NICHOLAS Murray is a 13-year-old rider who has recently competed in the campdraft event at the Australian Bushmen's Campdraft and Rodeo Assocation (ABCRA) national finals held in Tamworth.
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He grew up in Bunyah on his family's Australian Stock Horse Stud, 'Ela Stock Horse Stud', competing and placing in the juvenile age group at campdrafts across NSW.
He has been riding horses since he was four and began riding competitively at the age of nine.
He won his age group draft at the Nabiac Junior Rodeo, placed divided fourth/fifth at the Wingham draft, placed second and fifth at the Nabiac Show draft and second at the Dungog draft. He also placed at the Branxton draft.
Nicholas is the Manning River Times-Iguana Sportstar of the Week, earning a $50 open order at Iguana.
These accumulated achievements ranked Nicholas 13th in Australia and qualified him and his horse 'Ela Miss Boss' for the juvenile event at the national finals where he placed divided second/third in the second round and won the aggregate cut-out across all three rounds of the competition. Nicholas was also awarded the judge's award for most improved rider.
Nicholas grew up in a family of campdrafters. His father Wayne Murray is a renowned campdrafter who qualified to compete in the open horse and open rider campdraft events at the ABCRA National Finals in Tamworth. Wayne went into the finals for the open horse event ranked No 1 in Australia and has also won the 2015 Australian stock horse open campdraft horse of the year on their stallion 'Ela Kookaburra'.
The new camp drafting season will start in a matter of weeks and that will see Nicholas and family on the road most weekends for competition.
This can take them anywhere from Singleton, to Tamworth and Kempsey along with more localised events.