Gloucester Pony Club had six members represent NSW at the Queensland State Formal Gymkhana, Sporting and Campdrafting Championships from September 28 to 30.
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Anthony Shultz, Charlotte Maslen, Natalie Le Rougatel, Emma Johnston, Jodie Harris and Amy Shultz were among the 17 NSW competitors competing with one of the largest Queensland teams seen in a long time.
The Formal Gymkhana was held first, with almost all the Gloucester riders coming away with a ribbon or two. Anthony Shultz was 12th overall with two 7ths and 8th and two 10ths. Amy Shultz was 7th overall with a 1st, 4th, 5th and 7th.
Emma Johnston was 5th overall with a 2nd, 3rd, two 7ths and a 9th. Charlotte Maslen got two 5ths, a 7th and a 9th placing. Natalie Le Rougatel had two 7ths and a 9th, while Jodie Harris was in the top 20 for a lot of her events.
Anthony Shultz competed in the under 12-year-olds stockmans challenge and after two rounds came 11th.
The competitors in the campdraft were given two runs with two different judges and the two rounds added together gave the overall winners in each age group.
Amy Shultz was 2nd overall and Emma Johnston 3rd in the 12-15 years campdraft. And Natalie Le Rougatel came 15th in 15-17 years campdraft.
The riders excelled in the sporting on the last day.
Anthony came 7th in the bending and 8th in the flag race.
Amy was 6th overall with a 1st in the flag race, 1st in scudda ho, 6th in bending and 9th in the running T. Charlotte came 2nd in the mug race and 8th in the flag race.
Emma was 4th overall with 1st in flag race, 1st in the diamond flag and 6th in the mug race. Nat came 10th in the barrel race. Jodie was in the top 20 for most of her events which was a fantastic effort competing in a group of over 60 competitors.
To be in the top 10 often meant only one second between 1st and 10th. After the first event the instruction to the kids was “go as hard and as fast as possible and hope that everything was still standing when you crossed the finish line”.
The level of competition was unbelievable throughout all age groups.
All the kids rode extremely well with each of the younger age groups having over 40 competitors and each one of them being a force to be reckoned with. Our kids did themselves and their state proud.
This year QLD won all three of the state titles up for grabs but when the horses were put away and the football came out at night for the annual state of origin game our NSW kids would not be beaten.
This is always a fantastic way to end the three days of fierce but friendly competition between NSW and QLD. A big thank you to all that went and made the week as special as it was.
