Photos by Stephen Mowbray, Mark Muller & Chloe Smith

Bright sunlight warmed the frosty ground of the R.M.Williams Arena at Corryong in the Victorian High Country across the four days of the iconic The Man From Snowy River Bush Festival in mid-April. More than 70,000 people came through the gates during the event to experience what is fast becoming recognised as one of the great celebrations of Australian horse culture.

“It’s wonderful to have so many facets to the festival – and we couldn’t do any of it without our amazing team of volunteers, or our sponsors,” says festival chair Nicole Martin. “At its heart is the challenge, and the original concept of this festival was maintaining those bush skills and making sure that they continue into the future. We’re all very proud to be able to help do just that.”

As well as horsemanship, the festival champions the art, poetry, music, crafts, history and life of the bush, and R.M.Williams is proud to be a major sponsor of this remarkable endeavour. “This is as Australian as it gets,” says R.M.Williams head of heritage and heartland Terry Goodear. “We’ve been supporting the festival for many years now, and I know RM would be proud of the involvement. He knew this country well, and it was with the help of local families like the Pierces that RM first established the Rough Riders Association in 1944, so our connections go way back, and it’ll continue for many years to come.”

The marquee Stockman’s Challenge was won by Daryl Baines from Tooma, NSW, riding ‘Banjo’. Cootamundra’s Emma Webb won her 10th challenge, this time aboard ‘Western Acres’, with young Gundagai horseman Jack Lindley and ‘The Lethal Advisor’ taking out the junior event, while the R.M.Williams Heritage Award was presented to Corryong’s Katie Pierce. “I guess it put a little more pressure on me today to make the 10,” Emma Webb says. “But I think every win has felt as rewarding as the last – I’m lucky to have had such great support and great horses!”

    Beau Haverhook, Petrie, Qld, Sarah Wheeler, Rowena, NSW, Mitch Lummis, Rolleston, Qld.
    Morning mist rises in the pre-dawn light at the festival grounds. Photo by Chloe Smith.
    Guy and Emily McLean.
    Oseh, Jack, Matt and Ben Gairdner, Bigga, NSW.
    Milawa, Vic, horse breaker and stockman Peter Moffat on ‘Chisum’ leads his packhorse through the obstacle in the Four Peaks Pastoral Pack Horse Challenge. Photo by Stephen Mowbray.
    Junior Challenge winner Jack Lindley, Gundagai, NSW.
    Flag bearer Jason Heffernan, Moruya, NSW.
    Calulu, Vic, stockwoman Sarah Faithfull and ‘Berragoon Sprite’ during the freestyle section of the Pryde’s EasiFeed Bareback Obstacle course. Photo by Stephen Mowbray.
    Finalists were awarded signature R.M.Williams shirts.
    Mike Curran, Sydney, Eryn Beer-James, Merimbula, NSW, Danny Johnson, Merimbula, NSW, Laura Keir, Sydney.
    Terry Goodear, Mason Edwards, Benji Sametz.
    Kerrie Holder, Cootamundra, NSW, and Pete Kelly, Upper Horton, NSW.
    Three generations - Trish Johnston, Cudgewa, Vic, and Katie and Tayla Pierce, Corryong, Vic.
    Alana Horswell, Jodie Grzeschka, Jasmine Pierce, Kate Wheeler and Sue Moreley, Corryong, Vic.
    Open Challenge winner Daryl Baines, from Tooma, NSW, on Tumbarumba Rodeo Club’s ‘Slippery’ in the Horsey People Stock Saddle Buckjump. Photo by Stephen Mowbray.
    Ute show organiser Robert Batten, Dookie, Vic.
    Four-time Open Champion Morgan Webb, Cootamundra, NSW, and the legendary ‘Dolgwili Norman’ in the 4CYTE Cattleman’s Crack. Photo by Stephen Mowbray.
    Robert Leak, Bethungra, NSW, Joanna Nicholas, Khancoban, NSW, Kate McCallum, Khancoban NSW, Ewan Carkeek, Berringama, Vic.
    Ellen Forge with baby Lettie Sheppard, and Casey Sheppard, all from Whitfield, Vic.
    Packhorse competition volunteers John Day, Junee, NSW, and John Maxwell, Yaouk, NSW.
    Emily Thomas, Tooma, NSW, and ‘Hazelwood Concord’.
    Fonz, Charlie, Gabe and Nat Corbett from Holbrook, NSW, with Yvette McLaurin, Bidgeemia, NSW.
    Festival chair Nicole Martin and her husband Graham Martin, Corryong, Vic.
    Amanda Horswell, Tooma, NSW and Jasmine Pierce, Corryong, NSW.
    Campbell McKEnzie, MAnsfield, Vic, and Rhys Boyd, Goulburn Valley, Vic.
    Chloe Smith, Bendigo, Vic, Kaitlyn Coster, Kelly Martyn, Beechworth, Vic.
    Dan and Evie Fitzpatrick, Redesdale, Vic, Steve Arbuthnot, Tatong, Vic, Gerard Fitzpatrick, Birregurra, Vic.
    Daniel Kone, Port Morsby, PNG, Dillon White, Wynnum, Qld, David Boardman, Khancoban, NSW, Norbert Kone, Port Morsby.
    Darcy and Joey.
    Darcy Quinn and Andrew Embling.
    Emma Webb on her way to a 10th challenge win, aboard ‘Western Acres’ in the Yenda Producers Wild Horse Catch. Photo by Stephen Mowbray.
    Hannah Murphy, Melbourne, Vic and Mick Findlay, Rosebud, Vic.
    Joey Reedy, Condobolin, NSW and Darcy Quinn, Tumut, NSW.
    Josh and Mat Parker, Barnawartha, Vic, Bill Phegan, Walla Walla, NSW.
    Josie Lancaster, Wagga Wagga, Anthony Rennick, Swan Reach, Vic, Brett Lancaster, Wagga Wagga, NSW.
    Legendary country-folk band the Bushwackers play the main stage.
    Mick Roberts, Young, NSW, MAtt Daly, Batemans Bay, NSW, Doug Grant, Young, NSW, David Grant, Coonabarabran, NSW.
    Roy Byrne, Corryong, Vic.
    Shea Bloom, Corryong, Terry Goodear, Gympie, Qld, Nicole Martin, Corryong.
    Stephen Connor, Taralga, NSW.
This story is from issue #167

Outback Magazine: June/July 2026

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