When she was just three years old Elizabeth Maindonald opened the Lower Hutt Country Music Awards in front of 300 people, her dad Lindsay says.
Parents Lindsay and Anita Maindonald were both competing in the awards - but her dad had to hold the microphone while she sang Country Roads to the large audience.
Blonde haired, blue eyed little Elizabeth had country music well ingrained in her psyche by the time she was three - because she had been going to country music events with her parents since babyhood.
On Saturday the Eltham six-year-old sang Cotton Fields to win the under-seven age group section of the Muddy River Country Music Awards held at Whanganui's St Andrews Presbyterian Church.
The overall winner was Hayley Cole, 14, from the Te Awamutu Country Music Club, and the runner-up was 12-year-old Terina Sadlier from the Wainuiomata Country Music Club.
Awards organiser Elaine Holden said there were 86 entries by 30 children and teenagers aged from four to 16.
They chose traditional, country rock or gospel songs, sang on their own or in duos, and were backed by an experienced four-piece band and watched by three judges. There was also an audience of about 150.
It's the third year Mrs Holden has run the awards. She said there weren't many opportunities for young singers and the awards were growing.
"We had one entrant from Ashburton, some from Auckland and some from Hawera, New Plymouth, Hastings and Wellington."
There weren't many entries from Whanganui, which was disappointing because she started the competition to get more young people into the Whanganui and Rangitikei clubs.
She's a country, jazz and classical singer herself, and wants to help young people get started. Country music clubs are ideal for that, she said, because they have bands for people to sing with and anyone can have a go.
"It's a good way for children, or anyone, to get into music."
This year's talent was of a very high standard, she said.
Next year she's going to get more help to run the awards, and she is always looking for more sponsors.