Fair crack of the whip a winner for Bill Morris
A HOBBY turned "almost business" won leather crafter Bill Morris the champion novice leather hat band at the Australian Whipcracking Championships as part of the Clifton Show.
Raised on the family dairy farm at Muswellbrook, the former fitter and turner's grandfather taught him a simple round four plait when he was just seven years old.
Thirty-five years later Mr Morris picked up the trade again, but this time took it on the road.
"I've been mucking around with leather for near on 20 years," he said.
But two decades travelling to markets and shows hasn't deterred the old hand, as he said the market for handcrafted leather goods is actually growing.
"I think most people are sick of the mass-produced products and are looking for quality," he said.
"Plus you get to meet a lot of people on the circuit.
"I enjoy getting around to these country shows with my hobby-turned-almost- business.
"I guess you can take the boy out of the bush but you can't take the bush out of the boy."
