Mountain Cattlemen’s get-together: Permit pain for challenge organisers

Upper Murray pair Daryl Baines and Hayley Hinton won the Cattlemen’s Get-Together Challenge, but it wasn’t without controversy. See the details.

The wild horse catch at the Mountain Cattlemen’s Association of Victoria annual get-together was dropped at the last minute when strict permit requirements set down by Agriculture Victoria couldn’t be met.

The event, which requires riders to catch a horse using a halter, was scheduled to be the finale for the six finalists in the men’s and women’s challenges at the three-day get-together held at Omeo Valley at the weekend.

But due to a brumby catch being classed as a rodeo event meant horses had to be sourced from an accredited contractor to comply with permit conditions.

MCAV women’s challenge winner Hayley Hinton “decorates” her horse in the final event. Picture: Yuri Kouzmin

Organisers instead went ahead with an event described as “wild horse decorating” where competitors had to pin a paperclip to a horse’s mane.

The young horses used in the event were sourced locally and didn’t meet the permit accreditation requirements set out in legislation aimed at ensuring animal welfare.

Only a small number of accredited contractors exist nationally.

“The wild horse catch is technically a rodeo event and horses have to come from an accredited provider,” a MCAV spokeswoman said.

“Unfortunately we only found out about the permit requirements on Wednesday, which did put us in a bit of a spot.”

Ruby McCourt attempts to “decorate” her horse in the women’s challenge final event at the MCAV get-together at Omeo Valley. Picture: Yuri Kouzmin

The winners of the men’s and women’s challenges, Upper Murray-based duo, Daryl Baines and Hayley Hinton, reluctantly accepted the last minute changes to the event they both previously won in 2019.

“It was better than no brumby catch at all,” Hinton said.

“But it would be good to see a brumby caught.

“It really shows better horsemanship having to put a halter on and handling that horse.”

Baines said: “Personally I didn’t like the idea, but it turned out all right for me.”

Agriculture Victoria has been contacted for comment.

The MCAV event doesn’t run a rodeo alongside the challenge unlike the Man from Snowy River Bush Festival at Corryong.

The iconic Cattlemen’s Cup race has also been dropped from the MCAV get-together program in recent years.

MCAV get-together challenger winners Hayley Hinton and Daryl Baines. Picture: Yuri Kouzmin

Baines was sitting fourth in the men’s challenge heading into the final day.

But a “good run” in the obstacles event and being able to “decorate” his horse within 20 seconds shot him into first place with 572 points.

He finished five clear of overnight leader, Sam Webb, with both competitors level heading into the final event.

Webb also “decorated” his horse, but not as quick as the eventual winner.

“It would be one of my bigger wins,” Baines, a farm manager, said.

“To set a horse up for this sort of event is years in the making.”

Another Upper Murray-based competitor, David Mitchell, was third on 562 points.

Hinton led the women’s challenge heading into the final day and maintained her advantage in the final two events where she scored strongly in the obstacles.

She also successfully “decorated” her horse inside the final minute.

“A lot of time goes into it,’ Hinton said.

“We’ve spent the last month or so travelling around to these type of events.

“Just the people are what makes these events, but a lot of work does go into it.”

MCAV challenge winners, from left, Hayley Hinton, Daryl Baines and Luke Turnbull. Picture: Yuri Kouzmin

Hinton finished on 541 points to win by 66 points from Kelsie Lupson, who improved from fifth spot overnight with a strong showing in the last two events.

Hannah Blair was third on 428 points.

The junior event was taken out by Tom Groggin Station employee Luke Turnbull on 418 points from Harrison Scarlett on 363 points.