Warwick Rodeo & Campdraft Attracts Best in the Country

Steve Comiskey, Lyra Park, Capella, won the 2009 Gold Cup Campdraft on his self-bred eight year old mare, Delta. Picture: MIKE KENYON, www.kenyonsportsphotos.com.au

On the last full weekend of October every year, the nation’s top rodeo riders and the best broncs and bucking bulls gather for the Warwick Rodeo – known far and wide as “Australia’s Most Famous”. As famous as the rodeo is the campdrafting side of the famous Warwick events, which commences on Monday 25 October, with the main Rodeo Events commencing on Friday evening 29 October.

At the legendary rodeo, the riders and the bucking stock come together to try and prove the old saying wrong – “never the horse that couldn’t be rode, never the rider that couldn’t be throwed”. Warwick Rodeo was immortalized in song by Australian country music legend Buddy Williams in the early 1940s but well before then, Warwick had a tradition of horsemanship and great riders to match the city's sandstone buildings, fine churches, rose gardens and wide, tree-lined streets.

Today, Warwick Rodeo and Gold Cup Campdraft attracts crowds in excess of 30,000 people with competitors and horses travelling from every mainland state to compete. This year will mark the 81st Warwick Rodeo and Campdraft.

The six day program of events keep the competitors and crowds coming back each year, with plenty of prize money for competitors and plenty of action for spectators.
The traditional Australian event of campdrafting kicks off the program, with the first round of the Ladies Silver Cup Campdraft followed by the first rounds of the two richest 'drafts in Australia – the Warwick Gold Cup and the Canning Downs Campdraft.

Known by many as the "Melbourne Cup" of campdrafting, the Warwick Gold Cup attracts more riders and offers more prize money than any other campdraft in Australia. Worth over $55,000 plus a gold cup and a trophy saddle, it is, and has been for many years, regarded as the Australian Championship Campdraft.

The Canning Downs Campdraft also offers a significant prize worth $25,000 and its own trophy saddle as does Friday’s $5,000 Stallion Campdraft.

Friday night sees the start of the rodeo events, under lights with two hours of action-packed ridin' and ropin' along with live music, full bar facilities and barbecue on the grounds. In town there's the Friday night Mardi Gras with 'Celebrity Horse Race' and 'Warwick's Got Talent' talent quest.

Come Saturday morning, action starts early in the rodeo arena while down-town visitors are treated to the the Credit Union Street Parade & the Potter’s Craft Markets in Leslie Park.

After the parade, attention returns to the rodeo arena where there are campdraft finals and rodeo action through until 9.30pm when the hospitality area comes alive with a live band and dancing under the stars.

Those who survive Saturday night on the grounds will be there early for the second round of the Warwick Gold Cup on Sunday and then it's rodeo action all morning before an afternoon of finals.

The first final – the Warwick Gold Cup – starts at noon and then the top 12 riders in all six open rodeo events and the wild horse racing decide who takes home the major portion of prize money in the best rodeo action to be seen anywhere in Australia.

For more information and details on the program, visit

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