Les Smith travelled from Moree to recite his poem 'The One Teacher School' from memory.

Although he did not win a place he was presented with a trophy for his effort and achievement.

"I've been doing it for about 20 years, I was a late starter," Mr Smith said.

"I write better than I recite, I'm not a reciter really."

Of his poem he said he did not attend a one-teacher school but there were a lot in the area where he grew up and the story was "just something that came to me".

"I've got four lots of books out and I go through some of the things I've written and I think how the hell did I think of that?"

VIDEO: 100-year-old Les Smith recites, The one teacher school...

Mr Smith said he previously worked as a motor mechanic and he spent all his life living in Moree except when he served as a mechanic in the air force during World War II.

He said he's been attending the Banjo Paterson Australian Poetry Festival since it started and said it has grown a lot.

In the adult section the winner of the Novice Reading Performances was first time entrant Louisa Carey of Orange with the first poem she's written, Felix of the Overflow, second place went to Melanie Pearce of Orange for Neenish tart, and third was Eric Yeomans of Orange with The veteran.

The Novice Recital winner was Ian Butters from Northwood, NSW, with No laughing matter, second place was David Bolstad from Dee Why, NSW with Bride and Groom.

Third place winner and first time entrant Leesa Ronald from Orange said she wrote her poem 'The Bore Runs Dry' in honour of her father John Hamilton who died last year.

"He was quite into bush poetry," she said.

"I grew up on a property, I don't live there now but my mother is still there, [the poem] was pretty true to life. Literally they laid the pipes themselves without a map."

Accompanied by family she said she she couldn't look in their direction while reciting the poem because it was so close to home.

The winner of the open performances was Andrew Pulsford from Urangan, Queensland.

He edged out Bob 'Pa' Kettle from Goodna, also in Queensland, and Caroline Tuohey, from Carlington Point.

1^st - Sybilla Chapman, Bathurst

2^nd - Lucy Ward, Orange

3^rd - Niamh Rourke, Orange

1^st - Amy Robinson, Orange

2^nd - Abigail Kiely, Orange

3^rd - Charlie Spry, Forbes

1^st - Louisa Carey, Orange

2^nd - Melanie Pearce, Orange

3^rd - Eric Yeomans, Orange

1^st - Ian Butters, Northwood NSW

2^nd - David Bolstad, Dee Why NSW

3^rd Leesa Ronald, Orange

1^st - Andrew Pulsford, Urangan QLD

2^nd - Bob 'Pa' Kettle, Goodna, QLD

3^rd - Carline Tuohey, Darlington Point NSW