The 21-year-old, who gave herself no chance of winning, wants to use her title to tell people of the struggles faced on a daily basis by many farmers.

“I want to make young people aware of the agricultural sector and how many farmers, particularly out west, have been living in drought for years,” Ms Mitchell said.

“I want to make people aware of the agricultural sector’s importance to Australia.”

She also wants to encourage more people to take part in the show.

Ms Mitchell said she was surprised and honoured to be the Berry Showgirl for 2010.

“It’s a dream come true,” she said.

The Berry Show has been an important part of her life. Since she was four years old, she has been involved in the goat section.

The Berry Showgirl does not mind the less glamorous tasks and yesterday went back to the show and helped with the clean-up.

Among her prizes, she won two nights’ accommodation at the Ibis, Sydney Darling Harbour.

Meanwhile, secretary of the Berry Agricultural Society Jim Bieler said given the wet conditions the show was an outstanding success.

“I was amazed at the resilience of the competitors,” Mr Bieler said.

He was surprised that so many events, particularly in the horse section, went on.

The Australian Underhand Woodchop Championships, one of the feature events, went ahead, but was reduced from 21 sections to seven and was won by Tasmania’s Lawrence O’Toole.

The rodeo, ride-on lawn-mower race and fireworks were among the events that had to be cancelled.

The gate takings were also expected to be down.