Peter Boulton competing on Day 1 of the Nutrien Classic riding Reflex
© “supplied by Nutrien Classic, photographed by Jo Thieme Photography
The 2021 Nutrien Classic – Australia’s premier campdrafting competition and performance horse sale – will be underway in Tamworth from Friday 29 January – Sunday 7 February. The 2021 event will see an increase in cash and prizes up for grabs and an additional day added to the program.
Held at the Australian Equine and Livestock Events Centre (AELEC) in Tamworth, The Classic Campdraft followed by the Sale, annually hosts competitors, vendors, buyers and visitors from all areas of regional and remote Australia.
Nutrien’s Mark Barton said that The Classic is an annual social and economic highlight and one of the highest revenue-generating events for the Performance Horse industry.
“2019 was one of the hardest years for our breeders, trainers, vendors and competitors due to the lingering effects from the North Queensland Floods, the ongoing impact of widespread drought, and the devastation of bushfires; yet despite all of this, 2020 was our highest grossing sale.”
“The Classic is crucial to the Performance Horse Industry, and with the cancellation of the majority of campdrafts and sales in 2020 due to COVID-19, our team was determined to do whatever it took to ensure the event could go ahead to give the industry a platform to do what they love and make some money while doing it.”
Over the 14 years since its inception, The Classic has continued to grow and bolster the sector. It has generated in excess of $35 million in performance horse sales, boasted some of the highest quality competition and prizes, drawn visitors from all over Australia and gained international interest.
Attracting high-class competition, the campdraft will make up the first six days of The Classic, providing riders and trainers with the chance to showcase their talents while competing. This year will see an increase to cash and prizes with $360,000 up for grabs, making The Classic the highest paying campdraft competition in Australia.
Mark Barton said in addition to a great round of competition, the sale is a major drawcard to the event and provides a huge boost to many businesses and livelihoods.
“The Classic is attended by vendors and buyers from regional and remote parts from all over the country and with people not being able to travel as freely this year, we have decided to host the sale online via Auctions Plus to enable participation from afar.”
This is not the only adaptation to The Classic in 2021 as a result of COVID-19. The usual nine-day event will be changed to a 10-day event and see earlier start times in place each day. This will allow for competitors and handlers to be more widely spread out and practice social distancing, whilst also allowing extra time for regular thorough cleaning to take place in-between events and across the venue.
Single entry and exit points, crowd tracing and capacity controlling, and social distancing measures are just some of the other measures that will be strictly enforced throughout The Classic.
Tamworth Nutrien Equine Sales Coordinator, Darby Smith said, “The health and safety of The Classic participants, our team and the wider Tamworth community is of upmost importance to us; and together with the AELEC team, we have worked tirelessly to implement strict measures to ensure that The Classic runs as a fully COVID-safe event.”
“We thank all NSW government departments who have supported us, and equipped us with the recommendations and tools to enable The Classic to forge ahead for its 14th year.”
“We are really looking forward to hosting another great Classic, providing everyone with something to look forward to, and contributing to the overall success of the Performance Horse Industry in the coming days,” he said.
For more information and to tune into The 2021 Nutrien Classic Campdraft, visit Nutrien Equine. To view or participate in the 2021 sale component of The Classic, visit AuctionsPlus.
