6th March 2012

Chinchilla was the ideal place to be last weekend for horse enthusiasts, race goers and campdraft competitors alike, featuring two days of equine events at the inaugural Chinchilla Horse Festival.

One of the highlights of the festival was the annual Origin Energy Chinchilla Encouragement Campdraft, which attracted 477 first round nominations. Origin Energy was the major sponsor of the campdraft, specifically for the encouragement event and the entertainment, as well as providing extensive merchandise and prize packs to placegetters.

The campdraft followed the Chinchilla PS&R performance horse sale on Saturday afternoon and continued on Sunday. The event is run each year by the Chinchilla campdraft committee for the purpose of giving young riders, maiden horses and new competitors the opportunity and experience of competing at a campdraft.

Local campdrafter Terry Braithwaite on Candy took out the Origin Energy encouragement draft with a score of 83 from a field of 67 nominations, followed closely by Greg Blair on Bellair Destiny Strikes, Stephanie Brown on Sunset and Steven Stokes on Regatta who all tied for second place with scores of 82.

The two round Chinchilla Real Estate Agents maiden campdraft drew 204 nominations and was won by Ken Read on She’s Tassa with a score of 173, followed by Lesley Dennien on Jimmy, Glen O’Connor on Rose and Scott Tennyson on In Doubt sharing equal second place on 169.

Chinchilla competitor Chris Ryan won the Plant Family Local Rider trophy, placing equal 6th in the maiden campdraft, as well as equal 5th in the encouragement event.

From 167 nominations Wayne Dennien on CD were the winners of the two round Chinchilla Fluid Power/Murphy Pipe & Civil novice draft with a score of 168, followed by Roger Boshammer on Jack Daniels with a score of 166.

The weekend was also a great opportunity for the young competitors to gain some experience and hone their campdrafting skills. Riley Rockemer on Mindy took out the Ray White Rural & Chinchilla Real Estate junior draft with a score of 81, while Jack McNamara on Condamine won the DN Cross Transport juvenile draft with a score of 87.

Saturday night featured a bareback cutout which offered both thrills and spills and a live band hailing from Bundaberg, the Crankin Jimmys. Local juvenile competitor Nikki Hoffman won the bareback cutout with an impressive performance up the front of the camp on Silky Sal.

Chinchilla campdraft committee president John Plant commented that the event was another successful campdraft for Chinchilla and extended his gratitude to the cattle donors, sponsors and committee members for making it possible.

Special thanks must go to the cattle donors for the weekend: Wade Clarke, Terry Ryan, John McNamara, Steven Grimes, Tony Pascoe and Col Budden, the committee and the many appreciated sponsors of the event.

Kate Boshammer, Publicity Officer