I took off for the day on Sunday and drove to Kingston just north of Ballarat to the Barastoc Harness Horse Show. Unfortunately drought or not Ballarat was typical and after leaving home on a cool but sunny day rain set in just as I got started on photos. So I only got a few but was fairly pleased with a couple. The show wasn't as big as I had imagined but it was a good subject. In a couple of weeks there is going to be a driving event at Newstead that I might try to get to which apparently includes races...

These are the more traditional harness turnouts.
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That would have been awesome to see!! all those beautiful horses and outfits!

Yes it was, I can't get over how these people (riders as well) can muck around with washing horses and collecting poo and managing feed & bedding yet arrive on the arena in sparkling clean clothes with beatiful shiny harness and vehicles. I was hoping for a bit of sun to pick up the brass and silver. But just fell in love with the hackney horses. Later I found out the week before had been a heavy horse show at Weribbee, which is further but what a subject.

They look beautiful. I really love the little one!! There must be a lot of work put into that presentation - but it's worth it. Mum still talks about her dad hitching up the sulky to go into town when she was a kid!
We drove through the Hunter Valley the other day and there was a paddock with about 10 Clydesdales in it. There is a lot of horse and carriage tours around the wineries. As we went up the road there was a carriage unhitched in the paddock and a fellow and his wife on the side of the road taking a photo of it!

Just love that first pic, you are very good with that camera Silhouette, you have captured that beautifully, and yes they are always turned out in a brilliant manner.

ok i can just see me in the last cart lol that bugger is just my size great pic's sil i am enjoying seing all these pic's

Oooh let me up to the Hunter Valley!!
Yes I am pretty pleased with the first one and what gorgeous horse, but the mini is more my type as well. They all look so prim and proper but I nearly choked when one came past me and the lady said to the horse "don't you pig root now you bastard!"

Love that!!!

, Yup seen & heard that before at show's & dressage, horse & rider/driver looking prefect, the words, I won't repeat, just don't match the image , sorry can't stop laughing.

I love the one in the first photo, it looks so elegant.
The last one though... lovely :-) put the Quad bike on mothballs Sil, get one of those for your wee guys. Harness up half a dozen of them, and you'd be able to go just as fast!

What a hoot that would be! I really would like to have one in harness one day but I wouldn't have a clue how to train one. Must say when I came home I was looking at the excess of boys that I have thinking mmm you'd look nice in harness. One day when the cows are out of the picture.
For those of you who can't make it to meetings this is often one of the activities. The kids just love it. Click to view attachmentClick to view attachment
Morrie is one of our original committee members and his dogs do that all day.