What is a Campdraft?

Some of my readers have been asking “What is a campdraft”?

So instead of talking out my arse I have consulted Wikipedia for you and this is what it says about Campdrafting….

Campdrafting is a unique Australian sport involving a horse and rider working cattle. The riding style is Australian stock, somewhat akin to American Western riding and the event is similar to the American stock horse events such as cutting, working cow horse, team penning, and ranch sorting.

In a campdrafting competition, a rider on horseback must “cut out” one beast from the mob of cattle in the yard or the “camp” and block and turn the beast at least two or three times to prove to the judge that they have the beast under control; then take it out of the yard and through a course around pegs involving right and left hand turns in a figure eight, before guiding it through two pegs known as “the gate”. The outside course must be completed in less than 40 seconds. Events for juniors 8 years and under 13 years have one sound beast in the camp or yard at all times. In other events it is recommended that there shall be a minimum of six head of sound stock in the camp at any time.

Up to a total of 100 points are scored by horse and rider: “Cut out” is worth a total of 26 points; horse work up to a further 70 points; and 4 points for the course. Most disqualifications (signalled by a crack of the judge’s stockwhip) occur when a competitor loses his beast more than twice on the camp; losing control of the beast in the arena or running a beast onto the arena fence. A “tail turn” executed by a horse in the opposite direction of the beast’s line of travel also incurs disqualification at any stage of the draft.[1]

The sport requires consummate skill and horsemanship, and the skill in selecting a beast from the mob that will run well, but is not too fast for that particular horse. Great prestige is bestowed on the winning horse and rider of the competition.

Source: Wikipedia

Well that was easier than I thought….  and explains things much better than I could have, so thanks Wikipedia.  You can read more if you head over to Wikipedia, but that should give you an idea.

Throughout the weekend there is also a Gymkhana and Rodeo.  Here are some photos… this first one is Mrs B guiding her little man in the barrel race… with the little kids it is more  a race against the Mums and how fast they can run whilst leading the pony.

And check out this little Cowboy ready for his unheld calf ride, he means business and did really well.

While at the campdraft we all set up our own camps around the arena.  People camp in horse trucks, gooseneck, camper trailers, horse floats or just a swag on the ground.  They park up their trucks and set up some yards using electric tape to keep their horses in.  Here is a photo Claire Britton sent through to me, she had a few little poddy calves that she couldn’t leave at home so had to bring them, aren’t they cute…

Here are a few photos from a campdraft we went to back in April.  It was quite hot so I gave Clancy a bath in a lick tub, cooled him down and cleaned the dirt off him.  We all wanted to get in.  But that would have been quite a sight…

Thanks to Leonie Winks Photography for sending through some photos for me to use, you are a champ Leonie.

Does this help you all understand things a bit better?