According to the RAS, the decision was made to ensure the ongoing legacy of the 60 year old competition, and better reflect the spirit of the program to honour young rural women now and well into the future.

The 2022 state program has now been renamed to The Sydney Royal Young Woman of the Year.

"We hope that the name change will be able to attract more young, talented and driven women to enter a program that can assist and elevate them through their chosen career path and help them become the future leaders our rural communities need" RAS Showgirl Councillor Susan Wakeford said.

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The development program will also encourage women to become local leaders across their home towns in rural and regional NSW.

Whilst no showgirl competition was held in 2020 due to COVID-19, Griffith Show Society Show Girl Coordinator Sarah Cudmore said that she was excited to work with a new batch of ambassadors for Griffith at this years show.

"This is something that I have wanted to happen for quite some time" Ms Cudmore said.

"The name change is definently more in alignment with all of the values the competition embodies now, rather than what it has historically been in the past".

"Being a showgirl is all about who you are, having a passion for politics and its relation with agriculture and being an ambassador to your community" she continued.

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Once a winner is announced at this years show on October 3^rd, the winner will head to the Zone competition and then if successfully, will represent the Riverina at the Sydney Royal Easter Show in April 2022.

Bronte Koster is the reigning Griffith Showgirl from 2019, and represented her home town in the zone stage of the competition in February 2020.

"It is our hope that the Sydney Royal Young Woman of the Year will now be able to attract more young, talented and driven women to enter a program that can assist and elevate them through their chosen career path and help them become the future leaders our rural communities need" Mrs Wakeford said.

For those interested in being a representative of the local community, and partaking in this years Griffith Show, Ms Cudmore recommends getting in touch via email or through Facebook.

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