NEW Year's Eve is one of the biggest days on the calendar for many rural communities and Upper Horton is no exception.
Every year, the small community near Bingara in the state's North West, gathers for its annual campdraft-rodeo event and to ring in the new year.
However, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused this year's event to be postponed for just the second time since World War II.
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Upper Horton local and event committee member Peter Kelly said having to reschedule was disappointing, especially after the 2018 version of the event was cancelled due to drought.
"A lot of planning goes into events like these and given how the COVID-19 restrictions have been, we had to make the tough decision to postpone," Mr Kelly said.
"We made the decision quite recently, but since then, things have opened up even more and we are looking like holding something in January or February."
Drought conditions hit the Upper Horton severely in recent years, causing several campdraft and rodeo events across the district to be cancelled due to a lack of available cattle.
"Aside from the pandemic, we are in a really good spot to host a full event this time around after holding a scaled-back event last year," Mr Kelly said.
"We've had some really good rain this year and hopefully sourcing some stock won't be too hard.
"I don't think we're completely out of the drought yet, but we are certainly recovering - that's for sure."
Mr Kelly said while participants would have to wait a few weeks for a competition, the Upper Horton community would still get together to ring in the new year.
"I'm confident shifting the date just this once won't hurt our numbers too much," he said.
"These kinds of events are really popular right across the region and I'm sure plenty of riders will still want to make their way over to us.
"As for us locals, I'm sure we will come up with something to do together on New Year's Eve.
"It is a shame we can't have the event on the day as it is a tradition, but it is what it is."
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