A total of 60 riders (38 senior riders and 22 junior) competed during the two day event over the weekend for prizes and prize money.

Team Penning is one of the fastest growing horse sports in America at present and has taken off in the last 12 months at Wudinna. It has now proven itself on the East side of the Spencer Gulf at Quorn.

Team Penning gives a team of three riders 90 seconds to pen three head of cattle with a designated color from a mob of about 30 head.

The cattle have different colored collars. There are three cattle with every color combination, ie: three cattle in the mob have blue collars, three others have pink .

As riders approach the starting line at the middle of the arena as a team, the judge will call the color and there is 20 seconds to commence.

From this point forward the team has 90 seconds to pen three head of their designated colored cattle and there must not be any more than five cattle over the foul line at any time.

Once the cattle are penned, at least one team member must have their horse’s nose cross the gate of the pen

of cattle and raise their arm to call time.

New South Wales horseman Phil Rodey was present during the weekend and deemed the event comparable with events interstate. Phil is conducting clinics in Wudinna on colt breaking, horsemanship and cattle work this week.

Ten members of the Wudinna Team Yarders were keen competitors over the weekend. President Cindy Dennis and vice-president Scrubber O’Brien assisted with the juniors, provided an auctioneer and many other areas to help with a smooth running weekend.

Local horsewoman and previous national barrel racing champion, Rachel Fraser facilitated the junior development sessions at lunchtime on Saturday and Sunday. The focus on Saturday was on barrel racing and Sunday focused on general horsemanship skills to assist children with working cattle on horseback.

These clinics were provided free of charge to children of families competing in the Team Penning over the weekend. Children from Wudinna, Whyalla, Tumby Bay, Leigh Creek, Port Augusta and Quorn participated.

The next event to be held at the Stockyard Arena is a three day trail ride on the June long weekend and the next team penning event is in September.

PHOTO: TEAMWORK...Molly Hill and Amy-Lee Dunn took part in the team penning competition held at the Stockyard Arena in Quorn on the weekend. Photo by Tim Froling