Just shy of 500 budding young rugby players laced up the boots and took to Tamworth's Plain St Playing fields on Sunday, May 19, for the Tamworth District Junior Rugby Union Club's annual gala day.
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Thankfully Saturday's polar blast dissipated with players and spectators greeted with sunny skies and much warmer conditions.
"The weather gods put on a cracking day for us," Tri Colours president Matt Sedon said.
His first carnival in charge after taking over from Joe Stolker, he was "thrilled" with the day.
"It was a terrific day," he said.
"There was some really good rugby played, and both the boys and girls had a great day."
It was a big day with 491 under 8s to under 12s from Quirindi, up to Armidale and Inverell, east to Scone and west to Narrabri and Moree, and even Walgett registering to play.
Sedon said they had a number of kids from Walgett come over and play with the Tri Colours for the day.
The junior club for both Pirates and Tamworth, he thanked the players that came down and helped out on the day either with some coaching, or refereeing or with the under 6s skills clinic.
That help was much needed with 75 kids participating in that.
"We were only expecting sort of 50," Sedon said.
Along with the smiles on the kids faces and the fun they had, for him one of the other pleasing things about the day was being able to support the Salvation Army and their annual Red Shield Appeal.
"They came down," he said.
"It was a great thing for us to get organised and for us to get involved in."
It was the earliest in the season the Tamworth carnival has been for a little while, Sedon explaining that they always bookend the year with their two coldest venues in Walcha and Armidale, and then rotate the order of other carnivals year-by-year.
After a bye this coming weekend, Barraba is next up on June 2.