The village of Willawarrin was put on the equine map recently when it hosted the fourth Annual Epic Horse Sale and Campdraft.
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Hundreds of people attended the three-day event where 95 registered Australian stock horses and quarter horses were offered for sale, along with several working dogs.
Elite campdrafting and performance horse breeding was showcased at the beautiful Macleay location as buyers from across the nation flocked to purchase some of the best bred and trained Australian horses.
Council worked closely with organisers Ray White Rural Kempsey, and Willawarrin Campdraft and Willawarrin Pony Club to support the event and improve the facilities at the rodeo ground in the lead up to the world-class event.
The collaboration between council and the local community saw working bees held to install new seating and a swing set, carry out electrical works, plant trees, and revamp the site.
At the Willawarrin Community Catch-up held in December last year, residents expressed a desire to work more closely with Council, improving facilities at the showground and creating events that would help raise the town's profile and attract visitors.
The partnership leading into the Epic Horse Sale and Campdraft saw Council and the community commit to really practical ways to work more closely together.
Council was pleased to be able to support the event and the community by:
- Installing a swing set that was previously located at Gladstone Memorial Park playground prior to its upgrade;
- Supplying timber for new seating;
- Supplying paint and paint brushes for tiered seating;
- Conducting electrical works on canteen/bar and administration building;
- and mowing and tidying of site.
Local user groups also repaired and installed new seating, painted tiered seating, installed a new concrete wash bay and planted trees. This is the first time that Willawarrin has hosted the annual Epic Horse Sale, which was live streamed by the Australian Equine Network.