Wrap-Up: Fans brave weather for Deni Ute Muster – PICS
Despite heavy rain and flooding over recent weeks which turned the festival site into a mud bath, close to 20,000 attended the 18th Deni Ute Muster on September 30 and October 1 in the town of Deniliquin in NSW’s south.
Audience members from across the country braved the weather to cheer on a strong bill headlined by Keith Urban who received an huge ‘welcome home’ cheer and reciprocated with a set that demonstrated his skill at working a crowd.
Kate Pitt, GM of the Muster, said, “Even though the ground was sodden, spirits were high. It will take more than mud to stop the muster! The muddy boots were attached to some of the biggest smiles we’ve seen in our 18 years.”
How wet was it? One couple rowed around the site in an inflated boat. Some admitted they changed their jeans four times in one day. Others braved the 15-degree temperature by merely running around without any clothes but with just a thick “mud coat”.
Although the Muster officially began on the Friday, a few thousand arrived at the gates the afternoon before. The Today Show broadcast in entirety with sets on the Friday night by Keith Urban, John Williamson, Troy Cassar-Daley, Catherine Britt (who launched hew new single F U Cancer that day) and rising country star Christie Lamb who this year won the CMAA New Talent of the Year award.
Saturday night’s concert was another great sing-along with Adam Brand & The Outlaws, James Reyne, Shannon Noll (who filmed a video clip for his new single Who I Am there), The Sunny Cowgirls, Busby Marou and Deep Creek Road.
The mud caused the cancellation of some events. Among them was the annual world record attempt ute count due to the difficulty in getting around the waterlogged site to count every ute (3,500 to 4,000 had been expected). But organisers quipped they are confident they now hold the world record for the most bogged utes in one place.
But events showcasing driving skills, barrel races, the $4,000-winning tradie challenge (four teams building bars), rodeos, whip cracking and wood chopping continued as did the broadcast on massive screens of the AFL Grand Final from Melbourne.
The world record blue singlet attempt fell short, but still impressive, with 2,187 Musterers of all ages gathered for the count
A common sight in the camping areas was 4WD utes with mud tyres helping to extract their neighbour’s vehicles from the mud. Deni local farmers also came out to lend their time and tractors to help out.
The Deni Muster has the NSW Government’s tourism and major events agency Destination NSW as its Strategic Partner.
Its Event Partners included Edward River Council and our major sponsors Bundaberg, Decentralised Demountables, Deniliquin Freighters, IGA, XXXX Gold and Milwaukee Tools.
GM Kate Pitt acknowledged: “It’s thanks to their continued support that we’re able to grow the event each year.”