While the annual Muswellbrook Charity Rodeo was called off on Saturday, local and visiting riders were put through their paces in tough conditions.

Organisers received more than 1000 entries for the two-day event.

For the uninitiated, campdrafting involves a mounted rider riding into a “camp”, which has six-to-eight head of cattle in it.

They then isolate one steer or heifer from the group – and bring it to the front of the camp.

The rider turns the beast at least two or three times to prove to the judge that they have the animal under control. 

The participant then calls for the gates to be opened, before proceeding to draft (work) the steer around a figure eight course in a larger arena.

Generally, the course is set to the left and once the beast has gone around the left peg, it must then be drafted around a peg on the right.

Once that is completed, the rider guides the steer through the “gate”, which is two pegs placed apart.

And, once gated, the campdraft is complete and the rider can be awarded up to a total of 100 points.