ELATION swept through the crowds on Saturday as one of the largest, volunteer-run carnivals in the country burst through Ringwood.

"It makes you proud to live in Ringwood," were just some of the exclamations from the thousands of people who took to the streets, nine deep in places, to watch the colourful cavalcade.

A record number of floats and walking entries, steel and marching bands, majorettes and stilt walkers, headed up by Sampson's stunning Percheron horses towing the beautiful Carnival Queen is Amy-Louise Hasted and attendants are Alanna Bingham and Molly Peters, flowed through the town's narrow lanes to an ecstatic crowd during the afternoon and evening processions.

Food and charity stalls, vintage steam engines plus a funfair and fireworks assured the fun continued long into the night.

Ringwood saw its very first carnival in 1929. It was originally set up to buy Carvers Field from local man Mr. Carver and to raise monies for the Royal Victoria and West Hants Hospital.

Carnivals followed in 1931 and 1934, when the Coldstream Guards marched through the town in full dress uniform.

The first carnival after the war was in 1950 and has continued every year since. The carnival now acts as a focus for the local community and charitable groups.

For 65 years the Sampson Percheron horses have been undertaking the most important job at Ringwood Carnival to lead the carriage that carries the Carnival Queen, Attendants and Princesses.

The Sampson family started the tradition of pulling the Queen’s carriage in 1949 – only missing one year during the war, making it the 65th year that Ringwood gets to see the Sampson’s horses lead both carnival processions.