FROM a champion campdrafter to tennis stars, Richmond Valley Council's Australia Day awards list shows Casino has plenty of athletic ability.
Top young Casino district campdrafter Clifton Davis, who was sporting reserve champion at the NSW championships last year and part of the State’s team to compete at the Queensland championships, is one of a high-calibre list of nominees in the running for Richmond Valley’s young sportsperson of the year Australia Day award.
Clifton, 16, has been a horseman since the age of 4, winning events and being named champion at various levels from day one.
At the Queensland event last year, he was State sporting champion 15-17 and was winner of the Ted Toohill Shield for the highest overall point score over all ages.
Last year, he ventured into show jumping and started notching up wins on the Northern Rivers show circuit very quickly, along with pony club gymkhanas.
His ability has even taken him to New Zealand, when he was last year selected to be part of a pony club exchange team.
Alongside his obvious talent, his strength is very much in his community-mindedness, with all those involved in the horse sports he competes in saying he is always first to help in setting up and packing up, guiding younger riders and even lending a hand in the canteen.
His sportsmanship, commitment and achievements have made him a standout in his field, according to both show and campdrafting officials.
He looks after his horses at his family’s Piora property.
Other nominees in Richmond Valley’s young sportsperson category are rugby union and league player Jack Denson, 11; State level softball and netballer Mikayla Coe, 12; soccer star Keely Maguire, 17 and tennis extraordinaires Maddison Morrissey, 13, Max Simpkins, 11, Sam Siddon, 11 and Tylah Robinson, 11.
Senior sportsperson nominees are rugby league player Todd Johnson and physical culture’s Jessica Freeburn.
Citizen of the year nominees at Richmond Valley are community volunteer Robyn Spruce and rescue squad stalwart Rhonda O’Connell, while volunteer of the year nominees are Michael Pontefract and Lawrie Bonner.