Man From Snowy River Bush Festival underway at Corryong

THE Man From Snowy River Bush Festival is poised to smash its attendance record with Corryong already bursting at the seams for the four-day event.

The event regularly attracts more than 20,000 people, but based on camping bookings and online pre-sales, the figure is expected to climb even higher this year.

Festival co-ordinator Jenny Boardman said national television exposure event last year had helped lift its awareness with many festival attendees also converging on Corryong before Easter.

“Crowds are a lot bigger than what we had last year,” she said.

The festival began on Thursday, but moved into full swing on Friday with the re-enactment and return of Riley’s Ride taking place at Thowgla on the outskirts of Corryong.

It was followed by the street parade led by Riley’s Ride participants.

Ride manager Cameron Jackson said the ride from Tom Groggin station was another huge success.

“We’ve re-traced the footsteps of a legend,” he said.

“One hundred and four years after his passing we’re still following in his footsteps.”

Festival organisers were able to once again play the Man From Snowy River theme music after encountering a copyright hurdle with its composer last year.

“It is a very good thing because it’s a big part of the whole event,” Ms Boardman said.

The highly sought after Man From Snowy River Challenge also moved into full swing on Friday.

The event is capped at 72 participants with prizemoney for the open challenge remaining at $20,000, but the women’s challenge rising from $2000 to $5000 this year.

Tooma’s John Mitchell is the defending champion in the open challenge section and aiming for a hat-trick of titles this year.

But he said he had made a slow start by a less than ideal performance in the whipcrack.

“I missed a few targets,” he said.

“We will wait and see how we go tomorrow, but I shouldn’t be that far behind.”

Queensland Emma O’Shea is chasing an unprecedented fifth straight win in the women’s challenge.