THE dream of every campdrafter is to win a major draft at the Warwick Rodeo.

Michael Boyce achieved that dream in 1992 in the Canning Downs Campdraft riding Rifle Lady.

He also won the JHS Barnes Memorial Trophy for the horse with the best type, consistency and ability in the same year.

Michael first attended the Warwick Rodeo as a boy from Freestone at age nine and this year's is the first he has missed in the intervening 69 years. He competed in 60 successive years of drafting.

He has been suffering from ill health since July so is watching the live stream of this year's campdraft from the family home at Allandale, Nobby.

"Dad has told me how good the campdrafting is this year," said Hugh, the youngest of 11 children.

Nearly all of the family of Michael and Glenice Boyce have competed in campdrafting.

Once his children started in campdrafting, Michael has seldom been the only family member at an event: Often six members of the family were in the same draft.

He has lived the majority of his life at Felton East before they sold the property in 2009 and Michael and Glenice moved to Nobby.

Campdraft commentator Lorna Fanning said the great thing about watching Michael Boyce campdraft was his consistency.

His successes down the years have been numerous: Michael has made the final of the Warwick Gold Cup on seven occasions with a best placing of seventh on Rivoli Dollar.

At the inaugural Champion of Champions draft, Michael missed out on top billing by half a point riding Cattle Ray. With two judges in the Champion of Champions, placings can be determined by half a point.

Michael has trained horses galore during his career in campdrafting, often conditioning horses for family members to compete on at weekends.

"Dad bred the vast majority of his horses. He would be working his horses as early as 6am," Hugh said.

Like many in the sport, Michael endeavours to go to the top annual campdrafts, including Warwick each October, the Chinchilla Grandfather Clock, Australian Campdraft Association finals and Paradise Lagoons.

He rarely misses a campdraft on the Eastern Downs, always wanting to support the small committees, compete in the sport he loves and catch up with friends galore.