The nation’s largest gathering of harnessed draught animals, The Good Old Days Festival, is set to go ahead at Barellan on October 1-2, 2022, after a two-year hiatus thanks to NSW Government funding.
A $56,835 grant under the Regional Events Acceleration fund will assist with live entertainment, grandstand seating and glamping accommodation at the 2022 Festival.
Festival organisers, the Barellan Working Clydesdales Committee, also received a $5000 grant from NutrienAgrimacfor the purchase of a ride on mower for ground maintenance.
The committee unanimously voted to proceed with the 2022 event at a February 20 meeting and is planning a full program of authentic heritage events, a Furphy Festival, camp oven dinner under the stars with entertainment by The Bushwackers, a Clydie Art Trail and three-day glamping packages.
Visitors will be able to see horse, bullock, camel, donkey, mules and goats in harness, an Australian Light Horse display, camel races, blade shearing, butter churning, dog jump, working dogs, blacksmith, rope turning, sheaf tossing, old fashioned children’s games, bush poetry, scone making, market stalls and the grand parade.
Barellan Working Clydesdale Committee horse master Bruce Bandy and Lake Cargelligo Australian draught horse breeder Steve Johnson will drive a team of 20 heavy horses pulling a wool wagon around the Sydney Royal Easter Show arena twice daily from April 8-19.
They will be joined by Good Old Days Festival participants Rod Sansom with his donkey and bullock teams, Phil Thomson and his bullock team, and David Irvin with his vintage tractor pulling a Furphy water cart train.
The Good Old Days Festival set a single day attendance record of 7000 visitors when it was last held in 2019, with cooks churning out 1000 scones, and people of all ages left gobsmacked by the sight of 32 horses harnessed to a fully laden wool wagon.
Barellan Working Clydesdales Committee secretary Fiona Kibble said the Festival volunteers were excited to be planning for an event which will see the most experienced teamsters in the country assemble at Barellan to showcase horses, camels, donkeys, mules and goats hauling wagons, binders, headers, ploughs, carts, buggies, sleds, sulkies and a mallee roller.
“The Regional Events Acceleration Fund grant will help ensure this event comes back bigger and better than ever,” Ms Kibble said.
“The funding is crucial to expanding the event to cater to a larger crowd and underpinning what is the Narrandera Shire’s biggest tourism event.”
In announcing the grant, Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke said the Good Old Days festival was one of her favourite events in the electorate.
“It brings together Clydesdale draught horses, bullocks, camels, donkeys, mules and goats in the one place to showcase farming practices from 150 years ago,” Ms Cooke said.
Tickets for admission, camping, camp oven dinner, and glamping packages will open online at www.barellanclydesdales.com.au at Easter 2022.
Ends
Caption: The Good Old Days Festival will return in 2022 with the nation’s biggest gathering of draught animals on October 1-2 at Barellan, NSW.
NFP: For media comment contact Fiona Kibble on 0447 736 856