A horse has featured prominently in both sides of the Nutrien Classic Sale and Campdraft on Thursday, February 8.
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Day seven of the Nutrien Classic kicked off with the start of the sale and concluded with exciting campdraft finals action at the Australian Equine and Livestock Events Centre, Tamworth.
After a day full of sales which saw prices top at $110,000, the most anticipated event of the night was the Nutrien Classic Campdraft Final.
The crowd was electric on the hill, as spectators watched some of the most exciting young Australian performance horses at work.
The hill was treated to some incredible competition but it was one of the industry's best in Mark Buttsworth aboard Hard Currency (Hard Hat Henry x Yulgilbar Bails Cachet), owned by Dave Kennedy of Copabella Quarter Horses, Austral Eden, who claimed victory.
It was a special win for Kennedy who enjoyed watching his gelding compete in both the classic and challenge finals under two riders, Buttsworth and his protégé Paxton Pulford.
Hard Currency was a sentimental, and surprise, purchase at last year's sale - Kennedy said he did not expect to buy a horse last year.
The gelding's sire Hard Hat Henry was owned by Kennedy and was sadly lost prematurely in 2016. He couldn't resist taking home one of his progeny to bring back for the 2024 incentive events.
Prior to the final, Hard Currency was sold at the sale, fetching $40,000 in the ring.
He heads to the McClymonts of Hughenden, Qld, to continue his campdraft career.
In addition to his sale proceeds today, Kennedy also received $50,000 cash, a trophy saddle thanks to John Burgun of Roo Hide Saddlery, a service fee to Timed N Tuned thanks to Token Brahmans and Horses, a Lee Traynor garland and an Easy-On rug.
The competitive side of things had earlier commenced in the afternoon with the Jimmy Matthews Memorial Ladies Dash for Cash.
As the top lady riders from this week's events compete for an impressive prize pool, the winner was a popular one in a Walcha horsewoman Laura McNaughton.
She rode husband Ben's Always Again for 89 points in a beautiful run.
McNaughton takes home $5000 cash thanks to sponsorship by CM Pastoral (Craig and Carolyn McNabb), a stunning piece of jewellery from Tumut Jewellers, a service fee to The Metallist thanks to Hart Performance Horses, a gorgeous Lee Traynor garland and an Easy-On trophy rug.
To top things off, Laura also takes home a bottle of the famed Castine wine thanks to Des and Pat Castine.
It was a nail-biter in the Martins Stock Haulage Open Campdraft Final with the top five combinations coming into the final with just three points between them.
It came down to a run-off between Troy Palmer on EBs Bluetoonz and reigning champion Will Durkin on Evan and Kim Acton's talented mare Hazelwood Conspiracy.
In the end, another incredible 91-point run, with a total of 364, secured the win for Palmer.
Long-time sponsors Martins Stock Haulage continue their support for the event with cash awarded to the winner along with a Soda Justice service fee thanks to Willdraft Performance Horses and an Easy-On trophy rug.
The Nutrien Classic continues into the weekend with Sunday, February 11 being the final day of the event.
To read more about the purchases from the first day of the Nutrien Classic Sale, click here.
