Extreme weather conditions may have deterred some competitors from travelling to Gunnedah for the recent two-day Australian Stock Show, but those who did battle the conditions gave judges Amanda and Rob Blomfield, Bruce Moxey and Dale Olsen an impressive display of beautifully presented led and ridden horses.  

Supreme Led Stock horse of the show, run by the Northern Branch Australian Stock Horse Society (ASHS), was lovely grey three-year-old filly “J Star Vintage Rose” owned by Joy Poole and shown by Manilla’s Teena Bridge.

Champion Hack was the chestnut gelding “Oxford Alfie” owned and ridden by Fiona Meyers and Champion Working stock horse was the black Stallion “Starwaltz Cool Justice” ridden and owned by Kelvin grazier Barry Moore.  

Both horses then went to compete for the Tony Sherrin Memorial Supreme Ridden Horse of the Show with stallion “Starwaltz Cool Justice” giving a stunning display to take out the award. 

Judges and stewards were kept busy on Sunday with the youth classes, Futurities and Challenges.  

Manilla sisters Katie and Lara De Jong competed against each other to find out who was the Champion Working rider of the show.

Elder sister Katie was awarded Champion rider prior to winning the Juvenille  rider 13-and-under 18 Challenge on her buckskin filly “Garcon Fiesta”.  

Lara De Jong then went on to win the Junior eight-and-under 13 years Challenge on her family’s mare “Ophir Anita”.  

Barry Moore then completed his dominance of the working classes with a win in the four-year-old Maturity on “Starwaltz Miss Liberty” and the Open challenge with “Starwaltz Cool Justice”.  

The Gunnedah Showground provided an ideal venue for the annual stock horse show, well supported by sponsors Prydes Easifeeds, Mackellar’s Motel, Bill Syphers Saddlery, Tamworth Horseland and many local saddleries and stockhorse breeders.