Seven girls line up for the announcement of this year’s Group 1 Junior Teen Showgirl on Saturday, March 7.

The girls are showgirls from their hometowns of Bangalow, Maclean, Grafton, Lismore, (absent), Tweed River, Bonalbo, Kyogle and Casino.

They wait as one of the judges, Miranda Saunders, explains what a marvellous lot they are.

Miranda was a showgirl for Lismore in 2004.

“I can see every single one of you at the Sydney Show,” Miranda said to the nervous girls waiting to hear the winner.

Standing in a line at the Clydesdale Motel and Steakhouse, their hair carefully done and each wearing a dress that looked specially chosen for the day’s announcement, it was a tense moment waiting to hear what their futures were.

There is a lot more to the showgirl tradition than what most of the public see. It’s more than pretty dresses and wearing the sash.

Mia Mackay knows all about that. She was one of the youngest Far North Junior Showgirls when she won last year. She was 13 years old at the time. The next step for some of the entrants is vying for Young Woman of the Year when they turn 18.

The year has been busy for Mia — but she knew what she was letting herself in for — Terry and Sue Serone who run the Casino Show are Mia’s godparents.

Mia said her year as Junior Show girl helped her grow.

“I’ve loved meeting new people,” she said.

“Every experience has shaped who I am.”

Sue said Mia and the previous Junior Showgirl Elora Arbery did so much in their roles.

“Elora wore out the print on her sash,” Sue said.

Mia was at every show in the region helping out.

“Me and my family have always been involved in the show society,” Mia said. Mia’s advice to the new winner is to “take every opportunity with both hands.”

“Every opportunity is one to remember.”

Mia’s mother Naomi Fuller said there was a misconception about showgirls.

After this, Mia has to be in the cattle yard helping artificially inseminate her stud herd at Kyogle, she said.

Mia’s family are at a lot of shows including Sydney, Brisbane and Toowoomba, showing cattle.

Naomi is proud of her daughter.

“This put her back out there,” Naomi said about the showgirl experience.

“She had an ordinary 2024,” she said.

“She experienced bullying and body shaming at school. She struggled with that and stepped back for awhile.”

She said the support from her show society helped her.

“If they go low, go high,” she said of her bullies.

“Take their negativity and turn it into personal growth.”

It’s a mature approach for a 14 year old.

The Mia handing over her title is a confident teenager as she draped the sash on Sam McLennan from Casino Show Society. Maya Wakerley from Maclean was runner-up.

Sam has heaps of confidence. 

“I love the attention,” she said.

And Mia’s final words as she exits her reign as Junior Showgirl.

“No matter who you are, have a crack,” she said.

“You never know what you can take out of it.”

Casino Show is on October 10-11.

Go to the Indy Instagram page to see a video of Sam and Mia.

This article appeared on indyNR.com on 8 March 2026.