ABPA - Australian Bush Poets Association

Aaaw. Der. Got it. Ta.....

Neville and Marty I'd like to win a first prize - do you think you could arrange that for me?

Man From Snowy River re-enactment. Horses going fast. Shame the sound system went at that particular moment!

Sue and Ron in the crowd.

How's that for a view? A great setting for the festival.

Quote from Marty: Robyn , bit of a drak horse , came out of nowhere at Crookwell and have been blitzing the comps well done indeed. (a drak horse?)
Quote from Tom: Robyn made her debut at Crookwell.............

Being new blood yourselves you can be excused for not knowing enough of our history.
I hope you don't mind me saying that Robyn Sykes is a much longer established poet than you might think.
I first discovered her at the Hardened Liars festival in Harden NSW way back in 1994.
At that festival, we saw some fantastic 'first timers', Robyn, a hard working young mum from Binalong, the great Lance Parker from Ivanhoe, the Smith Boys, Oscar and Keith, (yarn-spinners) from Murrumburrah and Junee, (remember Neil, the hoppy legged fella and his sister Eileen), Jim Weatherston from Harden, (now Canberra) and a good number of others that I can't remember.
The Hardened Liars was organized by Barbara Sargent incorporating Jim Haynes, Frank Daniel, Ray Essery and Blue the Shearer. The next year we had Ted Egan and Shirley Friend as well.
Great times for sure.
Joe

Heather wrote:Neville and Marty I'd like to win a first prize - do you think you could arrange that for me?

For writing;
Step 1. Take up the pen ( or pencil ) and begin.

Step 2. Spend hours of hard work getting all the right words in the right order.

Step 3. You've got to be in it to win it.

For performing.
Step 1. Choose a suitable poem.

Step 2. Spend hour after hour of agonising memorising of words, gestures and voice production.

Step 3. Same as step 3 above.

That should do it Heather.

I thought it was supposed to be fun!

Frank Daniel wrote:

At that festival, we saw some fantastic 'first timers', Robyn, a hard working young mum from Binalong, the great Lance Parker from Ivanhoe, the Smith Boys, Oscar and Keith, (yarn-spinners) from Murrumburrah and Junee, (remember Neil, the hoppy legged fella and his sister Eileen), Jim Weatherston from Harden, (now Canberra) and a good number of others that I can't remember.

Ah Frank, you're bringing up some great memories there! Many thanks for your encouragement over the years. It has meant a lot to me.

And Marty, no need to apologise. I had four little boys back then and didn't venture much further afield than Binalong and Harden for poetry, with an occasional trip to the big smoke if I went to Yass! But I was lucky the Hardened Liars attracted some fabulous people, including Frank Daniel and Blue the Shearer, who both encouraged me and I always hoped that one day I'd be able to do more... and now I can!
I was also inspired by Jim Haynes and Geoffrey Graham, who both came to Binalong in the 1980s or 1990s, and I just kept plugging away in our lovely little village, reciting whenever the opportunity presented itself. Now my boys have all left home and I'm delighted to be able to travel further afield.

Cheers
Robyn