MEDIA RELEASE
November 17, 2008
Snowy River Festival…. where the boldest riders took their place
Record crowds flocked to the Snowy River Festival at Dalgety on the weekend, November 14-16, to enjoy three days of great bush festival entertainment and Snowy River heritage.
Stockmen and women travelled from all corners of the country to compete in this challenging and tough competition comprising skills such as bareback, whip crack, packhorse, horseshoeing brumby catch and cross country.
Lachie Cossor, 38 of Yakandandah was the overall champion of the Service One Member’s Banking Stockman’s Challenge winning $5000 and a swag full of prizes including goods from RM Williams and a magnificent packsaddle from John Shortt Saddlery.
He said the competition was fierce and very strong. He is really pleased to have won this prestigious title. He said that the event was terrific and was a great opportunity to catch up with friends and colleagues. The father of three young girls is a professional horse breaker and also has an animal entertainment business. His favourite event was the brumby catch and he will be back next year to defend his title.
Stockman’s Challenge title holders where: Open Champion Lachie Cossor, Yakandandah (714 points) followed by 2006 Champion, Ryan Pendergast, Narrandera (713 points) and 3rd Tim O’Brien from Boggy Creek, Tumburrumba (687 points). Top Scoring Woman was Joanne Miners, Dalgety, Champion Veteran was Kirby Williams, Canberra and Tom Hunt, Murrurundi took out the Junior Champion again.
Hundreds of people competed over the weekend in events including bush poetry and yarn spinning, cooeeing, quick shear, the ute muster, dog high jump, the stockman’s relay and whip cracking.
Food and market stalls, the Gilmour Family circus, pony rides, Snowy River Heritage and stories, blacksmithing, High country huts and historical machinery displays, working Clydesdales, Australian champion whip cracker Fiona Wilks and 2008 Australian Champion Bush Poet Greg North entertained the crowds from Friday lunch time through to late Sunday afternoon.
Highlights of the event included performances by movie horse trainer Heath Harris and new country songstress Shea Fisher and her band who rocked the Dalgety showground till late on Saturday night.
One hundred people attended the opening night cocktail party and art exhibition which was supported by the US Ambassador, Robert D McCallum Jnr and his wife Mimi.
Many locals were involved with this event and volunteered their valuable time and services. More than $50,000 in cash and kind sponsorship was raised with major sponsors being Alpine World, Service One Members Banking and Alpine Meadows. The committee warmly thanks the volunteers, competitors and sponsors for their support. Tom Barry was a great mcee all weekend and kept the crowds entertained.
The event will be held next November 13, 14 and 15.
Cecilia Wellsmore, Festival President can be contacted on 0427080 500 or email info@snowyriverfestival.com
