How Plouging Contest was painted
This farmer’s festival is held each year in the Lockyer Valley, west of Brisbane. A few of the farmers still use horse-drawn equipment in growing their market vegetable crops. Needless to say, those that use horses daily for farm work often win the annual ploughing competition. The men made for easy sketching as they relaxed and chatted while waiting beside their horses. The figures were sketched separately and assembled into the painting in the studio.