The Queen of Country Music Quest is run by the ZONTA club of Tamworth as a professional and personal development course which Emily was eager to take part in having just returned to her home town from Young.

"I was also excited to become more engaged in the community having only just moved home (to Tamworth).

"I was excited to see the festival from a different perspective and was surprised at how amazing it is!"

It wasn't all hard work taking part in it though, she said she had a lot of fun while taking part and got to meet some Country Music royalty along the way.

"The quest was so much fun. I was on my feet 24/7 for the whole 10 days! I got to meet Adam Harvey and some other artists as well as attend the Golden Guitar Awards, the ABCRA rodeo finals and so many other events!"

Over the 10 days Emily and her fellow contestants were assessed by three anonymous judges before taking part in an interview where the contestants discussed their personal goals and achievements.

"We also had to attend various events at the festival and fundraise, usher people to seats, sell tickets and be generally involved in the event," Emily said.

The win has opened up lots of opportunities for the music teacher.

"The win means so many great things! I get a trip to New Zealand to our sister city, Gore, where I represent Tamworth at their local Country Music Festival," she said. "The role for the next 12 months is an ambassador role and I am really excited to see where it takes me!"

Emily said she couldn't have taken part in the 2020 Country Music Queen Quest without the support of her family, in particular their business in Tamworth which was her sponsor for the event.

"I would like to thank my sponsor which is a local business called Lysaght's Refrigeration and Air Conditioning. They were very generous and made sure I had everything I needed for the festival.

"It's also important to thank the local ZONTA club and Tamworth Regional Council alongside a myriad of other local businesses who sponsored the event in various ways."

The judging for the Queen of Country Music was run over several weeks, including across the 10 days of the festival; and was judged by Tamworth Regional Council deputy mayor Phil Betts, Zonta president Sharon Draper, and former Queen of Country Music Sophie O'Neill.

The Queen of Country Music Quest builds confidence in young women and inspire them to pursue leadership roles in the community.