Festival entrants and supporters from all over the Central West and interstate made the festival memorable.

Parkes and District Country Music Association vice president Lindy Charlton said it was the best crowd to attend the 2PK Parkes Country Music Festival in years.

The festival started on Friday with a concert and the very popular all-day Central West Country Music Awards Talent Quest on Saturday with a gala awards presentation and concert that night.

Sunday saw a 50th anniversary reunion with meals and entertainment and the chance to browse memorabilia on display.

“The whole weekend went off amazingly,” Lindy said.

The talent quest attracted a total of 220 entries.

The major winner was Sophia Chesworth, 16, of Oran Park in NSW.

Sophia scooped the pool, taking out five first places, the Junior Overall Winner and the Song Writers Society Award for performance and excellence. She also won recording time at a Wagga studio.

Derek Thompson from Orange was the overall Senior Winner.

Ms Charlton said the festival was a huge success. “We have a very small band of workers, who I am sure put in a week’s worth of hours, each, just on the weekend without all the previous weeks’ and months’ work. We had some of our regular workers out due to illness, but we still managed to get through.”

Lindy said Sunday’s reunion turned out to be a great day, with 100 people in attendance.

“Many laughs and memories [were] shared with old friends, followed by a lovely meal and then entertainment throughout the afternoon by Stephen Cheney, Wayne Horsborough and walk-up invited artists,” she said.

The festival also saw the return of a number of prominent figures from the association’s past, including some of the founders of the festival Irene Hutchinson and Betty Guirreri, president in the 80s and 90s Robert Dumesny and his wife Marilyn, guest artists Wayne Horsburgh and Stephen Cheney, and last year’s major winner Pete Armstrong.

“We had a great field of local contestants this year with singing teacher Gail Smith bringing along and supporting her students, which was great to see,” Lindy said.

“Neil Corey from Ardlethan also had a large group of his singing students in attendance.

“We really appreciated the support from Neil, Gail and their students and their families.”

On behalf of the committe and members of the Parkes and District Country Music Association Inc, Ms Charlton thanked everyone for their support and assistance with the event.

BEST SHOP WINDOW – St Vincent de Paul.

BEST DRESSED SHOP ASSISTANT: Hayley from Cafe’n’Ate.     

Bruce Tasker Perpetual Award:

1 Teleisha Eade, Leumeah.

2 Claudia Hopper, West Wyalong.

3 Sarah Charlton Peak Hill.

Enc. Hayley Charlton, Peak Hill.

Col Davenport Memorial Trophy:

1 Sophia Chesworth, Oran Park.

2 Amy Crighton, Ardlethan. 

3 Maddison Tasker, White Rock.

Enc. Lily Crocker, Parkes.

Margaret Thurn Perpetual Trophy:

1 Sophia Chesworth, Oran Park.

2 Maddison Tasker, White Rock.        

3 Gracey Denham-Jones, Parkes.

Enc. Teleisha Eade.

Cazna Tasker Award: Teleisha Eade.

Errol Tasker Perpetual Trophy:

1 Teleisha Eade and Sarah Adams.  

2 Claudia and Olivia Hopper.       

3 Jordan Wallace-Chapman and Amy Crighton.   

Ivy Summerfield Memorial Perpetual Trophy:

1 Sophia Chesworth, Oran Park.  

2 Amy Crighton, Ardlethan.

3 Gracey Denham-Jones, Parkes.

Keith Thornton Memorial Award - Perpetual Trophy:

1 Sophia Chesworth, Oran Park.

2 Amy Crighton, Ardlethan.

3 Teleisha Eade, Leumeah.

1 Sophia Chesworth, Oran Park.

2 Amy Crighton, Ardlethan.

3 Sarah Adams, Glenmore Park.

Amy Crighton, Ardlethan.

Joyce Fletcher Memorial Award: Sophia Chesworth.

(Large Australia perpetual)

1 Derek Thompson, Orange.

2 Bruce Tasker, White Rock (Bathurst).        

3 Alex Winnell, Cootamundra.    

(Large Australia perpetual)

1 Katie Giddings, Mildura. 

2 Vicki Walsh, Young.  

3 Katie Hamblin, Nyngan.

Bob Hutchison Memorial Perpetual:

1 Katie Giddings, Mildura.   

2 Ann-Maree Ritchie, Walgett.       

3 Derek Thompson, Orange.

Jamboree Award – Perpetual Trophy:

1 Katie Hamblin and Derek Thompson.

2 Bruce Tasker and Maddison Tasker.   

3 Gail Smith and Gracie Denham-Jones.    

Buddy Williams Award – Greg Gordon Memorial Trophy:

1 Katie Giddings, Mildura.

2 Vicki Walsh, Young. 

3 Bruce Tasker, White Rock.

Margaret & Les Furner Perpetual Trophy:

1 Vicki Walsh, Young.                

2 Alex Winnell, Cootamundra.

3 Narelle Sellick, Temora.

Parkes Diesel Service Perpetual Trophy:

1 Katie Hamblin, Nyngan.            

2 Derek Thompson, Orange.       

3 Katie Giddings, Mildura.

1 Derek Thompson, Orange.

2 Gail Smith, Parkes.

3 Katie Hamblin, Nyngan.

Jock and Lindy Charlton and Family Perpetual Trophy:

1 Derek Thompson, Orange.

2 Robert Charlton, Peak Hill.

3 Vicki Walsh, Young.

Parkes and District CMA Ron Jeeves Memorial Songwriting Perpetual:

1 Sophia Chesworth, Oran Park.

2 Vicki Walsh, Young.

3 Dawn Bryden, Narromine.

Theresa-Jane Ritchie, song: Where Country Is.

AUSTRALIAN SONGWRITERS SOCIETY OF AUSTRALIA PERPETUAL ENCOURAGEMENT AWARD FOR PERFORMANCE AND EXCELLENCE

Sophia Chesworth, Oran Park.

Don Maguire Perpetual Trophy: Katie Giddings, Mildura.

Derek Thompson, Orange.

Recording time with Grant Luhrs at Flying Fox Recording Studio: Sophia Chesworth, Oran Park.