EVENTS
Deni stamps its mark
Story Julia Keady
Photos Sally Alden
Deniliquin
- home of the world's biggest ute muster - turned it on again in March
for the inaugural Deniliquin Stampede.
Deriving inspiration from Canada's Calgary Stampede (that attracts
1.2 million visitors), Deni staged a jam-packed 10-day event that showed
just how a Stampede's done - Down Under style!
Organiser, Stephanie Barlow, aided by a committee of volunteers, said the
Stampede was about preserving pastoral heritage, station life and enhancing
the agricultural legacy of the outback.
As such there were camel races, rodeo action, chuck wagon races, top name country music artists including Adam Brand and Beccy Cole, and free breakfasts - where some 600kg of bacon and 14,000 eggs were devoured.
Visitors
came from around Australia, and returned home well satisfied.
All eyes were glued on the rodeo - Australia's second richest eight seconds. With $3000 on offer per event, the three-day rodeo attracted the big guns.
Camel races also were a crowd pleaseer, as was the Riverina Derby Chuck Wagon races - the first staged in Australia. Another highlight was the Running of the Rams - Deniliquin's twist on Pamplona's Running of the Bulls.
What next? Lets see in 2003! 
Full story and photos: Issue 23, June / July 2002
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And to see what's coming up, try our OUTBACK events calendar.
