PIPPA Childs is off to the Royal Easter Show after she was chosen from 14 zone five showgirls who represented their towns in a bid to get through to the stage and become the 2014 The Land Royal Easter Showgirl.

Not since 2007 has a Rydal representative made it through to the Royal Easter Show stage and Pippa is looking forward to the challenge.

Pippa attended this year’s Zone Five finals with Rydal Showgirl coordinator Margie Lowe at the Kandos-Rylstone Showgrounds and newly appointed Royal Agricultural Society General Manager Agriculture Murray Wilton was the MC for the evening.

“Mr Wilton seemed to bring out the best in the understandably very nervous but also very competent group showgirls,” Margie said.

“There was an incredible depth of talent and experience among these young women, who were from different backgrounds but all with a passion to represent rural NSW from the perspective of their own background and experience.

“The Rydal Show Society is delighted that our showgirl was chosen as one of the two finalists, along with Tanya Wisbey from Mudgee.

“Although she was more than a little surprised by her selection as a finalist for Sydney, Pippa is most deserving of the honour.

“She is an incredibly dynamic young woman and has a diverse range of talents.”

Some of Pippa’s talents range from dressmaker (Pippa made both her outfits for the Zone final) to an accomplished cellist and tenor horn player. She is also a vocalist and loves choral singing.

With the community being one of her passions, she has been involved with the Rydal Show Society all her life and has also had a long involvement in the wider Lithgow community.

This is all in addition to her chosen field of study, with Pippa being a fifth year honours student in Bachelor of Civil Engineering-Bachelor of Science at the University of Sydney undertaking majors in geotechnical and geology-geophysics.

During her on-stage interview, Pippa was asked to explain her current work choice while at university.

Pippa responded in part that her decision to work part time while at uni for the exploration company Oil Search evolved both from her interest in geology and respect for the environment along with her awareness of the importance and opportunities the energy industry offers Australia.

“I hope that through innovative engineering Australia will be able to develop non intrusive solutions that will provide incredibly efficient energy to remote, regional and rural communities which will reduce or negate the inefficiencies of transporting energy over long distances,” Pippa said.

On top of her studies and work Pippa will now prepare herself for the next level when she will join 24 other regional showgirls who will all have the same goal in sight.

For residents of the greater Lithgow region Pippa is already a winner in the way she conducts herself, and folks will eagerly await news of the Royal Show outcome.

The official presentation and announcement of The Land Royal Easter Showgirl will take place on Sunday April 13.