Kelly Street at Scone was a wash of colour and action on a bright and clear day at the weekend as the annual Scone Horse Festival put on its drawcard equine parade.
The festival kicked off on Friday with more than 100 student riders from across the state, and their steeds, to compete in a series of junior events before the main events took the reins on Saturday.
It is the 43rd year the horse capital of Australia has hosted the annual festival after it was established in 1980 to show off the region's equestrian industry.
The weekend hosted a series of farrier demonstrations, school fetes, polo and tent-pegging events, and continues through this week with working dog trials, shearing and milking shows thoroughbred displays at the Jack Johnston Memorial Gala on Thursday.
Organisers were hopeful of seeing as many as 10,000 spectators and competitors turn out to celebrates the region's equine industry, with Saturday's parade themed in a nod to the coronation of Charles III as 'Kings and Queens of the Stable'.
A spokeswoman for the event told the Newcastle Herald yesterday that the festival had already drawn record numbers, though specific turnouts were still being calculated, adding that the event had made an abundant return post-COVID-19 disruption.
The Equine Extravaganza, hosted by the Hunter Equine Centre on Saturday, proved a drawcard, she said, with a high turnout despite the chilly morning conditions to see a plethora of horse-sports and industry event and demonstrations from pony club shows to trick riders, showjumping and light horse displays.
The event will wrap up next weekend with the Scone Cup on Friday, offering the town a half-day public holiday, and the a picnic and fireworks finale on Sunday.
"Scone is such a large equine area," festival president Andrew Cooper told the Herald earlier this week.
"The festival is a special way for us to celebrate horses and the people who work within the industry or enjoy the industry."
"Not just in NSW, but across Australia."
