The 20-year-old had mixed emotions as she was sashed in front of a large crowd at the official opening of the Moree Show on Saturday afternoon.

"I was relieved, excited, overwhelmed," she said.

"It was a massive relief after two days of build-up; you don't know exactly how it was going to play out."

Emily said she didn't expect to win, admitting she thought runner-up Emily Cosgrove "had it in the bag".

"Emily [Cosgrove] portrayed herself so well," she said.

"She's such an infectious person and she can speak really well.

"She's the most amazing person ever."

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Emily had attempted to enter the showgirl competition the previous two years, however never ended up having the confidence to submit her application.

This year, she finally worked up the courage to throw herself into the competition, thanks to some reassuring advice from Moree Show Society secretary Karen Munn.

"Karen Munn said 'at the end of the day, I have full faith in you', which encouraged me," Emily said.

"Her words helped me get in there and have a go. In previous years, I thought I'm meant to know exactly what I'm doing, but Karen said you just need to work it out as you go along.

"That was a big reassurance for me."

Having not grown up with involvement in the show, or family involvement, Emily was also worried she didn't fit a certain showgirl "mould", but now hopes to change that view and encourage more young women to take part in the showgirl competition.

"I've never been a part of the show; I'm just your average Moree local," she said.

"That was another reason why I thought I couldn't do it, because I haven't been involved in the show since I was a baby.

"But I've realised that you don't have to fit a certain mould."

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With only two girls entering the senior showgirl competition, compared to the 60-plus entrants for Moree Junior Showgirl this year, Emily said her goal as the 2019 Moree Showgirl is to encourage those younger girls to stick with the showgirl movement and eventually enter the senior competition.

"I was so disheartened that only two of us were in my age group when there were 60-plus in the junior competition," she said.

"That's a massive gap.

"My goal this year is to encourage the younger generation of women to come together to break the stigma of showgirls.

"Now I can be an influence; it's a stepping stone to making a change."

Emily grew up in Moree and attended Moree Christian School from kindergarten to year 10, before receiving a scholarship to attend Concordia Lutheran College in Toowoomba for year 11 and 12.

She is currently studying a Bachelor of Practice Management to supplement her job as manager of the Moree and Tenterfield clinics for visiting cardiologist Professor Ross Sharpe.

As a result, Emily is particularly passionate about rural health.

Emily will now go on to represent Moree in the Zone 4 Showgirl final next year, where she will compete for a chance to progress to the state final at next year's Sydney Royal Easter Show.

She will also participate in a personal development weekend in Glen Innes later this year.

Emily would like to thank Davies Air Conditioning and Heating for sponsoring her to attend the personal development weekend.

She also thanked Moree Show Society, Moree Showgirl coordinator Kate Lumber and 2018 Moree Showgirl Bronte Marshall for their support and guidance, and State Member for Northern Tablelands Adam Marshall and Federal Member for Parkes Mark Coulton for attending the official opening at the show on Saturday.