More from the Fall Festival in Dunvegan

One of the highlights of the Fall Festival in Dunvegan is the horse parade. Festival goers line the main street to watch all the beautiful horses walking past in the parade.

Many of the horses pull carriages of various kinds, and many of the people displaying their horses wear period costumes.

Sometimes the animals in the parade are not exactly horses. These mules are pulling a wonderful covered wagon.

The horses seemed to have different personalities. Some were very quiet and obedient. These horses, on the other hand, were very spirited and looked like they just wanted to gallop down the street.

Some of the horses were quite small - a perfect size for this rider.

And some of the horses were very large. I think these are Percherons. I love their white "boots".

Some horses were pulling carts or carriages, and some were being ridden. This woman (who, I was told by my friend Brenda, is a veterinarian) was riding side-saddle. (It doesn't look like a very comfortable way to ride.)

All in all, a wonderful parade. But the hit of this year's Fall Festival came a bit later - namely...

...the fabulous, fantastic - Rooster Crowing contest! Dozens of people brought their roosters to compete in the contest.

The roosters came in all colours and breeds. They were placed in cages and pens at the Rooster Crowing contest area in readiness for the big competition. Then the judges announced that the contest would begin and the rooster who crowed the most in a set period of time would be the winner. After the clock started, about a hundred people stood quietly watching, waiting to see who would crow the most. Every time a rooster crowed, there was a cheer from the crowd. It was a rather surreal experience. I loved it!  

This rather shy fellow is named Rocky and belongs to my friends, Mac and Brenda. Alas, he was not in the mood to crow for the contest and we didn't hear a peep from him.

This is Errol Flynn, who belongs to my friend Natalie. He cleaned up in the contest and crowed lustily, several times.

And here are Natalie and Gordon, holding some of the prizes they collected from winning the contest. Congratulations guys!

(I can hardly wait for the rooster crowing contest at next year's Fall Festival.)