Stephen William Davidge sentenced in Tamworth court for mid-range drink driving while at Upper Horton rodeo

Stephen William Davidge will have to cough up more than $1000 in fines and spend time off the road after pleading guilty in Tamworth Local Court on Monday to mid-range drink driving while his licence was suspended.

The court heard the 25-year-old was at the Upper Horton rodeo and campdraft for the New Year's weekend when he was stopped by police about 9pm on December 31 while behind the wheel on Upper Horton Drive.

Defence solicitor Dan Daley said Davidge's mate had taken stock back to a property after an event and asked him to drive a vehicle there too about 5km away, which he did.

"Obviously a very foolish decision and one he regrets now," Mr Daley told the court.

He said Davidge managed about 30 people at saleyards in Tamworth and Singleton which attested to his good qualities.

He accepted Davidge's traffic record "isn't great".

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The court heard his driver's licence had been suspended by the Roads and Maritime Service earlier in December until June this year for speeding while on a good behaviour licence.

"Unfortunately it's again an example of a person not treating their licence with respect," magistrate Mal Macpherson said.

"No doubt with his job there's a fair amount of kilometres travelling but even so, it's not a good look."

Davidge was convicted of mid-range drink driving, disqualified, given an interlock device order, and fined $880.

He was also convicted of driving while suspended, disqualified, and fined $220.

"Hopefully this is a wake up call, you have to treat your licence with respect," Mr Macpherson told him.

Police facts said there were extra officers patrolling in the area at the time due to the large rodeo event.

Davidge was taken to Barraba Police Station after a positive roadside test, where he blew a reading of 0.141, almost three times the legal limit.

He told police he had 10 schooners of mid-strength beer since 2.30pm that day, with his last about half-an-hour before.

Police said he appeared moderately affected by alcohol and had "bloodshot" eyes, was "unsteady on his feet" and "slurred some words".

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