The recent Mullaley gymkhana and campdraft was a huge success drawing competitors from near and far.
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The Gymkhana saw a great roll-up from tiny led riders to adults for a full program of riding events, interspersed with some novelty games such as an apple bob and tug-o-war, which sorted the grandparents and the toddlers.
The standard of horses and riders was very high, with riders traveling from Quirindi, Coolah, Barraba, Attunga and Coonabarabran. There were also a large number of riders from the Gunnedah and Mullaley districts.
Mullaley’s Patrick Grant and Annalise Martin were two of the riders to shine with Martin winning the Silvia Mills Memorial Trophy for District Girl rider and Grant the Bruce and Janet McBurnie Memorial Trophy for District Boy.
Quirindi’s Henry Pursehouse was meanwhile awarded the Bob Stuart Memorial Trophy.
The Mullaley Gymkhana Committee worked hard to prepare for the two-day event and were very pleased with the numbers, president Georgie Gavel praising the committee and all the volunteers for their efforts in making the weekend such a success.
“It was very much a community run event with the Mullaley P&C running the canteen, local publicans Dan and Sarah Lumsden providing the bar and many parents chipping in as well,” Gavel said.
She also thanked the many sponsors and donors for their ongoing support, remarking that without their support they couldn’t run the event.
Sunday’s campdraft saw a full booking of 350 entries with competitors again coming from a wide area.
The juniors and the juveniles had a great morning with over 70 runs. Mackenzie Berkley and Lachlan Sansom shared the honours in the Renton’s Pest Control junior draft, with Travis Sansom and Logan Bekley coming in equal second.
It was also tight in the Gordon Barry & Co juvenile draft where Angus Capel took out first ahead of Kate Schiffman and Charlotte Ramsden, who finished equal second.
The ladies showed some great horsemanship in their 60 odd runs.
Tanika Fuit had a great run to win the event, with Julie Duff and Carolyn Malony equal in second.
Chris Cormie generously gave up his time to announce all three events as the impending rain storms gathered in the east.
Unfortunately the weather closed in around midday and the maiden and novice events had to be cancelled, which was hugely disappointing for the committee and the competitors but the safety of the competitors and the cattle had to come first.