Warren's Peyton Callaghan was riding high over the weekend of 9-11 April, taking out the top spot in her age group during the Pony Club's State Championships for Sporting, Campdraft and Team Penning.

Ms Callaghan was among around a dozen young riders located from across the Western Plains who demonstrated great skill with their horses at the championships earning them top rankings in their age divisions.

Despite the wet weather over the weekend organisers from Zone 4 of Pony Club NSW hosted the event at the Coonamble Showground earlier this month.

With some late withdrawals due to COVID and a couple of lame horses, 105 riders from 13 different zones within NSW and 17 Queensland riders participated in events over the weekend, supported by around 300 parents, judges and other volunteers.

Along with five local riders from Coonamble, Zone 4 was represented by 19 other riders from various parts of the region, including from the Narromine, Warren and Warrumbungle shires.

Coonamble has hosted the event previously, with volunteer organisers needing to adapt to extremes in weather conditions.

"We had more than 200 riders here in 2000 when we had ten inches of rain and our barrels were floating in the main arena," said Event Co-ordinator and Zone Instructor Fiona Pennell.

"That year the grounds stood up and we were able to run every event."

"We last held it here in 2015 so it was mid-drought and pretty dusty."

"This time, for the amount of rain we had, the grounds were fantastic. There was some water sitting in the campdraft area but we just held off for a few hours.

"We had to get the cattle in on Wednesday so that if it did rain we knew we could go ahead with the event," she said. 

The Trot Up, where horses are scanned and then assessed for fitness, was delayed from Friday afternoon until Saturday morning to allow the grounds to recover from the 30mm of rain on Friday afternoon. 

Over the three days of competition, the state's top riders went head to head in five age groups with strong competition in each.

The Under 11 Years (14 riders), 11 and Under 13 Years (22 riders), 13 and Under 15 Years (23 riders), 15 and Under 17 Years (22 riders) and 28 riders in the 17 and Under 26 Years category. Following initial heats and finals, ribbons were then awarded for up to 10th place in each age category.

ABOVE: The Zone 4 Sporting team get ready for action. Image supplied.

Western Plains finalists

In Saturday's Sporting events all 105 riders competed including Mendooran's Chloe Harris; Warren's Peyton Callaghan, Matilda Whiteley, Lewis Leonard and Alex Hamblin; and Narromine's Millie Packham, Ella Packham and Charlotte Masonwells.

Chloe Harris made an impressive six finals throughout the event, coming 6th in the Flag, 10th in Bending, 2nd in the Barrel, 4th in BBB, 6th in Diamond Flag, 3rd in the 3 Mug Race and 5th in the Figure 8.

Millie Packham took 7th in the Flag, 7th in the Diamond Flag and 3rd in the 3 Mug Race.

Ella Packham came in 10th in the Bending and 4th in the Diamond Flag finals.

Charlotte Masonwells came 5th in the Bending, 8th in the Barrel, 2nd in the Diamond Flag and 4th in the Figure 8.

Matilda Whitley ended up 8th in the Bending, 6th in the Diamond Flag and 9th in the 3 Mug Race.

Lewis Leonard took home 7th in his Bending Final while Alex Hamblin ended up 9th in his and 10th in the BBB.

Warren's Peyton Callaghan took out 4th in the Flag 2nd in the Bending, 6th in the Barrel, 2nd in the BBB, 5th in the 3 Mug Race and 6th in the Figure 8. She was also awarded Champion Rider in the 13 and under 15yrs division.

ABOVE: Warren local Peyton took out Champion Rider in the 13 and under 15yrs bracket. Pictured on Saturday with with Fiona Pennell. Image supplied.

Meanwhile, the riders competing from Coonamble were Tahlia Dewson, Natalie Gallen, Mia Nalder and Dakota Kennedy with all five coming home with ribbons.

Tahlia Dewson made three finals (flag, bending and 3 mug race) and finishing 1st in the 3 Mug Race, 4th in Bending, 5th in the Flag, 7th in Barrel, and 9th in the Figure 8 event.

Natalie Gallen competed on all three days in Sporting, Campdraft and Team Penning taking out 5th place in the Bonfield Bounce Bend (BBB) and 6th in the Bending. 

Dakota Kennedy came 7th in the BBB, which requires riders to jump a row of barrels and weave through a series of pegs, competing against the clock.

Mia Nalder took home 7th in the Diamond Flag and 8th in the BBB.

For the Sporting competition, Zone 13 (Walcha/Uralla area) won the Inter-Zone Championship and the Queensland riders took home the Inter-State Championship.

Ms Pennell says that the local riders performed beyond expectations.

"It was exceptional for all of our riders to come away with ribbons," Ms Pennell said. "Those girls went for it. They went from second gear to sixth and got great results."

Campdraft achievers

In Sunday's Campdraft, 71 riders competed using stock supplied by local producers Adam and Rowena Macrae, and Luke and Cassie Andrews and under the eye of judge Jack Brown of Dubbo.  

Seven riders from Zone 4 competed with Natalie Gallen taking out 3rd place in her age group. Alex Hamblin ended up in 4th.

In Campdraft, Zone 7 (Merriwa/Denman area) won the Inter-Zone Championship and the Inter-State Championship was won by NSW with a team consisting of three Zone 7 riders and a Zone 4 rider, Ned Kennedy from Trangie.

Monday was spent Team Penning, with 13 Teams of 3 riders competing using cattle donated by the Andrews and judged by David Grant from Coonabarabran.

ABOVE: Some of the riders who took part in the Campdraft competition. Image supplied.

Zone 4 entered four teams and Team 136 of Natalie Gallen, Anna Toohey, Ruby Josephs placed 2nd.

Another Coonamble rider, Hope Smith, joined in and her team was unlucky not to place on the day.

Throughout the weekend, adults from each zone put their hands up to volunteer as judges, timekeepers, scorers, lines people, walkers to put flags back in their poles, and stockhandlers.

"If it weren't for the volunteers helping it wouldn't happen," Ms Pennell said. "The riders and all the volunteers really pulled together to make it a wonderful weekend."