His first year in attendance, visitors to the sculptural exhibition selected Armidale artist Tobias Bennetts ‘King Stag’ as the People’s Choice award. 

In what organisers called a “landslide,” the 2015 award winner won the affection of visitors, as its unique high quality decorative metalwork created impressions of raw animalistic power. 

Working with new and reclaimed metals, merging both traditional and modern tools and techniques he is able to bring his creations to life. As a qualified horticulturalist he describes this knowledge as very useful in the design and creation of custom topiary frames.

One of the organisers of the event, Al Phemister, said this year's Sculpture in the Paddock surpassed expectations as a record number of over 11,000 people came out to witness the array of talent in this years event. 

“We are thrilled with the turnout,” Mr Phemister said, “It goes to show that this event is just going to continue to grow.”

According to the federal government's tourism statistics, every dollar that is spent on tourism in regional NSW generates an additional 91c in other parts of the economy.

“It’s a flow on effect,” Yass Valley  Economic Development and Tourism Manager Sean Haylan explained, “$1.2 million is the estimated expenditure in the Yass Valley based on stats and numbers provided.” 

“This event statistically injected around $2.4 million into the community. 

“This is an example of one event supporting tourism in the Yass Valley and we can only see it continue to prosper. 

Mr Phemister said that the statistics indicated that around half of the visitors came from the Yass Valley, 21 per cent were from the rest of NSW and 22 per cent came from ACT and Queanbeyan.

“We sold just on $20,000 worth of sculptures and took 25 per cent to fund this year’s event,” he said.   

The show also featured 16 other artists and also provides a venue for artists with limited experience displaying their work - although you wouldn’t have recognised any amateurs in this year's display.