Community & Business
29 June, 2024
Clifton Cluster cleans up again in Cow – Horse Challenge
The last week of term two saw 10 riders from the Clifton Cluster Challenge Club make the trek north to Maryborough for the Aldridge State High School Equestrian and Cow Horse Challenge.
The Clifton Cluster Challenge Club comprises five competitors from Clifton State High School and five Cluster Primary students from Greenmount, Nobby and Pilton State Schools.
All students competed in their age groups in all events over the two-day P-12 Challenge which was jointly hosted by Aldridge State High School and Queensland Cowboy Racing.
Events included Working Equitation, Rider class, Roping, Cowboy racing, Cowboy Challenge, Ranch boxing, Ranch sorting, Presentation, Sporting (Barrels, Bending, Keyhole) Mechanical Cow and Reining.
The Clifton Cluster Challenge Club students rode exceptionally well with special mention of the following: Year 1; Brodie Thorpe (Pilton State School) Age Champion, Year 5 Keeley Atwell (Greenmount State School) Reserve Champion, Year 6 Brylee Nikolajuk (Nobby State School) Age Champion, Harriet Thorpe (Pilton State School) Reserve Champion, Year 9 Skylah Nikolajuk (Clifton State High School) – Finalist in Cowboy Challenge, Year 12 Maisie Atwell (Clifton State High School) – Reserve Champion.
“All students need to be congratulated on their exemplary behaviour, good horsemanship and competitiveness over the duration of the week,” Stockman’s Challenge Club Coordinator Brendon Thorpe said.
“They did their schools proud and the Clifton Cluster Challenge Club proud.
“We have competed in this event for the last two years running, and we were looking forward to some tough competition this year.
“All our riders from Year 1 to Year 12 exceeded my expectations,” Mr Thorpe said.
A total of a dozen riders ride regularly each week at either Goodwood Equine or Scott Keogh’s Horsemanship (weather permitting) under the instruction of Angie Siebel or Scotty Keogh.
The students would like to thank Angie and Scotty for their lessons, training and prepping them well for the events in the lead up.
Mr Thorpe said he would like to thank the parents
who helped transport the kids and their horses, team manager for away competitions this year Mrs Amanda Neville and last but not least Principal Mr Lou Oberholzer for supporting the students on our adventure.
Some riders are off to North Star in N.S.W for a three day camp over the second week of the holidays and Chinchilla and Goondiwindi for Horse Sports during term 3.
Some members of the club will travel to Stanthorpe for a Challenge weekend and all high school riders will compete in Pittsworth in the Percentile Cup draft in Term 4 before the end of the school year.
