The Royal Agricultural Society of NSW (RAS) has announced a new name for the showgirl program for 2022 - The Sydney Royal Young Woman of the Year.

The decision, which was made by the RAS this week, aims to "better reflect the spirit of the program in honouring young rural women and ensure the relevance of the competition well into the future as it celebrates 60 years in 2022".

RAS Showgirl Councillor Susan Wakeford says the refreshed program and new title will continue to foster and encourage the fundamental building blocks of the competition through involvement in local shows and communities whilst also resonating better with younger generations.

"Over the decades, the Sydney Royal Showgirl competition has brought together thousands of young women and offered the opportunity for them to represent their community, show society and industry, providing a platform to develop themselves personally, professionally, and as future leaders," Ms Wakeford said.

"As we celebrate 60 years in 2022, the new title will allow the program to remain an important platform supporting young women for years to come. The title also provides an opportunity for young leaders to enter from occupations that link to rural, regional, and remote NSW."

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The program, which encourages women to become leaders within their community, has seen a decline in entries and the RAS hopes the new title will encourage more to enter.

"At a local level, we already have some show societies making changes to attract more entries. As guardians of the state competition, it's our responsibility to listen to those voices and drive positive change to ensure the program's future," Ms Wakeford said. "Royal Young Woman of the Year will attract more women to enter a program that can elevate them through their career path and help them become the future leaders our rural communities need."

An application will now be made to the state competition with the hope to see this change adopted at local and zone levels of the program.