THE Hamilton Campdraft Club held its annual event at the Macarthur grounds over the Easter long weekend with a huge turnout of competitors and spectators in attendance.

The highlight being the Victorian Championship Open event where Winnap’s William Thompson took home $10,000.

A total of 599 entries were submitted from 180 competitors entered the event, with many more supporters and spectators in attendance making the campdraft a very successful event.

Merino-based Glenelg Pony Club members also flew the flag proudly at the weekend’s event.

In the juvenile draft, Harry Mercer and Gilbert with 21 in the camp, perfect four on the course and 62 for horse work, finished just one point behind Ben Taylor and Emily Taylor, equal-first placegetters in the single-round event, Emily taking the win on Shivor after a run-off.

Out of the field of 40 entrants, Harry also placed an impressive ninth in the same event with Whoot, his 57 for horse work just five points behind the winner.

Casterton’s Sally McDonald had a good weekend away, placing fourth out of 20 on Woody in the encouragement, while David Mara and the David Murphy-bred Mobile Burgundy placed seventh in the same event.

Glenelg Pony Club’s Matilda Mercer also rode well in the junior event taking fourth place on Cash, the only other pair to score 18 in the camp, while fellow club member, Jimmy Dyer and Bushgrove Code Red, placed 10th with their camp score of 14.

James said after taking fifth and sixth places in the juniors at Macarthur and Hawkesdale with ’Mello last year, before taking a short break from riding the mare, she was delighted to pick up her very first career win.

The club chose to resurrect the Victorian Championship in the Open classification three years ago after it fell out of use, with Thompson taking out the prestigious award last weekend.

With nine categories for riders and their mounts to contest, the competition was fierce for the three-day event and all entrants were fully tested under cloudless skies.

The campdraft drew entrants from Victoria, South Australia, and New South Wales with the standard being very high in all categories.

The club expects the move to Macarthur this year to be temporary and should be back at its home base for the next event.

Results

Victorian Championship Open: William Thompson riding Spider.

Restricted Open: Mark Ruff riding Bulla Martha.

Novice: Kevin Geppert riding Doubleup Secret Heart.

Levi Pascoe Memorial Ladies: Bonnie Hiscock riding Mewburn Davey.

Maiden A: Mark Ruff riding Bulla Fiesta.

Maiden B: Toby White riding KP Marlow Miss.

Junior: Ruby James riding Warriors Warramello. 

Juvenile: Emily Taylor riding Shivor.

Encouragement: Ebony Smith riding Luckenough Cassidy.