WOMEN reigned supreme at the Chinchilla Grandfather Clock Campdraft, taking home the blue in three of the four events, but it was Walcha competitor Ben McNaughton, pictured, who took out the hotly contested clock.
At just 22 years of age, McNaughton is one of the youngest riders to win the Black Toyota Grandfather Clock open draft. No stranger to success, McNaughton has been campdrafting since he was eight, and spends plenty of time in the saddle on Walcha cattle property St Aubyns.
The life-long dream of securing a Grandfather Clock has now become reality for the 2013 Landmark Classic winner, who modestly described it as a "pretty good feeling".
His practised partner in the victory was 12-year-old Quarter Horse mare Double Duck. Sired by Double Doc, Duck was bred by Mark Buttsworth, and was purchased by the McNaughton family as a four-year-old.
In 2005 as a three-year-old she was in the NCHA Open Futurity final with Mark, and he also rode her to win her first maiden draft at Toogoolawah soon after she was sold. She has since won 10 open drafts, and the Grandfather Clock has been her biggest yet.
Just one point behind McNaughton and sharing second place was 2010 winner Wally Rea on Dr Phil, and Jon Templeton with Marnies Ace. As last year's winners, Templeton and Ace were within a hair's breadth of taking out the prize for two consecutive years - a feat that has not yet been accomplished by the same horse and rider combination.
Fourth place went to second-round leaders, four-time clock winner Terry Hall riding Hazelwood Conman. Hall and Conman were the winning pair in 2009, and got equal second place last year.
It was a tight finish in the Knudsen family restricted open, requiring two run-offs to split the equal leaders, Jackie Knudsen on Barister and Hugh Miles on Dreamtime. Knudsen came out on top to claim her first win in this event, following her success with Barister in the ladies in recent times - they took home first place last year and equal second in 2012. Third place was shared by Rohan Marks on Dual N Spin and Steve Comiskey on Gigalo, who placed second last year.
Kimberley Sammon achieved her third consecutive win at Chinchilla by taking out the Landmark novice draft for the second year running, after winning the ladies in 2012. Sammon and QXH Dual N Rooster secured the win five points ahead of second placegetters Brendan Fitzgerald on Tecoma Hope, and Barry Johnson on Cadabra was third.
Local competitor Kristina Plant took home her first Grandmother Clock in the Chinchilla Vet Services ladies draft.
Riding Our Gift, Plant was one point ahead of lucky ladies combination Vicki Hiscock and Ardno Top Shot, who won the event in 2011 and placed equal second in 2012. Third place went to Jesse Sammon and Donrica Millicent.
While there were plenty of serious eyes firmly on the prizes during daylight hours, the Sandon Glenoch Angus bareback cut-out on Friday evening provided the perfect chance to have a little fun while appreciating some great horsemanship.
About 20 riders went head-to-head with some of the Boshammer family's young Angus and Brangus bulls.
Karl Burton and Marnies Destiny were victorious, and the event raised more than $1000 for the Angel Flight charity.
The whip-cracking team from St Mary's School, Proston, also entertained spectators on the night.
The campdraft started a day earlier than usual to accommodate the 1700 first-round nominations, resulting in about 2100 total runs over five days of competition.
The committee thanks all sponsors, cattle donors, judges, volunteers and competitors for making the event one of the best of its kind in the country.
2014 CHINCHILLA GRANDFATHER CLOCK
BLACK TOYOTA GRANDFATHER OPEN DRAFT (judge Colin Blacklock; nominations 728): 1 Ben McNaughton, Double Duck 266; 2/3 Jon Templeton, Marnies Ace 265; 2/3 Wally Rea, Dr Phil 265; 4 Terry Hall, Hazelwood Conman 264; 5/6 Jackie Knudsen, Cab Sav 263; 5/6 Justin Scott, Myee Goldfinger 263; 7/8 Rohan Marks, Hingus 261; 7/8 Owen Maller, Command 261; 9/10 Peter Knudsen, Marlo 260; 9/10 Darrin Jones, Clancy 260.
KNUDSEN FAMILY RESTRICTED OPEN DRAFT (judge Tony Hick; nominations 251): 1 Jackie Knudsen, Barister 286; 2 Hugh Miles, Dreamtime 220; 3/4 Rohan Marks, Dual N Spin 176; 3/4 Steve Comiskey, Gigalo 176; 5 Jess Glenwright, Sabrano 175; 6 Billy-Joe Rea, Tess 174; 7/8 Michael Cole, Emma 172; 7/8 Paul Pownall, Tecoma Lyndal 172; 9/10 Ben Hall, Footloose 171; 9/10 Steve Comiskey, Hemosphere 171; 9/10 Troy Palmer, Sonador 171.
LANDMARK NOVICE DRAFT (judge Tony Hick; nominations 598): 1 Kimberley Sammon, QXH Dual N Rooster 267; 2 Brendan Fitzgerald, Tecoma Hope 262; 3 Barry Johnson, Cadabra 259; 4 Ken Boulton, Alibi 258; 5 Mark Buttsworth, Double Suzie 257; 6/7 Laura MacIntosh, Conmaide 254; 6/7 Colin Hewitt, Sweet Acres 254; 8 Amanda Weeden, Winchester 250; 9 Greg Lithgow, Stylish Lenaette 248; 10 Adam Rockemer, Spin N Lynx 203.
CHINCHILLA VET SERVICES GRANDMOTHER CLOCK LADIES DRAFT (judge Rodney O’Reilly; nominations 121): 1 Kristina Plant,Our Gift 178; 2 Vicki Hiscock, Ardno Top Shot 177; 3 Jesse Sammon, Donrica Millicent 173; 4/5/6 Kate Cookson, Paradise 172; 4/5/6 Kim Daley, Westons Yakka 172; 4/5/6 Kay Radke, Royalle Decadence 172; 7 Toni O’Neill, Confetti 170; 8 Kerry Turner, Weja Wanita 169; 9 Nikki Hoffman, Koorala Reanna 166; 10 Narda Grover, Grisham 163.
SANDON GLENOCH ANGUS BAREBACK CUT-OUT (judge Geoff Schrader): 1 Karl Burton, Marnies Destiny; 2 Todd Maller, Giddy ; 3 Daniel Lithgow, Moore Kit Cats.
