This year’s Reg Lindsay Rodeo and Music Reunion is set to be the biggest yet – with a street parade to kick off the festivities on Saturday morning.
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The rodeo will follow at its new venue – Cessnock Racecourse – on Saturday afternoon, and then on Sunday, the great unveiling of the Reg Lindsay bronze statue will take place at East Cessnock Bowling Club.
The country music legend's widow Ros Lindsay says she's happy to see the rodeo returning to Cessnock after a two-year absence, and that she hopes it will be a huge success.
Ros and Reg founded the rodeo in 1995, combining their love of rodeo and country music.
Bringing back the street parade (which was last held in the ‘90s) will add an element of excitement to the event, with buskers to line Vincent Street to give it a country flavour.
Rodeo horses and riders will lead the parade, which will start at Cessnock TAFE at 11.30am and head up Cooper Street, then turn into Vincent Street and make its way along to the Railway Hotel.
Then the focus will turn to Cessnock Racecourse where gates will open at midday, with market stalls, food and drink and live entertainment before the rodeo gets underway at 3pm.
“The rodeo action will be in the centre of the racecourse with the whole arena complex being set up to give patrons a great view,” Ros said.
Nakadoo Rodeo Company will supply the bulls and the Queensland buck jump team will be heading back for the saddle bronc and bareback rides, with crowd favourites such as Feral Cheryl, El Paso and Whiskey Woman.
The rodeo after party will take place in the race club grandstand with entertainment by the Whiskey River band.
On Sunday, a three-year labour of love will come to fruition when the bronze statue of Reg Lindsay is unveiled at East Cessnock Bowling Club.
The idea was born in 2012 after Ros fielded many fan inquiries about a way to pay tribute to Reg, following his passing in 2008.
A number of fundraising concerts were held in the ensuing years and now the statue – created by sculptor Tessa Wallis – is complete.
Tessa will be at East Cessnock on Sunday to witness the unveiling, which will be done by country music star Adam Harvey.
Live music starts at 10am with Lochinvar Music Club and Summerland Kings both performing.
Special guests over the weekend including Lucky Starr, Allan Caswell, Ross McGregor, Chad Morgan, Judy Stone, Auriel Andrews and Jodie Crosbie will pay tribute to this legend of Australian country music, who made his home in Cessnock.
Reg recorded more than 65 albums, won three Golden Guitars and wrote more than 500 songs in his career. He also had two long-running television shows (the Reg Lindsay Country Hour and Reg Lindsay Country Homestead) in the 1960s and ‘70s and tasted success in the United States.
An Order of Australia Medal (OAM) recipient in 1989, Reg was posthumously inducted into the City of Cessnock Hall of Fame in 2009.