ERASING the smile from the face of Gympie Pony Club member Bronte Newcombe is impossible after she won the 12-14 years Campdraft at the weekend's State Titles for Campdrafting, Gymkhana, Sporting and Mounted Games.

The competition was staged by the Gympie Pony Club between Friday and Sunday and Newcombe was the most successful local competitor.

The Campdraft and Gymkhana was held on Friday at the Gympie Pony Club and Gympie Horse and Rodeo Grounds, in Jane Street.

Meanwhile, Mounted Games and Sporting was hosted by the Gympie Showgrounds on Saturday and Sunday respectively.

Newcombe was unavailable for comment yesterday, but Gympie Pony Club publicity officer Michelle Winston was excited by the result.

“She did so well,” she said.

“Bronte was competing against 44 competitors in her group and had to do two near-perfect runs.”

Newcombe enjoyed the familiar surrounds to compose herself at the start of the event before producing some of her best form to date.

A high standard of competition from across Queensland made this no easy feat.

FOR those unfamiliar with Campdrafting, the Australian Bushmen's Campdraft and Rodeo Association (ABCRA) best summarises.

“Campdrafting involves a mounted rider riding into a camp which has six to eight head of cattle in it,” the website explains.

From there, the rider must select a beast and turn the animal at least two times before the judges to demonstrate control.

Gates are then opened in a much bigger arena for the rider to work the animal in a figure eight course.

Once completed, the beast is directed through a final gate to finish the event.

According to the ABCRA, points are awarded for “horsemanship and control ... within set time limits”.

As a consequence of her achievement, Newcombe has now been named as one of four riders in the Queensland Campdrafting team.

“The entire club is so happy for Bronte and this achievement,” Winston said. “It's a big first.”

The young rider's achievement is also a standing tribute to many hours of hard work preparing for the event.

Meanwhile, in other results, Gympie was able to enjoy a small degree of success in the mounted games.

One team finished seventh while another was unlucky to miss out on a top five finish.

Another team collected fifth and showed plenty of promise for future events.

“The mounted games ran very smoothly,” Winston said. “It was a great spectacle for the crowd.”

A second wave of dust on Sunday was not enough to deter the hardy competitors at the Showgrounds.

“We didn't notice it at all,” Winston said.

“So much dust gets thrown up in the ring anyway.”

Overall, the Gympie Pony Club was flushed with success following the last sporting event on Sunday.

And while the last of competitors were still packing up and vacating the Showgrounds yesterday, Winston says the success is due to the army of volunteers.

“Carol Badger and Andrew Newcombe did a lot of work to make the event happen,” she said.

“But we were also fortunate to have so many volunteers wanting to help the club.”

In fact, the club had the rare problem of too many volunteers. “We had to ask a few just to kick back and relax at times!” Winston said.

The Gympie Times will have all the results from the big weekend of action available later in the week.