EQUESTRIAN Australia entering voluntary administration will have no direct impact on Tamworth's state-of-the-art equestrian and livestock events facility, its manager has confirmed.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Australian Equine and Livestock Events Centre (AELEC) precinct manager Mike Rowland told the Leader the national sporting body folding won't take away from the array of events being planned for Tamworth post-coronavirus.
He said AELEC hosts horse events primarily affiliated with the state sporting body, Equestrian NSW, which is entirely separate to it's national counterpart.
Equestrian Australia announced on Monday it would go into voluntary administration after a turbulent few months.
READ ALSO:
Despite a three-month shutdown amid the COVID-19 pandemic, AELEC is plowing on and planning for a packed program once coronavirus restrictions ease up.
"There's been plenty happening in terms of maintenance, site maintenance and getting ourselves ready for when we can finally kick off again," Mr Rowland said.
"But in terms of events and training days, absolutely nothing since mid-March when things shut down."
The facility's unique and diverse program is responsible for bringing a massive financial gain to Tamworth city.
Mr Rowland estimated more than $7 million in revenue had been lost to the Tamworth region through AELEC's cancelled events alone.
But the AELEC team have been making the most of a very rare break for the facility by giving it a makeover, which would otherwise have been impossible.
Arenas have new surfaces, hundreds of square metres of fencing has been painted, cattle yards have been rebuilt and even the paddocks are being aerated.
And it's all in the lead-up to what is shaping up to be a big finish to the year.
"Everyone is working as positively as they can at the moment, towards saying let's get this happening as soon as we can, knowing we have some pretty big obligations on our shoulders as well," Mr Rowland said.
"We've got event organisers champing at the bit, we've got competitors that are mad keen to be back here ... and we're desperate to welcome them back to Tamworth."
A cornerstone event for AELEC is the National Cutting Horse Association Futurity, which would have wrapped up this week if not for the global pandemic.
But that event has now been rescheduled to October, along with a number of other large events being postponed until the last three months of the year.
But a few key barriers still stand in their way.
"Number one, the borders have to be open for us, there's no doubt about that, for these larger events to take place," Mr Rowland said.
Even the restrictions that AELEC must abide by are uncertain, with the huge facility being a home to "a campground, to a licensed premises, to outside competition areas, to inside competition areas, to entertainment areas, and seating areas", according to Mr Rowland.
Police and crime reporter at the Newcastle Herald.
Police and crime reporter at the Newcastle Herald.
