All the Fun of the Show

At the recent SE SA Branch ASHS show in November 2011, both Keith and Karen were in the placings with their horses HOGANS RIVERMAN and HOMECREEK ANNA.
The first show for HOMECREEK ANNA saw her take a 3rd in 2 hack and working events and a 5th in the time trial Pentathlon.
Anna went to her second outing at a New Year’s Eve Challenge event run by the Western Vic Branch.  At this, she achieved a 5th overall in the Challenge with some creditable placings in hack, working and mechanical cow.
She has since gone back Campdrafting and won a 3rd place in the Maiden event at the Hawkesdale Draft February 2012.
HOGANS RIVERMAN always does well in the led and took home a 3rd in November in the open gelding class.  He went on the perform well in ASHLA and in the hack event.
Since that show, RIVERMAN has gone on to win his height class in led at the Western Vic Branch Show, Karen placed 6th in the ASHLA, 2nd in the hack class and topped off a great weekend with a win on RIVERMAN in the HRCAV & ASH event.
RIVERMAN placed 2nd in his led class and hack class at BARASTOC HOY in February 2012.

Pre-Sale News! Fountain of Youth Sale Tamworth 2012.

Willatook Park is proud to be sending 2 quality fillies to the Stock Horse Fountain of Youth Sale 2012.
The first of these fillies – WILLOWBY JULIETTE – is by DIMRAY ECLIPSE out of a SODA BRADMAN mare.  She is black, with excellent conformation, lovely natural movement and with her breeding will make any future owner a wonderful addition to the show or campdraft string.

The second of the fillies is HOMECREEK FINESSE.  This stunning chestnut filly is by RAMBLER KD ACRES (ACRES DESTINY) out of CONDAMINE RIVOLI SARA (YALLATUP RIVOLI REX).  What more could you ask for a performance star and a future broodmare?

For more information regarding these fillies, please contact Keith Harrison on (03) 55 608 565

Competing in the Stockman’s Challenge

The Stockman’s Challenge is usually a set of four to five different events, designed to test the ability of horse and rider over a series of everyday stockman’s duties.

For example, there is a ridden class since every horse generally has to be ridden; there is a working class which is to show off the horse’s ability to run and turn, while remaining calm and tractable.

There is a time trial over and around obstacles, an obstacle course with no timing, asking the horse to encounter everyday objects such as gates, and there is also a mechanical cow event to show the judge and spectators the ability of the horse to work a ‘cow’ on a line.

The picture shows Keith and Fourdees Warwick working the mechanical cow at the Casterton Stockman’s Challenge.

The fun of campdrafting

Campdrafting is billed as a family sport, because quite often the whole family can participate in this uniquely Australian event. So you will see children on ponies, as well as Mum and Dad on their drafting horses at a draft, walking over to watch the competition together.

A campdraft consists of a rider and horse selecting a beast from about seven cattle in a pen, taking the cow to the front of the pen and demonstrating to the judge that the horse and rider can hold the cow at the front of the ‘camp’ for a short time.

The horse must demonstrate skill and agility without losing the cow, which invariably wants to return to the mob. The gates at the front of the camp are then opened and the rider is required to take the cow around a course in a certain time frame.

The object is to take the cow safely around the course and take it through the ‘gates.’

Here’s Keith and Fourdees Warwick getting into position at the Maldon Campdraft.