Percentile Cup: High school campdraft hits its stride

THE High School Percentile Cup Campdraft has been run and won for 2018.

This past Remembrance Day weekend, saw the event run for its second year.

In 2017 the inaugural event attracted just 60 students from seven schools.

This year exceeded all expectations with 190 students from 26 schools competing at the Pittsworth Showgrounds.

Triumphant winners of the teams event eventually went to Rockhampton Grammar School (886), followed closely by the host school for this year, St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School (878), and third went to last years winner The Southport School (870).

The individual component was won convincingly by TSS student Jack Dowling riding Soda O (263). Equal second was shared by Courtney Eckhardt, Monique, and Riley Turner, Hawkeye (256). Third place went to Jordi Dowling, Flo (255) and fourth place was won by Howard Bassingthwaite, Slinky (254).

The Highest cut-out for the weekend was won by Emily Banks on Lethal San Badger (23). The best presented team which was judged during the grand entry was Toowoomba Grammar School.

The event was a vision brought to fruition by a 14-year-old St Margaret’s Anglican Girls College student Emily Curr (Mt Isa), who wanted to see ‘her’ sport become part of high school competition for her like-minded peers.

With support and guidance of parents Marcus and Shelley, she has created the event which involves each school gaining an aggregate from their combined individual scores, the highest of which takes out the coveted Perpetual Percentile Cup, donated by the Dowling family, Cloncurry.

Terry Hall, an icon in the sport, took on the massive task of judging almost 700 runs over the weekend and assisting the students when necessary.

The McNamee family of Lemontree Feedlot, Millmerran, along with Damien and Bridget Curr, Avondale, Pittsworth, provided high quality stock for the event, creating a level of camp drafting second to none.

Members of the Australian Campdraft Association management committee were also present to facilitate a compulsory Q&A session prior to competition to ensure knowledge of rules and safety for all students.

Sunday’s competition was paused for a very moving tribute to our diggers, as a lone horseman and the Australian flag circled the arena to the tune of the last post. The students from all schools must be commended on their exemplary behaviour, punctuality, respectfulness and sportsmanship displayed over the course of the weekend.

Murmurs over the weekend from the students were that this “will be the Warwick Gold Cup of kids camp drafting”. Some would say it is already there after witnessing the outstanding standard of competition that was presented by all teams.

The event also undoubtedly facilitated the growth and development of all participants, and the sport of camp drafting in general. The positive feedback and tremendous support that this event has received thus far from participating schools, sponsoring businesses, and the wider community, is an encouraging indicator for the future of this event.

Photos: Jo Thieme, www.jothiemephotography.com

Article courtesy of Fairfax Digital and Queensland Country Life