Lismore’s Kate Hepburn is heading to Sydney after being crowned The Land Sydney Royal AgShows NSW Young Woman – Zone 1 winner at the final hosted by Kyogle Show Society last night.

In a field of impressive young women from across the North Coast and Mid North Coast, Kate emerged as the sole Zone 1 representative progressing to the Sydney Royal Show in April, and she admits she’s still coming to terms with it.

“I was not expecting anything out of Zone and I was just in so much shock last night,” Kate said.

The Zone 1 finalists included representatives from Gloucester (Jessica Kernahan), Murwillumbah (Jazmin Harris), Kyogle (Victoria Reardon), Lismore (Kate Hepburn), Casino (Taylor Humphreys), Kempsey (Raylene Cattell), Wauchope (Brianna Ducker), Bangalow (Kate Hulbert), Maclean (Grace Carr) and Coffs Harbour (Keeley Gardner).

Kate said she almost didn’t nominate last year.

“I wasn’t even going to do this… and then they’re like, ‘Kate, come on, we need someone.’ And I thought, right, I’ll give it a crack,” she said. “I’ve always sort of been involved with it. I’ve done Teen and that, so I said, why not?”

North Coast National Young Woman winner Kate Hepburn, and Teen Showgirl winner Elsie Wilkinson (image supplied)

From her first nervous interview at Lismore Show in October to the calm confidence she felt on stage at Zone, Kate says the transformation has been remarkable.

“Even from Lismore I was nervous going into the interview… I was sitting there like, ‘Okay, what’s the next question? Come on,’” she laughed. “But come to Zone and I felt so calm. I don’t even know what happened. You just get used to it after a while. It all helps so much.”

A key part of that growth came from the AgShows NSW development weekend in Dubbo, where 53 young women from across the state came together.

“You don’t actually realise what it’s about until you get to Zone,” she said. “I went down to Dubbo and met half the girls, and I’ve had so many of them message me since. They’re like your best friends once you actually get to meet them. It’s amazing what they’re doing.”

The Zone final itself was a full day of interviews, shared meals with judges and an on-stage presentation before the winner was announced.

“You have your interview in the morning, then lunch with the judges, then you get ready for dinner and do the on-stage interview,” Kate explained. “You’re mingling all night, talking to new people. It’s such a good experience.”

Now, her focus shifts to Sydney. Kate will be mentored by Tara Coles, a former North Coast National representative who will guide her through preparations ahead of the Sydney Royal Show.

“You go to Sydney and you get involved in big corporate dinners, you get to go to the Governor’s House, there’s a cruise around the harbour,” she said. “You just get to learn so much. It’s insane.”

While Zone 1 traditionally sends two representatives, this year Kate will be the only one travelling to Sydney.

“Yeah, no pressure at all,” she joked.

More than anything, Kate says the program has opened doors she didn’t even know were there.

“The people who don’t know about it… I think we need to explain what’s involved, because nobody knows,” she said. “It is such an incredible experience to get out, get involved, meet new people. Everybody says it and you don’t believe it until you actually do it.”

Kate’s win is another reminder of the strength of the region’s agricultural and show community, and the young leaders emerging from it.