Competitors raring to go as gates open on 2021 Tin Horse Highway Competition

More tin horses are coming to Kulin with the opening of this year’s Tin Horse Highway Competition. Lined by more than 70 horses, the 15km stretch of road between Kulin and the trots builds support and anticipation for the Kulin Bush Races throughout the year. And while the races are renowned for their entertainment experience, perhaps equally as famous are the tin horses that line the road. It all started with a lady named Anne-Marie Carmody and a tin horse that looked like Lady Godiva, according to competition co-ordinator Wendy Gangell. “One of our local ladies thought that it would be a bit funny to have a horse on the corner where you turn off the main drag to go into the races,” she said. “It was like a Lady Godiva type of thing with a lady laying back on this tin horse and then it was just a competition to see who could make a bigger and a better one, that’s basically how it started.” Competition grew in the region as heads started to turn across WA. Other neighbouring farmers got in on the action, including one farmer from west of Kulin. “One of our farmers on the west thought that it probably wasn’t good enough to have all of the publicity out on the east side so he created the Kulin West Whopper,” Ms Gangell said. “Seven metres high and probably 10m long.” Since then the road has featured on Trails WA, Australia’s Golden Outback and ABC’s Back Roads with plenty of tourists dropping by to see the tin horses. And with new horses expected to join the highway until competition entries close on August 31, Ms Gangell is looking for quality and character. “Some of them have been out there for 15 to 20 years so they have to be built well,” she said. “The big ones are the ones that everyone photographs but there are some gorgeous ones out there ... there are a lot of quirky ones.” Visit Kulin Bush Races on Facebook for more information.