advertised and wanted to jump in and enter again,” Laura said.
“I felt this year was the right time. I had so much doubt about entering again, after winning in 2021, but I wanted to scratch the itch that win gave me. I’ve grown since 2021 and had more life experience,” she said.
Laura drew inspiration from Moree Young Woman Initiative co-ordinator Jess Towns, who won the title in 2022.
Jess went on to jointly win the Zone 4 final with Samantha Coppin from Narrabri before being named runner-up at the Sydney Royal Easter Show in 2023.
“I was very much inspired by Jess, and she has been a tremendous help to myself and Millie,” Laura said.
Moree beautician Millie Hobday was runner-up at Moree this year and both finalists have formed a stronger friendship.
“I’ve had the best time at our local show,” Laura said.
“It was lovely getting to know Millie that little bit extra. We helped pin each other’s sashes, talked about outfits, ate yummy show food and just had the best experience together.”
Words and Images: Bill Poulos
