HORSEMEN and women are preparing for a huge weekend of competition at the annual King of the Ranges Stockman’s Challenge.
Fifty five competitors will converge on Murrurundi for the four-day event which begins today.
Men’s, women’s and junior competitors will compete in pack horse and stock handling, the whipcrack, a bareback obstacle course, shoeing and cross country, with the top ten competitors going on to the wild horse catch and stock saddle buckjump.
The open challenge winner takes home $10,000.
Challenge co-ordinator Hilary Turner said most competitors were from NSW or Victoria, but there was one keen horseman coming from Darwin.
“Challenges have become very popular and King of the Ranges has a huge following,” she said.
Organisers are expecting a crowd between 4000 and 5000 people, and there’s plenty of the non horse riders to take in, with dog trials, goat races, trick riding, and demonstrations from the Paws Up team.
