It was yet another fantastic day out at Wean Picnic Races on Saturday, July 12, as families and friends set up their picnic blankets for the anticipated country event.
With the picturesque Kelvin Hills staged behind the racetrack, it is quite the scene that attracts people from all around the area and even beyond the sticks.
Wean committee secretary, Jess Wales, was amazed at the high level of coverage that the races had this year.
“There was definitely a huge increase in numbers this year, our estimate was over 2000 people in attendance.
“We had people from all over the place attend, some I spoke to were from Sydney, Forster, Tamworth and surrounds.
“We had two buses from Gunnedah, two from Boggabri and one from Narrabri.
“As for food and entertainment, there was something for everyone and the local business support was shown to a high degree.
“For food vendors, we had among others, the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service, as well as a pizza van and a coffee van.
“To keep the kids entertained, there were two jumping castles and lots of lawn games as well,” Jess said.
If you attended Wean this year, you may have noticed some new eye-catching additions to the grounds.
“This year we had our premium marquees up which provided a great space for the crowd,” said committee member Kylie Finlay.
“We also had a brand-new fan favourite – the infamous Country Chicken Cup.
“We had six sponsors who chose a chook to put their bets on and become their ‘trainer’.
“Six contestants were stood out on the track, dressed head to toe in their finest chook attire, ready to race. This was a huge hit.
“After a couple drops of rain over the past couple weeks, the track was in fine form and so were the buildings.
“The grounds were looking great and that is all thanks to our small but dedicated committee that take the time out of their day to come out and help in creating the best environment every year.
“We had some members up on top of roofs painting, others putting out countless signs and booklets.
“As mentioned previously, the Narrabri Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service put on the barbecue, with the help of Narrabri Shire Council mayor Darrell Tiemens.
“We would like to extend a massive thank you to Darrell for coming along and supporting us.
“We were given a community grant, officially presented by the mayor and this was an incredible gift of support.
“The most heartwarming part about Wean is the amount of tradition surrounding the event and family generations enjoying a picnic as well as some reuniting with loved ones.
“We want to keep the tradition alive, but we are also constantly working harder to appeal to the younger audience,” Kylie said.
From fashions on the field to muddy work boots, Wean Picnic Races continues to bring the shire and visitors from far away together, soaking up a bit of country flair.
