A very successful event held for the second paddock art sculpture competition of “Animals on Bikes” on Saturday night with over 300 people in attendance to hear the winners of the $10,000 prize money.

44 NEW sculptures and letter boxes have appeared along the 120km Obley rd in the last couple of months, with one entry from Cumnock Public school displaying 26 individual sculptures for the letters of the alphabet.

“The letter A which depicts an Ant on a bike starts just 4 km out of Molong then every 4km there is another letter B for Butterfly, C for Cockatoo until you approach the Zoo, the final one is Z for Zebra” said Christine Weston, one of the organizers for the community project.

The new ones plus the 42 sculptures from 2009 competition, now makes 111 masterpieces that can be encountered along the scenic back rd to the Dubbo Zoo.

There was fierce competition this year with much larger and grander scaled sculptures requiring cranes, trucks and tractors to move them into place. While other smaller ones had solar lights and wind powered windmills. One farmer has made an enormous dinosaur out of tractor, truck, ute and car tyres however the piece weighed over 3 tonne and had to be built on-site.

John Fairfax and wife Libby, with Jocellin Janssen from Royal Agricultural Society Foundation, took 6 hours to drive and judge the 44 new sculptures; they were blessed with fine weather on Saturday morning which made viewing the paddock art easier and more accessible to judge each piece.

The winners were announced at 7pm to a very crowded community centre at Cumnock, that flowed out into the side tent and onto the footpath.

Everyone enjoyed viewing the 44 photographic canvases, the school art display and the SheArt shelias from Molong, Cumnock and Yeoval “Animals and Bikes” art exhibition.

Past Rural Achiever and Miss Cumnock showgirl, Rebecca Staines the recipient of the RASF $25,000 grant to improve the community project of “Animals on Bikes” was ecstatic with the results and entries from the surrounding towns. 

“Without this generous assistance from the RASF the 10 show societies and 8 schools would not have participated in the sculpture competition so it has really enhanced the community spirit and will provide great tourism economic benefit for our surrounding rural reliant towns” said Bec.

The winners are as follows with first winning $1,000 and second winning $200 each;

Best Farm Animal on a Bike was presented by Jocellin Janssen (RASF Executive officer)

FIRST “Hot rod Henny” by Andrew and Rhonda Watt

SECOND “The Rabbits”by Laurelle Neville, Les and Elaine Hunter

Best Zoo Animal on a Bike presented by Mayor of Dubbo Matthew Dickerson

FIRST  ”Emus on the Run” by Stewart ‘Benny’ Caldwell

SECOND “Monotreme on Monocycle” by David and Alison Trowbridge of Platypus Hollow B&B

Best Local Endangered or Threatened Species on a Bike presented by Darryl Hodges from Little River Landcare group.

FIRST  ”The Powerful Owl” by Robert Armstrong

SECOND “Hungry Perchy” by Cumnock Public School

Best sculpture made by a Community Group presented by Liz Davis Central Western Catchment Management Authority

FIRST  ”Look No Hands” Fish on a Bike by Yeoval Central School P&C

SECOND “Elvis the Kookaburra” by Parkes Shire Council

Best Farmer or Farmer's wife sculpture presented by Cabonne Mayor Bob Dowling

FIRST “Didyouthinkhesawus?” by Dean Butler

SECOND “Long neck Turtle” by Don Bruce

Best letter/ mailbox Animal on a Bike presented by Brooke Lees from Rio Tinto

FIRST ”Hells Hogs” by Mannie Bone

SECOND “The Pleasant Pheasant” by Ashley Paul Horry


Best Sculpture made by a School Group (each initially received $500 from RASF) presented by Louise van Twist from Newcrest

FIRST “Slippery Penguins” by St Josephs school Molong

SECOND “Rocky , Put that Down!” by Molong Central School

Best Sculpture made by a Show Society (each initially received $1,000 from RASF presented by Parkes Mayor Ken Keith

FIRST “Off to the Cumnock Show” by David Weston, Cumnock Show Society

SECOND “Winners are Grinners” by Wellington Show Society

Most humorous sculpture presented by Federal member John Cobb

FIRST “Roadrunner and Coyote” by Andrew McKenzie

SECOND “Rosie the Redback” by Mal Williams and Graeme Fleming

The $200 PEOPLES CHOICE AWARD was very close with “Hotrod Henny” winning by just one vote over “Roadrunner and Coyote”, with the very large dinosaur coming in as third favourite. Dean Butler took 2 years to finish his large tyre-constructed dinosaur, he was asked how he felt afterwards  “It was tyresome work. It took me a long time but it was a Good year. I took it to the Maxxis!”

A great night had by all, with each person receiving the NEW wrapping paper with many of the new sculptures on it, plus each of the 44 sculptors receiving a family pass to the Dubbo Taronga Zoo.

The People’s Choice “Hotrod Henny” winner and other winning pictures can be viewed at http://www.animalsonbikes.com.au/2011-winners.html

Please request individual photos from Christine on mb 0411 208 240 or info@animalsonbikes.com.au

John Fairfax AO, the Chairman of the Royal Agricultural Society Foundation (RASF) and former Director of Fairfax Media and Past Chairman of Rural Press , Australia’s largest publishers of regional and agricultural news and information has accepted the invitation to judge and attend the Animals on Bikes presentation night on Saturday 26th November 2011.

Local Rural Achiever and ex-Miss Cumnock Showgirl, Rebecca Staines won $25,000 for the community’s project from RASF to help strengthen and improve the new tourist trail initiative stretching 120km from Molong to the Dubbo Zoo, via Cumnock and Yeoval.

Eight show societies were offered $1,000 for materials to build an “Animal on a bike” sculpture to promote their local show and their farming community town; while 10 local schools received $500 each in order to produce a sculpture that represented their community.

Many farmers are keeping their designs and masterpieces secret until judgment day, however it has been revealed that the Wellington Show society has created a ‘Horse in Wellington Boots on a bike’ and the Parke’s Show society is representing Elvis, the Dish and the Parke’s Boars team in their masterpiece.

Although the Animals on Bikes project commenced in 2009, the generous $25,000 RASF grant Rebecca received will assist with the second phase of the initiative that will take the number of sculptures on permanent display from 40 to 100.  This growth will promote the entire area across 6 local council areas and many small villages.

The Animal on Bikes project addresses some of the varied challenges faced by small country towns including; declining population, unemployment, struggling rural businesses as a result of drought and traffic that bypasses on major highways and lack of tourist attractions to draw visitors.

“We believe the number of tourists, especially caravanning couples has increased since the word has been out about the Animals on Bikes tourist drive. We have seen many tourists come through our doors especially on weekends which has helped to increase trade for us in what has been a relatively tough time for local businesses in general” (Gail Curtis , Gift & Homeware House Yeoval).

“The morale of the farming families involved in the project has visibly lifted. It seemed to strengthen the community spirit of all of the towns involved” (Amanda Murdoch, “Tindoo”, Molong).

The judging and presentation night for “Animals on Bikes” sculpture competition is Saturday 26th November 6-9pm at the Cumnock Crossroads building with a wine tasting and photographic exhibition of all new sculptures.

We welcome Mr John Fairfax AO, his wife Libby and Jocellin Jansson (RASF Executive Officer and originally from Narrabri) to the Central West and wait in anticipation for their announcement of the sculpture winners next month.  For more information and to enter go to www.animalsonbikes.com.au

Media Contacts;
Rebecca Staines Ph.  (02) 6367 7213     Mob:  0427 677213 rebeccastaines@agnvet.com.au
Christine Weston Ph. (02) 63677010 Mob 0411 208240 info@animalsonbikes.com.au    
Jocellin Jansson – RASF - Mob 0429 365841 jjansson@rasnsw.com.au

ONE MONTH TO GO before entries due!
 
With school holidays almost finished, locals are preparing for the next 'Animals on Bikes' sculpture competition!
 
Have you started yours? or still thinking about it? We knew about this 2 years ago and yet we leave it until the last minute! Human nature??
 
Dubbo Show society have done a 'red back spider on a bike' while Wellington show have done a 'horse in wellington boots on a bike'!
 
There are 6 more show societies to reveal their masterpieces and the local schools will complete finishing touches over the next few weeks!
 
If you have a paddock please let us know, as we are aiming for another 40 sculptures to appear along Obley rd by the end of the year.
 
Remember to keep Saturday 26th November 6-9pm FREE as that is the next presentation night of the winners at Cumnock Crossroads building.
 
We distributed 2,500 flyers this week to get some more locals fired up about our paddock art sculpture competition.
 
Great to see Murray's bridge finally finished, I am sure the extra tourist traffic along this road has contributed to this early completion!
 
Prime TV News, The Land and Central Western Daily have all been preparing articles this week!
 
Discover magazine, Dubbo Liberal and Wellington Times will feature us next month.
 
We look forward to your large creation and feedback on our next sculpture competition.
  
From Animals on Bikes
www.animalsonbikes.com.au (check out our new website!)

Announcing $10,000 prize money for the next “Animals on Bikes” paddock art sculpture competition.

The second competition, 2 years later, has attracted more sponsors and more tourist traffic along this scenic back rd. Louise Spicer from Lou’s cafe in Cumnock has noticed this increase in traffic and said;

“We have recently upgraded to a new coffee machine and new coffee grinder with Bill’s Beans to cater for the increased business from caravaners and tourists stopping for a cuppa along their trip down the sculpture trail”.

Cabonne Council has noticed an increase in traffic and improved roadwork and bridgework is being undertaken.

Organisers are anticipating another 40 sculptures to be erected, aiming to take total to 100 “Animals on Bikes” sculptures by 2012.

The Royal Agricultural Society of NSW has been an enormous help with providing assistance to help fund 10 schools and 8 show societies to enter a masterpiece that represents their town and area.

Sculptures are due to be completed on Sunday 6th November 2011, which allows the judges and photographic canvases to be printed ready for the Presentation night on Saturday 26th November 2011 6-9pm. Categories include;

·        Best Farm Animal on a Bike (NEW category)
·        Best Zoo Animal on a Bike
·        Best Local Endangered or Threatened Species on Bike (NEW)
·        Best Sculpture made by a Community Group
·        Best Farmer or farmer’s wife sculpture
·        Best Letter mail box design
·        Best sculpture made by a School group (NEW category)
·        Best sculpture made by a Show society (New category)
·        Most humorous sculpture (New category)

A People's Choice Award will also be presented on the night.

The first entry has been received by Laurelle Neville, Les and Elaine Hunter from Yeoval  called “The Rabbits” (pictured below) which is made up of a Feed bin, Sheet iron, witches hats, old rusty bed, trolley on wheels, plough seat group, bikes and golf balls and placed halfway between Cumnock and Yeoval.
 
Another pig on a bike has appeared next to the Cumnock Police station since the last competition, although no official entry received yet!

“Most sculptures have been constructed from old farm yard scraps and recycled materials from backyards and tips, and that is what makes them so quirky and appealing to passing ttravellers” said Christine Weston one of the organisers.

An Entry form, more photos and information available at the updated NEW website www.animalsonbikes.com.au