Monday, 27 January 2020

Emily Lysaght has been announced as Tamworth’s newly crowned Queen of Country Music at the conclusion of the 48th Toyota Country Music Festival, Tamworth.

Emily works at Tamworth Regional Conservatorium of Music where she gets to share in the joy of music on a daily basis. She joined the Queen Quest to learn more about the Tamworth Region and to grow her confidence and presentation skills.

Susie Rixon, a disability worker from ARUMA Disability Services, was crowned the Princess of Country Music whilst Carissa Ryan was named Miss Congeniality, and Jasmine Whitten took the honours for Miss Social Media.

The judging for the Queen of Country Music has 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.

Delivered by the Zonta Club of Tamworth, the purpose of the Queen Quest is to build confidence in young women and inspire them to pursue leadership roles in the community.

Chairman of the Zonta Club of Tamworth, Sharon Draper said: “The Quest offers a diverse program to fully equip these young women with a wide range of professional and personal skills.

“We are focused on empowering women and providing them with an experience that not only inspires them to represent the Tamworth region over the coming year, but for the long-term. Both the Queen and Princess will be ambassadors for Tamworth and the Region throughout 2020, spending the next 12 months volunteering their time and assisting at a range of high-profile civic and community events, guest speaking engagements and corporate and festival functions.

As part of the major prize, the newly crowned Queen will travel to Tamworth’s sister city, Gore in New Zealand where she will represent Tamworth at the 2020 Gore Country Music Festival.