He said his poem I'll swap you mate was inspired by a line from Clancy of the Overflow he remembered while riding behind a line of cattle when he worked at a cattle station. 

"It was a bushman's reply to Clancy of the Overflow," Mr Barrett said.

Mr Barrett said this was his third year he's competed in the poetry competition and after winning the novice section last year he had to proceed to the open performance section this year.

However, he said he only entered so he could support the Orange event and he didn't think he had a chance of winning.

Second place in the open performances was Jenny Markwell from Wangi Wangi who recited There ain't no cause to worry Mum, and Thundercloud Repairian from Uki came third with Our Darling is dying.

Although the high number of visiting poets keeps the competition strong each year, this year there was also a Local Award to encourage people from Orange and its surrounding area.

The winner of the Local Award was Andrew Logan, who competed in the novice section where he recited his poem Jock the boss.

The Novice Recital Performance was won by David Stanley from Armidale with The dog fight, second place was Ian Butters from Northwood with The way things used to be, and Lorraine McCrimmon from Wodonga, Victoria came third with That there darn machine. 

In the Mayoral Competition the two competitors had to write and recite poems with the theme, coming out of the drought.

Cabonne representative Paul Mullins beat Orange mayor Reg Kidd in this year's event.

The Novice Reading Performance was won by Bob McMillan from Grenfell with My first cap, David Grant Lloyd from Dubbo was second with South Dubbo and Jason Drew of Orange was third with The Turon.

Margaret Narelle Hodges of Orange won the High School Student Performance with Lila Pearce of Orange second.

The winner of the Primary School Performance section was Sybilla Chapman of Bathurst with Farmer's markets, second was Amy Robinson from Orange Public School with An ordinary hero and third as Abigail Kiely from Orange Public School with The adventures of Leo the lion.