THE continued popularity of the Australian stock horse was evident at Tamworth’s Australian Equine and Livestock Events Centre (AELEC) this week with record entries, record horses and record competitors for the Australian Stock Horse National Show.
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With $100,000 in prizemoney, saddles and trophies on offer, the annual show attracted competitors from all states in Australia.
“It’s just getting bigger each year,” Australian Stock Horse Society general manager David Gatwood said.
“Over the course of the nine days, which winds up with dressage on Saturday, we ended up with a record 436 competitors, 736 horses and a total of entries from competitors in multiple events reaching over 3000.”
A big feature of the society’s annual spectacular was the Foundation of Youth National Yearling & Two-Year-Old Sale.
“We had 77 lots with a 76 per cent clearance rate,” Gatwood said
“Top price of $26,000 was paid for a horse by Western Australian interests.
“Across the sale, prices were significantly up on last year.”
One feature of the nine-day competition was the RM Williams Abbey Open Challenge where only 10 points separated the winner, Victorian Matt Holz (Darma Acres of Impact) and tenth placing.
Riders in that event competed in four sections – hack, working horse, campdraft and time trial (obstacle course) – against the clock.
And what would a national horse show be without the popular campdraft which was run over the two days of last weekend.
A total of 118 riders contested the feature RM Williams Open over two rounds then a final which was taken out by Walcha’s Ben McNaughton riding Luckenough Horizon.
