CROWNED as this year’s Scenic Rim Community Event of the Year, the Clydesdale Spectacular event drew in big crowds on the weekend in appreciation of Fassifern Valley’s Scottish heritage and Clydesdale horses.
About 4000 visitors enjoyed plowing and shoeing demonstrations and entertainment such as a Scottish pipe band and bush poetry.
A six-horse Clydesdale team from New South Wales also demonstrated their talents and competed at the event.
Guests saw horses, a Scottish band and some smashing harness work.
This included Boonah boy Jesse Stanfield, 7, who was the youngest to drive a big Clydesdale horse in harness.
In its fifth year, a pop-up museum was introduced as part of the event to showcase the Fassifern Valley’s history of the Clydesdale horse and the Scottish people who settled in the region years ago.
Committee member Greta Stanfield said with the help of a local historian, the museum included 18 storyboards for guests to view.
“With the popularity of the horses and everything associated with the event, we try to keep it interesting and always look for a challenge to avoid doing the same thing and grow the festival,” she said.
“We added some new things this year to keep it (the event) fresh and this year, we launched the pop-up museum because I think it’s important to keep that history alive in our town.”
Ms Stanfield said it was fantastic to see the Clydesdale Spectacular surpass last year’s crowd, with twice as many guests.
“It’s growing every year and we’re really happy with the support we receive from the community,” she said.
“Visitors always tell us they’ll be back next year and exhibitors are very happy to be a part of the Clydesdale Spectacular.”