Neville Elford monitors this steer during the arena sorting finals. Photo: Geoff O’Neill 300912GOA09
TAMWORTH hosted the Hawkesbury River Saddle Company National Championships at the showground’s Don Willis Arena on the weekend and among the winners were a few locals.
There were both team penning and arena sorting events on the program.
In the youth division of the arena sorting, the Tamworth team of Luke Buckley, Tyler Slater and Jake Sutton won on 120 seconds.
There was also an encouragement award given to Kenzie Thurgood, Alissa Hancock and Maddy Childs.
In the open division a Victorian team of Mike Orton, Von Mitchfull and Craig Hancock were the fastest in 67.97seconds.
The youth division of the team penning went to the local team of Chloe Milgate (Tamworth), Mathew Porter (Merriwa) and Justin Gillis (Merriwa) in 38.13 seconds.
Ben, Jess and Tiff Lee received the encouragement award and also picked up the prize for best presented youth team.
The team penning open division was the top honour and that went to another trio from Tamworth’s Team Penning Australian club.
Merriwa locals Kellie Porter, Suellen Pye and Fred Munro stopped the clock at 27.57seconds to take the title ahead of Jodie Griffiths, Dave Kennedy and Sharon McIver with 30.16 seconds.
Bill McIlrick’s team won the best overall team performance, Loreen Porter had the best working horse in the final and Lacey Miller, Georgia and Charlotte Bennetts scored the award for the best youth team in the penning final.
“It was an excellent weekend, one of the biggest ever,” Team Penning Australia’s secretary-treasurer Debby Stocks said.
