Jenny Mitchell (13) was invited to perform at the Tamworth Country Music Festival's opening show. Michaela Roy (17) and Vanessa Harvey (17) went to Tamworth to support Jenny and to compete and perform.
Michaela and Vanessa competed as a duo called Tangled Strings, as well as joining forces with Jenny as The Back Up.
The Back Up won the Capital Country Music Awards group section, Tangled Strings won the instrumental section and Jenny was a finalist in the female vocal section.
Jenny's mother, Julie Mitchell, said the girls teamed up with three mailmen from Sydney who performed under the name Postal to form Postal Back Up for the busking competition.
''They got in the top 10,'' Mrs Mitchell said.
Postal had decided to attend this year's Freeze Ya Bits Off busking competition, which was held in conjunction with the New Zealand Gold Guitar Awards, Mrs Mitchell said.
Jenny was also named in the finals in several competitions.
''The girls were just over the moon. I think the big thing for the girls [was] it introduced them into a whole new world of music.''
Mrs Mitchell described the opening show as being ''absolutely amazing''.
''She [Jenny] was extremely well received.''
One headline in a local newspaper said ''Wee Kiwi Girl Cleaned Up Opening Show''. The trio were saving their prize money to return to Tamworth next year.
An aim of many entertainers at the festival was to get a paid gig while they were there, she said. That was difficult because there were thousands of entertainers assembled, but the Tamworth Hotel had offered Postal Back Up a paid engagement next year.
''It's a huge achievement,'' she said.
