Inaugural Yass Show Poetry Prize

Congratulations to everyone at the Yass Show on the success of its first poetry prize and performance, and especially to Binalong poet Robyn Sykes who agreed to take on the task of coordinating the whole program. About a hundred people turned up at Sunday's Poets Breakfast for the announcement of prizes, the St Patrick's Day section and the open mike. The competition included categories for open and bush poetry, children and performance. First prizes of $100 were awarded with smaller cash prizes for places and best local. 'Local' was extended not just to the Yass Valley local government area but to a 100k radius, taking in neighbouring regions from Canberra to Young. Promotes the regional poetry networks and reciprocates with places like Canberra, which frequently gives surrounding regions a welcoming nod in some major literary programs and Goulburn, which has worked in with Yass on occasions to make good poetry happen for both centres. Three very fine published poets were placed in the contemporary section: 1st PS Cottier (Canberra), 2nd Greg Piko (Yass), 3rd Victoria McGrath (Yass). Congratulations to them indeed and of course to the poets placed in other sections. You can see what PS (Penelope) says about the event at http://pscottier.com/ along with a photo of the two of us in front of the competition wool clips. I have photographs as well but I haven't worked out how to get them from my new mobile phone (new but non-smart) to my laptop. I don't have a photo of the Yass Show either yknow sheep, bulls, rodeo ... but here's one of a cloud galloping across the sky...oh am I the only one who sees it?!

PS Good chance the poetry program will become a regular part of the annual Yass Show. Meanwhile you can see lots of Show photos at their website http://www.yassshow.org.au/ - they wasted no time!