Keeping Warwick's premier event strong
THE spectacle of the Warwick Rodeo and Campdraft involves a lot of moving pieces to ensure it flows smoothly.
Frasers Livestock Transport is one of those vital pieces in the puzzle, ensuring livestock make it to the Warwick Showgrounds to compete in Australia's biggest rodeo and campdraft adored by both participants and spectators.
Managing director Ross Fraser said thousands of cattle were a part of the campdrafting process.
"About 3000 head of campdrafting cattle were involved this year, of which we carted about 2000,” Mr Fraser said.
"A lot of preparation was involved beforehand with the campdraft cattle committee sourcing quality cattle for a prestigious campdraft such as Warwick.
"It is interesting to see Troy Palmer, the winner of the Gold Cup who has been attending for nearly 25 years, saying it was probably the best lot of cattle he has seen at the Warwick campdraft.”
Mr Fraser said the campdraft committee and selection panel should be praised for their work.
"It's not an easy job to go around and source these cattle, all on voluntary time, where the quality is vital to the success of the event,” he said. "The cattle committee need to select cattle that have not been campdrafted before, which is not as easy as it sounds.
"They have to rely on cattle owners to let them know if they have been previously drafted or not.”
Mr Fraser also commended the important role played by owners in helping the event to run to plan.
"The success of the campdraft also comes from the commitment of cattle owners,” he said.
"A lot of work goes into mustering cattle and preparing them for transport into the showgrounds.
"When they go back home, they have to draft them and put them back into respective paddocks.
"A lot of the cattle was donated, so it really was a big effort from owners.”
The involvement of the Frasers' in the Warwick Rodeo and Campdraft stretches over decades, something Mr Fraser is proud of.
"We've been sponsoring events at the rodeo for 60 years,” he said.
"For the past 18 years we have sponsored the stallion campdraft.
"Being a local family business, it is important for us to support events such as these. "It's an honour to be involved in a spectacle as important and famous as this in the community.
"The Warwick Show and Rodeo Society should be commended on the way the event was conducted and carried out.
"Frasers is looking forward to being on board again next year.”