Bonanza posse guns for no-good varmints

Dargaville's annual Baylys Beach Bonanza is set to go off with a bang literally - with a wild, gun-blazing posse or two tracking down the bad guys on horseback.
Held at Chases Gorge entrance of Ripiro Beach each Waitangi Day, the bonanza has been a popular family event for many years.
Competitions include volleyball, sand sculpting, target golf, children's races and games, horse racing and a surfing competition held as a memorial to Craig Osbaldiston, a local surfer who lost his battle with cancer.
But a new event featuring shoot-out exhibitions by gun-toting riders is sure to excite beachgoers. With all the exhilaration of the old West and gunsmoke filling the air, riders will charge a fort, pursue a stagecoach robbery (only in this case it will a small horse-driven vehicle pursued by eager riders) and drag a man behind a horse (fortunately, on a piece of buckskin).
The exhibitions will be performed by combined members of the South Hokianga Riders and the Kaikohe Gun Club, who regularly meet for competitions and to have a bit of fun.
Horse racing has long been included in the bonanza's events but interest had waned in recent times to the point where it was cancelled last year.
Well-known Northland farrier Gary Petersen, from Oue, near Opononi, felt it a shame to see the amateur racing event lost through lack of numbers.
Last week he confirmed 30 riders from the Hokianga and Mangonui would attend this year. Since many of them were members of the riding and gun club, they decided to add the shows as extra attractions. Permission was sought and gained from Dargaville Police.
A spokeswoman for the Baylys Beach Society, which administers the day, Beth Kelliher, said the numbers had renewed interest and boosted inquiries from the local horse fraternity.
Mr Petersen said prize money would be up for grabs, so the more entries the better the cash on offer because entry fees would provide the prize pool. The cost would be $15 per horse per race.
"We intend to run about eight races of around 400m. Four of these will exclude thoroughbreds, while the other four will be open to allcomers. We hope to run a 3000m endurance-style race and if there are enough entrants we will have children's pony scrambles," Mr Petersen said.
Barrel racing and a relay race with teams of three should be crowd-pleasers, he said, and if numbers supported it a few impromptu races might be added.
"I am throwing out the challenge to locals to take on the northerners by putting up relay teams or barrel-racing contestants."
Mr Petersen said there were few restrictions on entry other than safety helmets and suitable footwear must be worn and people took part at their own risk. Anyone of any age could compete, Western or English-style riding was allowable.
Mr Petersen said he would like to see a Northland circuit of such events established.
Events will kick off about noon, with the horse racing set for 2.30pm - but because of an 8am high tide, the surfing competition will start about 8.30am, with entry on the day.