This year’s Man From Snowy River Bush Festival may well be the most successful in terms of numbers judging by the early arrivals in town this week.

“We have managed to overcome several turbulent years to be genuinely excited with what we have in front of us in delivering the 2023 festival,” said board chair, Cameron Jackson.

The highlight of the festival is the Stockman’s Challenge which has undergone some changes this year.

“The Challenge is where it all began many years ago,” Mr Jackson said, “and whilst we have progressed to be the largest and most successful event of its type in Australia, we saw the need for change.

“Recently the sport of Stockman’s Challenge has been met with very limited entries and for a myriad of reasons cancellations of some events.

“Once we reviewed the climate we knew we had to be bold and make the change.

“We look forward to this year’s new format of preliminary events.”

“We have naming rights sponsors across all preliminary and divisional events including finals, along with the largest purse ever seen in Stockman’s Challenge events!” Mr Jackson said.

“Our strong culture and financial position is a testament to our focus on best practices, vertical integration and ability to control our destiny through smart investment and governance.

“I would like to thank our Challenge Committee, full of new and returning contributors and supporters for their tireless work in seeing the need for change and seeking support from the board to make it happen.

“Our focus has always been the celebration of our Australian Bush Heritage that can well be forgotten in these times of political correctness and cancel culture.”

This article appeared in the Corryong Courier, 13 April 2023.