Festival chairperson Marie Van Stein said the quality of exhibits has just blown people away.

“We have shown how the Aussie battler can create art in the drought affected drylands of the Riverina.

An “awesome effort” for the small community of Lockhart, “this story of Aussie battlers and their art will go out to 50 countries in 13 languages,” she said, referring to the international media.

In its second year, the festival received an unprecedented total of 348 exhibits encompassing the theme, elements, expressions and emotions.

A total of 97 entries vied for the farm sculpture award, 187 exhibits were received in the paintings, glass and ceramics and 69 in the indigenous section.

Stuart Spragg from Campbell’s Crossing in Victoria won the $10,000 farm art first prize for his yarding the sheep sculpture.

Second prize of $1,500 was awarded to last year’s winner Andrew Whitehead of Urana for ‘roobot’.

Ross Searley of Jugiong won third prize with dragon-fly and the people’s choice was local farmer Todd Schirmer’s eagle.

Retired Lockhart farmer Bob Kendell wishes he’d kept a lot more scrap metal and old machinery from the farm. His magpies made of scrap stood on bales of hay ready to take flight at the Rio gallery and his golfer was in the Walter Day Park.

“I started doing them just to support the festival,” he said.

Bruce Bailey brought a number of sculptures all the way from South Grafton. He was full of praise for the friendly and helpful Lockhart organisers.

“They had forklifts, tractors with crane jibs and plenty of assistants to help with the installations,” he said.