The 2025 Kilkivan Great Horse Ride and Country Weekend Escape this month promises to be double the fun and excitement of previous years.
Sponsorship through Gympie Regional Council’s Community Grants program will mean free entry to the three-day event on April11-13 that focuses on the town’s long heritage with horses and celebrate the Australian bush..
The Kilkivan Great Horse Ride down the main street of town is Saturday at 4pm, with riders having completed trail rides that morning.
Kilkivan Great Horse Ride president Craig Ellison expects it to be twice the event of last year.
“The numbers are up … we’re looking at it potentially being twice as big,” Craig said.
“You don’t need a horse to have a great weekend in the country.
“There will be two live entertainment stages set up and some fantastic events – from barrel racing to heavy horse demonstrations, and a Cobb & Co coach.
“We listened to the crowd last year and have taken the focus off the horses a bit.
“While the horses are the main attraction, we just want people to have a good, wholesome country weekend.
“There will be country music and the headline band Tennessee Lights on the Saturday night.”
The Kilkivan Great Horse Ride & Country Weekend Escape will be held from the 11-13 April at the Kilkivan Showgrounds and Equestrian Centre.
Kilkivan was part of the opening of the 5330km-long National Trail – stretching from Cairns to Healesville, outside of Melbourne.
That was in October 1988, as part of an Australian Bicentennial project.
Fabian Webb of the Webb Brothers fame started the Kilkivan Great Horse Ride in the mid 1980s as a tribute to the history of the area.
Other features of this year’s event include street markets, working dog displays and dog high-jumping, barrel racing, roping demonstrations, a camp oven cooking competition, bush poetry, a youth talent quest – even a mechanical bull ride.
An introductory 30km endurance horse ride will take place on the Sunday.
Campsites, trail rides, and some horse competitions require an entry fee, but the gates are wide open to everything else.
From Friday night through to Sunday afternoon there will be music by Chev Wilson, Hannah Rose, Trevor Night, Country Slingers and the contestants in the Kicking Up Dust Talent Quest.
Tennessee Lights are back by popular demand on Saturday night on the main stage, with free admission thanks to the Community Bank Gympie District.
Equine Stable Solutions are among other leading sponsors.
For more information visit www.kilkivangreathorseride.com.au
