HEADING into the finals of the Australian Bushmen's Campdraft and Rodeo Competition in Tamworth on the weekend, Bulahdelah teen Jayden Dorney was still holding the top position in the juvenile ranks.
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Dorney started his quest to take out the 2013 Juvenile Australian Bushmen's Campdraft and Rodeo Association title a year ago.
He campdrafted nearly every weekend, drafting all over NSW and competing in 52 drafts.
He won and placed at many of the drafts, going into the finals last weekend at Tamworth 34 points ahead of his main rival.
"Each Friday we would pack up the truck and horses and drive all over the state," his mother, Nickie Dorney, said.
"We travelled to Molong, Coonamble, Camden, Coutts Crossing - so many different places."
Dorney won his first campdraft last year on his stock horse Nicholette at Ulmarra, on Dorthe North Coast.
The points collected at each draft get tallied and then at the end of the year the top 25 in each category compete at the national finals on the Australia Day long weekend.
"Jayden has been a very keen competitor, keeping his horses exercised and in top form," Mrs Dorney said.
"He has had a very busy year travelling up to seven hours to compete at a draft, getting up early to have his horses warmed up and ready to compete, sometimes at 6.30am, which is a very cold start in the winter time."
Dorney was expected to finish the weekend in Tamworth with the national juvenile title.