King of the Ranges Top Ten

The annual King of the Ranges challenge at Murrurundi has drawn a bumper crowd to town for the weekend but forget the King – it’s the Saturday goat races that brings the kids out of the woodwork.

Murrurundi’s Bridie Crowe takes the reins in the goat races

“It’s a great crowd pleaser,” announcer Brian Hunt said.
About 40 kids took on the challenge of sitting in a small cart drawn by a wild billy goat and all of them had a ball – even the ones who ended up on the dirt.
First-time judge Andrew Swain said the rules were basic.
“The kid who stays on the longest or makes it to the other end of the grounds first wins.”
Easy.

And it was Murrurundi’s Ryan Taylor who stayed on the most times all the way to the finals, beating Ryan Palmer of Quirindi.
There was also plenty of other activity for the day including tent pegging and horse ball displays as well as the cross country phase of the Challenge.
By late evening, going by the results on the wall David Mitchell was about 10 points ahead of Bronson Macklinshaw with John Mitchell about 30 points further along.

Judge Andrew Swain with first and second placed in the goat races – Ryan Taylor (right) Murrurundi and Ryan Palmer, Quirindi.

Local rider Lauren Hunt taking a leap during the cross country phase

In the Poley buckjump it was Nick Green who won the competition.

The Top Ten

1 David Mitchell 554.750

2 Bronson Macklinshaw 543.325

3 John Mitchell 512.950

4 Morgan Webb 480.825

5 Stephen Connor 474.400

6 Matt Connor 469.400

7 Dan Lindley 469.050

8 Carl Green 467.500

9 Dave Rixon 458.800

10 Sam Webb 454.900