Country artists and enthusiasts hit Gore for Tussock Country ute muster

Dogs, utes, country music, and mullets - this year's Tussock Country ute muster had it all.

One hundred-plus vehicles parked up in the Southern Fieldays shed in Waimumu this year, one of the highest turnouts in the event's history.

"Really happy with the turnout," event co-ordinator Annabel Roy said.

"Certainly doing it again next year."

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The muster was part of the wider Tussock Country Music Festival, a 10-day celebration of rural life built around the historic MLT Gold Guitar awards.

Since its inception in the 1970s, the awards have provided a place for local country artists and enthusiasts to connect.

"An event like this is very local, however over the last couple of years we've noticed a real increase in domestic travel from around New Zealand," Roy said.

"And this year is the biggest contingent of Australians we've ever had, including Australian musicians."

She said the festival is modelled on a country music festival run in Gore's Australian sister city, Tamworth.

"They're 10 days, and they're 2500 events.

"We'll get there, if you give us another 40 years."

Country artist Jaydin Shingleton wants to see more people making the pilgrimage to Southland.

"I reckon they'd get 20,000 people that come through the city of Tamworth. I know that that can happen here."

Westport-raised Shingleton moved to the Gold Coast last March, chasing career opportunities that were hard to come by in New Zealand.

"My goal is to [make] a name for myself, and you've got to be there to do that.

"But I will be back. I love home."

He performed at the ute muster alongside Australian ensemble Rusty Pickups.

There was entertainment for everyone in the shed - utes of all ages and specs, sheepdogs competing in a bark-up, and a mullet competition for the hardened Southlanders.

Ute muster categories included most legal kilometres, best dog in ute, and the newly-added best women's ute, inspired by the same category at the Methven ute muster.

Other festival events included a cheese-roll making workshop, line dancing classes, and songwriting workshops.