Organised by Prue Capp, who has won a Royal Agricultural Society of NSW 2012 Rural Achiever Award, the ball was to celebrate 80 years of the Gresford District Agricultural Society.

Show president Graham Hudson said the first show was held in 1927.

“Three years prior to that, fundraising events were held so organisers had enough money to stage the event,” Mr Hudson said.

“The show has run continuously since then, except for 1936 when it was cancelled because of drought, and then during the war years of 1942 to ’45.”

Mr Hudson said the success of the show was due to the show committee.

“If it wasn’t for these hard working people the show would not continue year after year.”

Two Gresford women who went on to win both the showgirl competition at local and zone levels and then onto State level were also honoured during the night.

Emma Badgery (nee Addison) won the Sydney Royal Showgirl in 1988 and Sharon Lawrence (nee Sellens) was a finalist in Sydney in 1992.

“It’s great to think we have these two wonderful girls who have gone on to represent Gresford and the district in Sydney,” Mr Hudson said.