AQHA MAGAZINE May / June 2020 AQHA May-June YB 2020 WEB LR | Page 58

PG.56
AQHA PROFILE
LET’S GET TO KNOW . . . YOUTH CAMPDRAFTER
Hamish
Palmer
ARTICLE BY: LYN HOFFMANN © 2020 V PHOTOS BY: JODIE ADAMS PHOTOGRAPHY, PURPLE FAIRY IMAGERY & JOHN BURGESS
Put up on a horse before he could walk, he’s loved horses and riding ever since.
Now, 15yo Hamish Palmer is riding some very handy Quarter Horses
whilst proving himself in the sport of Campdrafting.
HAMISH, WHAT WAS IT THAT DREW
YOU TOWARDS CAMPDRAFTING?
‘Well, Mum was always keen for us to go eventing
and showjumping, and I do have some really
wonderful memories of our days at Nundle Pony
Club. We competed in many of those types of
competitions, and rode with family and friends. But
my Dad, brother Nick and I all just wanted to follow
in the paths of Poppie Trevor Palmer, my Uncle
Troy and Mark Palmer, and go Drafting!’
SO, WITH YOUR ENTHUSIASM
FOR WANTING TO COMPETE IN
CAMPDRAFTING, WHAT WERE
YOUR NEXT STEPS?
‘We attended clinics at Inverell and Narrabri, under
the watchful eyes of some great horsemen like
Troy Clarke, Mike Wilson, Craig Ervine and Wyatt
Young – just to name a few. It was something I really
enjoyed and got so much out of. We spent much
of our time chasing cattle, working on cutting out
in the camp, doing time trials, flat work, sporting,
polocrosse, showjumping and plenty more. We did
a bit of everything, really. It was fun.’
YOUR FIRST CAMPDRAFT WAS IN 2015 AT
UPPER HORTON. WHAT HORSE DID YOU
COMPETING ON AND HOW DID YOU GO?
‘It was great! I competed on a big solid gelding
called Keystone. He was bred by Michael Rapley
and was by Colour Bars, out of a Rhythmic mare.
We’d just completed the Narrabri Clinic, so I was
super keen to have a run! Keystone knew his job
& looked after me both in the camp & outside. I
think we were lucky & I made it round the first peg.
I had a blast & wished I could have had another
go! We continued doing lots of Clinics, competing
in Challenges, and my brother and I did the Inter-
Schools and horse sports. By 2016 the whole family
began competing, including Mum.’
YOU HAD SOME SUCCESS AT YOUR
FIRST ABCRA NATIONAL FINALS.
CARE TO FILL US IN?
‘Sure, I competed at the 2017 Nationals on an
ASH mare, Tecoma Diamond Dove, by the AQHA
stallion, Freckles Fortyniner Q27292, and won one
round out from three and had a minor placing in
another. They were my first finals and I found the
experience to be really exciting and it was awesome
to be surrounded by family & friends. I wanted to
do well, so it was fantastic to win the second round.’
AUSTRALIAN QUARTER HORSE ASSOCIATION - WWW.AQHA.COM.AU