The influential role of country shows in Australian life may appear to be dwindling, but a revival is underway as those in the bush aim to bridge the rural-city divide and educate people on how their food is made.

Organisers have become increasingly worried about their shows' future, due to a lack of volunteers and a declining interest among young people.

David Peters is the president of the Agricultural Societies Council of New South Wales, which aims to promote shows and boost membership.

He said country shows were, and continue to be, an integral part of Australian culture.

"Every adult has a story about when they were a kid at a show; it's etched into the Australian psyche," Mr Peters said.

"It used to be an event that you had to go to; now it's an event that you want to go to."

Competitions for the best animal of a certain category remains a key part of shows. ( ABC Central West: Gavin Coote )

Mr Peters said agricultural shows had evolved a lot since their inception in the nineteenth century, when they primarily showcased new innovations and aimed to improve productivity.

"The first appearance of automated sheep-shearing handpieces were at agricultural shows, so that sort of agricultural innovation was part of shows," he said.

"Shows were a tool to increase agricultural productivity by promoting a competition where the best in a class or category was awarded with prize money and a ribbon."

The rise of major field days, which showcase new agricultural equipment and technologies, has in many ways eclipsed country shows' role in innovation, but adaptability has been a vital part of ensuring their survival.

Quirky country events attract new spectators

Another key function — entertainment — has offered small country shows leverage in drawing new and diverse crowds, from motocross and rodeo events to young farmers' challenges, which often involve quirky tasks such as repairing a quad bike and moving hay bales against competing teams.

A rodeo clown at the Royal Bathurst Show. Rodeos still draw big spectator numbers at shows. ( ABC Central West: Gavin Coote )

The small town of Grenfell in central west NSW is just one of many shows that draw keen spectators for the mighty tractor pull — a competition that requires tractors to pull a heavy sled along a track.

Former mayor and local tractor enthusiast Maurice Simpson said interest in the competition among both city and country people was at an all-time high.

"It's got to be the noise and the dust and the dirt and the smoke and the mistakes and the slipping and the jumping," Mr Simpson said.

"I had people here from Sydney and they were absolutely tickled pink.

"It's growing, the ones out Trundle way are absolutely tremendous tractor pulls. They've got to run those over two days and into the night to fit them in."

The fascination with agricultural machines has seen no limit across parts of the country, with many people now becoming unlikely exhibitors after getting their hands on items such as vintage corn shredders and shearing equipment later in life.

Sharon Way from Wellington, NSW, is among a growing number of people interested in agricultural machinery. ( ABC Central West: Gavin Coote )

Mr Peters said shows also allowed people from the metropolitan areas and big regional centres to better understand how their food was produced.

"When you look at the kids of major towns, most of them don't get the opportunity to have that contact with animals," he said.

"Today we've got programs run by a lot of shows that are education programs, so they're about improving the knowledge of kids about where all our foods comes from and the way Australia needs to think about feeding itself in the future."

Shows provide growing educational role

Among those programs is the junior judging competition — an event where young people assess different types of produce — which is surging in interest across parts of New South Wales.

Brendan Mansbridge, a former state junior judging champion, said agriculture and technology teachers in schools were leading the charge in getting young people interested.

"Even schools in Sydney and other metropolitan areas have been introduced to agriculture through junior judging, they've gone on to have some big careers in agriculture and achieved some big things," Mr Mansbridge said.

"It's an amazing opportunity to build your skills and get a foothold in the industry."

Junior judging competitions, such as this one at Gulargambone in western NSW, are growing in popularity. ( ABC Central West: Gavin Coote )

Fourteen-year-old William Cox from Manildra, near Parkes in NSW, has been competing in sheepdog trials at shows since he was four.

He admitted while many of his peers were not interested in country shows, he believed there was a bright future for shows.

"I've been practically everywhere around New South Wales, I don't think there are many shows I've missed," he said.

"[Other teenagers] are a bit surprised I'm into this stuff because of most of them are very sporty, where this is just what I've been brought up to do."