On Saturday, the 21-year-old from Muswellbrook was chosen from five finalists as the 2015 Upper Hunter Showgirl.

The Showgirl competition looks for a young woman to act as an ambassador for rural NSW and the selection process is not a walk in the park.

Contestants are judged on personality, confidence, ambition and life goals, general knowledge, rural knowledge, presentation and speech.

They must also demonstrate knowledge of their local community and current affairs.

Co-ordinator of the Showgirl competition, Sue Stafford, said all contestants were of a high calibre.

“It was extremely difficult for the judges this year to choose a winner,” she said.

Ali, like her fellow finalists, was dressed beautifully, wore pearls, had her hair done and was wearing her make-up.

Behind the frocks and frosting, though, is an accomplished young woman, level-headed and capable.

So capable, in fact, she once landed a 160cm 20kg jewfish on her light bream rod in the Nelson Bay Trailer Boat competition.

Yes, Ali is an angler and a pretty good one at that.

“I learned to fish before I could walk and I had a boat licence before I had a car licence,” she said.

It’s hard to reconcile the young woman who was all frocked up at the weekend is the same one who pulls on waders, threads a worm on a hook, pilots a boat and heaves a big fish out of the water on a

lightweight line.

It would seem angler Ali takes everything in her stride, as she did on Saturday when, just before the 2015 Upper Hunter Showgirl winner was announced, the heel of her shoe wedged firmly in a crack on the presentation stage.

Unbeknown to all who were watching she couldn’t move, so Ali exercised good old common sense.

“It got stuck in a little hole in the platform and it was wedged way down and I kept trying to pull it out,” she said.

“So I whispered to fellow finalist Amy [Pickersgill] next to me, ‘Amy, can you put your foot under the arch of my heel and lift it out,’ and she did and I hoped it was discrete.”

Ali said she is very proud to come from Muswellbrook, feeling very much a part of the community after attending Muswellbrook South primary school and Muswellbrook High School.

“Muswellbrook’s always been my home I just feel safe in this small community and it’s really nice to have that sense of belonging.”

She is now studying for an undergraduate degree in Primary School Teaching by correspondence through the University of New England in Armidale.

Gymnastics is her sport of choice and Ali has coached younger children.

 She’s also an entrepreneur, running a mobile makeup service, Stay Beautiful, for weddings and formals.

Ali was sponsored by her employer, Berry and French Pharmacy, to take part in the competition.

Why did she enter?

“It was a bit of a challenge because I’m not an overly confident person when it comes to speaking in public,” she said.

“The Showgirl competition was originally set up to show young woman there’s more out there and to give them opportunities and if it can keep doing that, it’s a great concept.

“I’d encourage any young lady to take part – they’ll make friends, they’ll have fun and they’ll enjoy themselves.”