The Zone 6 Inaugural Stockmans Challenge was held at the Gulgong Pony Club grounds on the weekend and despite the miserable weather the challenge was a huge success.
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Members from pony clubs within the Zone 6 region came and represented the clubs by competing and preforming in a range of activities and the skill that the young members exhibited was phenomenal.
The set tasks the members were required to perform were ones that stockman can encounter within their everyday life.
Members had to rope a dummy calf, complete a obstacle course, cook damper under the guidance of Billy Bushdog, whip cracking, calf rescue cross country, bush tasks, jump their horses bareback, working horse and display knowledge of a horses hoof.
All entrants had to submit a fictional character name and this provided some comical relief with names such as Ya Ya, Calamity Jane, Mischief Mulligan just to name a few. The events were based on developing skill and ability not speed while acknowl- edging the importance of the stock- mans place within Australias past and present.
The winners of their age groups on the day were awarded to Dallas Birt (aka The Legend(, Liam Mulligan (aka Mischief Mulligan), Thomas Hinman (aka The Bowrey Boy), Ben Hinman (aka Clancy of the Mill) and Poppy Douglas (aka The Ginger Ninja).
Encouragement Awards were awarded to members who exhibited great sportsmanship and showed a have a go attitude in different categories.
- Obstacle Course: Poppy Douglas;
- Working Horse: Katelyn Lewis Phillips & Grace Pearce;
- Whip Cracking – * Miah Curry;
- Time Trails – Sarah Gaw;
- Hoof Knowledge- Isabelle Stewart;
- Calf Roping – Skye Leeson (aka Skye Rocket);
- Calf Recue Cross Country: Oliver McGilvray (aka Mad Dog McGilvray;
- Bareback- Caitlin Staniforth.
It’s also important to remember that events like the stockman’s challenge are unable to run without the hard work of the volunteers that work very hard to ensure everyone involved have fun and remain safe.
A huge thank you for the donation by Graeme Buckle who was also a guest judge for the whip cracking challenge.
Graeme donated belts that he had made for the occasion and the winners were elated to receive them.
David Kelly from the Working Pattern, Central Tablelands Branch of the Australian Stock Horse Society who judged the working horse challenge and arrived with a donation of two bags of horse feed.
It is also important to acknowledge the parents from Gulgong Pony Club who ran the canteen and provided the much needed fire wood as well as the parents who assisted from other clubs. The evening meal was catered by Billy Bushdog with a delicious camp out dinner. Last but not least The Zone 6 committee members need a huge thank you for tackling this enormous task of presenting this opportunity to the members of Zone 6 Pony Club and hope that it becomes a yearly event.
