Riding high

Otago Goldfields Cavalcade trail boss Jane Whitmore leads 40 horses on the Clutha Vets Cloverleaf Riding Trail high above rolling farmland surrounding Purakaunui Falls in the Catlins yesterday afternoon. Nine riding, wagon, cycling and walking trails will converge on Owaka today for a parade through the main street at noon. A market day and family entertainment are also planned, followed by a hoedown at the Owaka Sports Ground in the evening. It is the 26th cavalcade.

THE flags are flying and the marquee is up as Owaka prepares to welcome hundreds of riders, wagoners, cyclists and walkers today.

It had been another successful Otago Goldfields Cavalcade with lots of positive feedback from both participants and locals, Otago Goldfields Heritage Trust Cavalcade coordinator Terry Davis said yesterday.

Owaka and the entire Clutha district was ‘‘pretty much abuzz’’ and there had been a lot of excited children around, he said.

There had been ‘‘a couple of small hiccups’’ during the week, as could be expected from an event of the cavalcade’s size, he said.

That included a participant’s broken arm, a ‘‘rather random’’ incident involving the disturbance of a wasp nest which resulted in some stung horses and people, and some tide levels that were ‘‘a bit higher than ideal’’.

‘‘The tides didn’t exactly play the game but we just want to reiterate our heartfelt thanks to all landowners who so generously allow access and sometimes a whole lot more,’’ Mr Davis said.

He also acknowledged the efforts of the host town organising committee. The weather had been ‘‘absolutely fine’’ during the week.

‘‘It hasn’t been too hot [with] some nice sunny days but just enough weather to keep it interesting, some strong winds here and there and a bit of rain. You’ve got to have that so people have got stories to tell. Nobody tells about the time the weather was just lovely,’’ he said.

Owaka host town committee secretary Katy Button said the response to the cavalcade had been ‘‘incredible’’.

‘‘Everyone’s just loving it. Owaka is buzzing; it’s just unreal down here,’’ she said.

Planning had been under way since the township was announced as the host town in 2016 and a lot of work had gone into the event, she said.

The trails will arrive in Owaka for a parade along the main street at noon today. A family entertainment and market day will be held in conjunction with the event.

PHOTO: STEPHEN JAQUIERY

PHOTOS: STEPHEN JAQUIERY Riders in the mist . . . The Over the Top to Owaka riding trail, led by Les Beattie, wades the edge of the Clutha River near Clydevale.

All I want for Christmas . . . Selfconfessed horse lover Casey Osborne (12), from Tahakopa, has a moment with Yarra on the Cobb and Co heavy wagon trail.

A word in your ear . . . Jim Crawford checks the harness, watched by Graham Kenny, on the Cobb and Co heavy wagon trail.

Overland . . . The Cobb and Co heavy wagon trail meanders across a paddock at Tahakopa.

Fun in the sun at the seaside . . . Horses on Chris Bayne’s Tussock Creek light wagon and horse trail walk on the beach at Kaka Point.

Making new memories . . . Trail boss Sandra Cain leads a walking trail out of Pounawea yesterday on the final leg to the Cavalcade finish.