In its golden 50th anniversary year, Gore’s famed country music competition has had a record-breaking number of entries.
The New Zealand Gold Guitar Awards has received 829 musical entries this year, the highest number since its humble beginnings in 1974.
Awards panel convener Phillip Geary said even in the last year, the competition that put Gore on the country music map, has had a significant boost, with 100 extra singers trying their luck compared to 12 months before that.
Mr Geary said the participation was a hard one to judge, with the organisers initially thinking it would be popular, but in typical Gore fashion, most of the entrants put their applications in at the very last minute.
"This happens to us every year, last year we got 300 in the final week," he said.
As Mr Geary had predicted, the teenage "intermediate" section has had a big increase, compared to before when he noticed teens tended to drift away from their music as they got older, he said.
"They’re the future of our country music in New Zealand so it’s good to see their numbers are keeping up," he said.
Previous winners have also re-entered the ring, Mr Geary said.
Kylie Austin, from Hamilton, and Kayla Mahon, from Riversdale, have both re-entered.
Gore Country Music Club president Julie Mitchell said the record number of applicants was exciting and she dedicated it to the hard work of the organisers.
"I couldn’t be more proud of the work that the Gold Guitars committee have done in getting these entries," she said.
She said awards celebrations will begin with a "humdinger" of a 50th Anniversary Show, starring returning Gold Guitars alumni.
The club president said she was also looking forward to the gold-themed window displays businesses on the main drag do every year in celebration of the May country music festival.
"They’ll say the streets of Gore are lined with gold once again," she said.
The encompassing Tussock Country music festival, including the Gold Guitars and more, begins May 23.
