Campdrafting at Willinga Park. Photo: Supplied.
Terry Snow had a vision to create a world-class equestrian centre on the coastal setting of Bawley Point on the NSW South Coast.
Terry poured plenty into the sport. The main beneficiaries are equestrian riders who came from near and far to compete at a facility regarded by many as the best of its kind in Australia.
By his own admission, as he started building the complex, he described equestrian sport as a recent passion.
Terry passed away in August last year, but his legacy continues with the staging of the 2025 Ringers Western Gold Buckle Campdraft Championship from 14 to 17 May.
It will be one of the richest campdraft events in Australia, with $400,000 in cash and prizes.
The Gold Buckle Championship alone is worth $100,000.
Categories range from Junior Campdraft to the Ladies Dash for Cash to the Gold Buckle.
Mat Holz riding Hazelwood Country Blues took home The Gold Buckle Campdraft Championship at Willinga Park in 2024. Photo: Supplied.
One of the highlights of the four-day event is the honouring of Terry with the Terry Snow Memorial Trophy awarded to the winner of the Restricted Open event, which is limited to those who have either won an event or met certain criteria.
For the uninitiated, campdrafting is different from cutting, which is what we have seen in television series such as Yellowstone, where individual cattle are separated from a herd.
Campdrafting, as those heavily invested in the sport will tell you, has its origins in the Queensland outback, where it was developed to showcase the skills of rider and horse.
In brief, riders select either a steer or a heifer from a small mob before separating the beast and guiding it through a course including a figure eight within a set time limit.
Working in total unison is the key here, with the horse displaying incredible instinct to anticipate the movement of the beast. The eye contact between the horse and the target is intense.
It is an exhilarating sport to watch and incredibly athletic.
Willinga Park alone is worth a visit, even more so with a campdrafting event of this status.
Ringers Western Gold Buckle Campdraft Championship is held at Wilinga Park, 134 Forster Drive, Bawley Point from 14 to 17 May. Visit Willinga Park for details and pricing.
