Our Best And Brightest Ready For Ekka

20170612 Wondai QCAS — South Burnett Sub-Chamber 2017 Stud Beef Parader Mikaela Ross, Rural Ambassador Kate Roberts, Dark Rich Fruit Cake winner Gloria Fleming and South Burnett Miss Showgirl Courtney Retschlag will all be representing the South Burnett at the Ekka this August

June 12, 2017

More than 100 guests packed into the Wondai Diggers Club on Saturday night to see who’ll be representing the South Burnett at this year’s Ekka.

They were attending the annual South Burnett Sub-Chamber Dinner, and the audience was packed with representatives from all the sub-chamber’s Show Societies and past Miss Showgirls and Rural Ambassadors, along with many of the contestants in this year’s competition.

The evening was compered by Wondai AP&I Society secretary Noreen Brier, who has been kept very busy the past few months preparing for this year’s landmark 100th Wondai Show on September 1-2.

Noreen told the audience that with the Wondai Sprints being held the same weekend, the Diggers Club kitchen was swamped and dinner might be slightly delayed, but she was certain it would be up to the club’s usual high standards.

The evening then got underway with a rendition of the national anthem sung by 2016 South Burnett Miss Showgirl Jordanne Green.

After this, entrants in this year’s Rural Ambassador and Miss Showgirl competitions were run through a set of questions in front of the audience by Jordanne and Queensland Rural Ambassador Justin Matthews, including a surprise “bonus” question they had to pick themselves from folded slips of paper.

While dinner and dessert was served, the three guest judges who’d travelled from Brisbane and Bundaberg for the night made their final deliberations before this year’s winners were announced.

Courtney Retschlag (Kingaroy) was selected as this year’s South Burnett Miss Showgirl, and Caitlin Handford (Wondai) will act as her replacement if required.

Kate Roberts (Proston) was selected as this year’s Rural Ambassador, and Tim De Caluwe (Kingaroy) is this year’s Runner Up.

Both winners – along with Nanango’s Gloria Fleming (Rich Dark Fruit Cake), the winners of the Young Judges/Paraders competitions and the Ute Muster sections – will now go on to compete at the Ekka in August for the State awards.