Working Cowhorse
R
...is alive & well in Australia!
ockhampton is the Beef Capital of
Australia, and the gateway to the
Great Barrier Reef, or the Great
Outback!
Since 2013, Central Queensland (CQ)
has grown the Working Cowhorse in
Australia. The introduction of the
Boxing Class took place in June 2013 at
a local AG Show, attracting 11 riders.
The Boxing Class is an introductory
class to Working Cowhorse. The
competitor runs a Reining pattern, then
on completion of that a single cow is let
into the arena, with the rider required
to ‘hold’ or ‘work’ it in a third of the
arena. They must show the judge what
the horse/rider combination is capable
of in 50 seconds. This class gives riders
an opportunity to grow knowledge in a
traditional event and develop skills, to
one day compete ‘Down the Fence’.
Since the introduction of this class
two and a half years ago, the Working
Cowhorse and its traditions has really
grown. Access to Training Days, Jackpot
Shows and Clinics, is available to learn
about these events.
The National Show in Tamworth has
seen numbers in the Working Cowhorse
grow from one competitor in 2013 to 26
in 2015. This year the Boxing Class is
included, and offered to Amateurs. Qld
Quarter Horse Assoc, (based in Capella),
ran their first Reining and Cowhorse
Feature Show - Spin it, Slide it, Turn it
in 2014.
2015 saw the first time in Australian
history that Boxing Class competitors
could receive AQHA points for their
registered Quarter Horse. The inclusion
of the Boxing Class in the 2015 AQHA
rulebook saw passionate frontrunners
ecstatic.
2016 sees the CQ Quarter Horse
Association hosting a three day show
in March, including the Boxing Class,
Working Cowhorse and Ranch Riding.
“Being able to include these events into
our program means great things for our
club and the growth of the industry”
says Shelley Lalor, committee member
of the CQQHA.
The two clubs, based four hours apart,
are very driven to cater for riders
wanting to become involved, and some
that are even crossing over from other
events, to be able to work a cow.
QQHA will be hosting the QLD State
Show in May where Boxing, Working
Cowhorse and Ranch Riding are in the
program. Likewise CQQHA have a three
day show in July and October, which also
include these events.
Jo McConnel of Just Say
Whoa Horsemanship
Page 50 • The Australian Quarter Horse Magazine • March • April • 2016
T
he Queensland Quarter Horse
Association (QQHA), based in
Capella Central Qld, is excited
to again host the AQHA Qld State
Championships in May 2016. The
Working Cowhorse’s return and the
inception of Boxing and Ranch classes
are thrilling.
The QQHA was established by a
small group of horse enthusiasts in
the late 70’s in the Central Qld town
of Comet. The first affiliate club to
become incorporated with the AQHA,
it created and ran the AQHA Qld State
Championships for the next 20 years
until transferred to South East Qld in the
late 90’s, thus ending the cattle classes.
Russell Jackson, QQHA President from
1994 -1999 and past AQHA Board
Director, recalls the huge numbers and
volunteers that turned out each year.
Working Cowhorse, as well Campdraft
and a small number of cutting events
were a usual inclusion in the AQHA Qld
State Championships.
In 2014 the QQHA created the “Buffel
Grass Challenge” in our Qld All Breeds
Championship Week. The Buffel Grass
Challenge incorporates Ranch Trail,
Reining, Boxing/Working Cowhorse and
Ranch Riding. In 2014 they sought to
carry on the success of the Boxing and
Working Cowhorse holding “Slide it,
Spin it, Turn it Working Cowhorse and
Reining Event”. This has been touted
as the largest Reining and Working
Cowhorse/Boxing event of its kind in
Queensland, if not Australia, with almost
200 runs for the weekend. A one day
Reining Clinic with Scott Burnett and
a one day Working Cow Horse/Boxing
Clinic, with Jo and David McConnel of
Just Say Whoa Horsemanship were
included.
The success continued throughout
2015, with the very first AQHA Amateur
Boxing Class at the Slide It, Spin It, Turn
It Working Cowhorse and Reining Event.
Jane Stephens, with Rockets Choice,
goes down in history as the first ever
AQHA Amateur Boxing Class winners.
Boxing has seen so many local riders
stepping up to Working Cowhorse in the
now Central Qld Quarter Horse Assoc.,
based in Rockhampton. They will hold a
similar event in March 2016, with Ranch
Riding, Boxing and Working Cowhorse.
Sharing with other local clubs they
find their strengths. Many of our local
riders now look to the National Show in
Tamworth.
Holding these classes at our local
level shows and the AQHA Qld State
Championships is exciting and looks at
encouraging a new generation of cattle
event riders and others from Western
Performance.
Working Cowhorse is alive and well in
Australia!
Author is Kelly-Anne Paragreen