Pete Comiskey won his fourth Gold Buckle Campdraft Championship at Willinga Park, this time riding Soda Blue Exotic. Image by JEM Photography.
Queensland campdrafter Pete Comiskey has claimed his fourth $100,000 Gold Buckle Campdraft Championship aboard Soda Blue Exotic before record crowds and packed grandstands at Willinga Park (8-11 July).
Pete Comiskey and Soda Blue Exotic produced a championship total of 179 to secure the coveted $100,000 winner’s cheque and add another title to victories in 2018 with Rodann Roanies Destiny, 2019 with Rodann Rip Off Chex, and 2023 with Ervine’s Just Jim.
Pete Comiskey and Soda Blue Exotic. Image by JEM Photography.
Fellow Queenslander Mark Buttsworth and Chances Granny Rocks pushed them all the way, finishing just half a point behind on 178.5 in a thrilling Open Final.
As the final scores were confirmed, the packed grandstand erupted in applause, recognising not only a fourth Gold Buckle title but the journey that had brought Comiskey and Soda Blue Exotic back to the winner’s circle. The victory provided a fitting conclusion to four days of outstanding competition, with spectators travelling from across Australia to experience the country’s richest campdraft.
The 2026 championship attracted almost 1,000 nominations and more than 240 competitors, with more than 1,500 competition runs completed across four days. More than $500,000 in cash and prizes was awarded throughout the program, including the $100,000 Gold Buckle Champion’s cheque, while close to 2,000 head of cattle were prepared and allocated for competition.
Established by the late Terry Snow AM, the Gold Buckle Campdraft Championship was created to provide Australian campdrafting with a championship worthy of the sport. Image by JEM Photography.
TERRY’S LEGACY
Established by the late Terry Snow AM, the Gold Buckle Campdraft Championship was created to provide Australian campdrafting with a championship worthy of the sport. Eight years later, it continues to reward excellence while showcasing the very best horses, riders and horsemanship Australia has to offer.
Willinga Park Managing Director Nick McDonald-Crowley said the 2026 championship reflected everything Terry Snow had hoped the Gold Buckle Campdraft Championship would become.
“This year we welcomed record crowds, with spectators travelling from across Australia to experience the Championship. To see the grandstands full, the arena lined with people and the atmosphere surrounding the Final was incredibly special.
“Terry believed campdraft deserved a world class championship. Eight years on, we are incredibly proud to see that vision continue to grow through the calibre of competition, the support of competitors, sponsors and spectators, and the quality of horsemanship on display throughout the week,” he added.
ROAD TO THE FINAL
The road to Saturday afternoon’s Final began with 401 combinations lining up in Round 1, each chasing one of just 60 Semi Final places. David Reiter and Millungaras Sparkles produced the benchmark performance with 90.5 points, collecting the $10,000 winner’s cheque from the $25,000 Round 1 prize pool.
The opening leaderboard immediately demonstrated the depth of the field. Reigning Gold Buckle Champion Hugh Miles, three-time winner Pete Comiskey and two-time winner Mat Holz (2022 with Nonda Last Frontier and 2024 with Hazelwood Country Blues) with all featured among the money earners, a reminder that even proven Gold Buckle winners would need to earn their place once again.
Matt Holz, a two-time Gold Buckle winner, with Hunter View Hard Hat Max. Image by JEM Photography.
If Round 1 identified the contenders, Round 2 reshaped the championship. Cameron Webster and Jewels delivered the standout performance of the round, posting 91.5 points to claim the $10,000 winner’s cheque. Behind them, the leaderboard reflected the resilience required to win a Gold Buckle, with Pete Comiskey featuring twice among the money earners alongside Todd Hammond, Wyatt Young, Robert Leach, Zeb Pearce, James Keyte, Troy Palmer, Mark Buttsworth and Ken Boulton.
The cattle played a major role in shaping the championship. They made riders work throughout the competition, testing position, judgement and horsemanship from the opening rounds through to the Final. Angus steers featured across much of the program, with Herefords used in the Terry Snow Restricted Open and again for the Gold Buckle Semi-Final and Final, ensuring every point had to be earned.
By Saturday morning, the field had been reduced from 401 starters to 60 semi-finalists, and by the afternoon only 28 horse and rider combinations remained with the opportunity to compete for more than $200,000 in final prize money.
Pete Comiskey and Soda Blue Exotic entered the Championship decider at the top of the Semi Final leaderboard. Image by JEM Photography.
Pete Comiskey and Soda Blue Exotic entered the Championship decider at the top of the Semi Final leaderboard after producing an 89 point run. Mat Holz and Hunter View Hard Hat Max followed closely on 88.5, while Comiskey also qualified Yaven Smooth Sailing and Mr Spears with matching scores of 88. Sam Campbell and Driving Miss Dainty and Mark Buttsworth and Chances Granny Rocks also recorded 88 points, ensuring the Final featured some of the country’s most accomplished horse and rider combinations.
When the Final was complete, Comiskey and Soda Blue Exotic had produced the winning total of 179.
Mark Buttsworth and Chances Granny Rocks finished just half a point behind in second place on 178.5 in a thrilling Gold Buckle Final. Image by JEM Photography.
Pete Comiskey and Soda Blue Exotic with Ginette Snow and Stephen Byron. Image by JEM Photography.
SHORTER TRIP BACK TO NEBO
Speaking in an interview following his win, Comiskey credited Soda Blue Exotic and reflected on the significance of claiming the Championship for a fourth time. Purchased by owner Peter Shakespeare from the Knight family as a young horse, Soda Blue Exotic has enjoyed considerable success under Comiskey, including winning the Australian Campdraft Association’s 2024/25 Champion Rookie Horse title.
“There’s no other sport like it in the world. What Terry Snow has done for this industry is just amazing. We’re blessed to be here,” Comiskey said.
Reflecting on what the victory meant before beginning the long journey home to Nebo in Central Queensland, Comiskey said, “It’ll make the trip back to Nebo a lot shorter.”
Comiskey also offered some advice to the next generation of riders watching from the grandstands: “If you want to go campdrafting, firstly try to find a decent horse. Then surround yourself with positive people. It is all about mindset and enjoying the journey.”
Comiskey and Soda Blue Exotic also secured the highest aggregate across all four rounds of the Gold Buckle, earning the prestigious RooHide saddle. RooHide has been part of the Gold Buckle story since the inaugural Championship in 2018 and has continued its long-standing support as a valued prize partner, with its saddles becoming one of the most recognised and sought after awards presented at Willinga Park. The prize recognised the consistency Comiskey and Soda Blue Exotic maintained from the opening rounds through to the Final, adding another significant honour to their championship campaign.
Their performance will also count towards the Longyard Hotel Aggregate Trophy, awarded to the highest aggregate achieved by the same horse and rider combination across the Gold Buckle Open and the Willinga at Juandah Plains Open. The overall winner will receive a custom built Chucka Cow Trailer valued at $46,200, to be presented on Saturday night at Willinga at Juandah Plains.
The Willinga at Juandah Plains Campdraft will be held in Wandoan, Queensland, from 26–30 August. Nominations open via Campdraft Central at 7.00am on 1 August for 24 hours, with the official program available now.
MANY MEMORABLE MOMENTS
While Comiskey’s fourth Gold Buckle provided the championship’s headline result, the feature events across the four days produced several of the week’s most memorable contests.
The Terry Snow Restricted Open delivered one of the defining moments of the championship when Toby Coulthard and Fig, 2025 champion Robert Leach and Hazelwood Congressman, and Pete Comiskey and Roy each posted 92 point runs to force a three-way runoff. With spectators crowding the arena fence and fellow competitors stopping to watch, Coulthard and Fig were first out and immediately threw down the challenge with a second 92-point performance.
Fiona Holz and Cass, pictured here with Mat Holz, won the Ladies Draft. Image by JEM Photography.
Neither combination could better the benchmark, handing the Wandoan horseman the $10,000 winner’s cheque from the event’s $30,000 prize pool. Leach finished second and Comiskey third after a contest that showcased the depth and quality of the Terry Snow Restricted Open field.
The Ladies Draft added another chapter to one of Australian campdraft’s best known families, with Fiona Holz and Cass producing a superb 92 point run to claim the 2026 title. With husband Mat Holz already a two-time Gold Buckle Champion, Fiona secured a major Willinga Park championship of her own and the $6,500 winner’s cheque from the event’s $20,000 prize purse.
Fiona was also presented with one of the event’s most distinctive prizes. Created exclusively for the Ladies Draft at the Gold Buckle Campdraft Championship, the pendant was designed and handcrafted in Australia by Palomino Jewels. Crafted in solid 18 carat white and rose gold, the Hereford steer features two brilliant cut black diamond eyes and hangs from a 45-centimetre solid 18 carat white gold trace chain. More than a prize, it is a lasting keepsake celebrating the achievement of winning one of the championship’s most prestigious titles.
Bryony Puddicombe beat Pete Comiskey to win the Novice Shoot Out. Image by JEM Photography.
BRYONY PIPS PETE
Another of the week’s most talked about stories unfolded in the Novice Shoot Out, where Central Queensland couple Bryony Puddicombe and Pete Comiskey found themselves competing for the same title. Based at Westpoint Station near Nebo, the pair have spent years travelling the Australian campdraft circuit together, breeding, training and campaigning horses while building careers that have earned them countless major titles.
After both riders posted 90-point performances, the championship was decided by a runoff that quickly became a crowd favourite among spectators and fellow competitors. With competitors lining the fence to watch, Puddicombe and Toonga Chrome produced the winning run to claim the Novice Shoot Out title with a combined score of 177.5. Sometimes the toughest competition comes from the person who knows you best.
The Feature Cut Out Final again proved one of the crowd favourites of the championship. Held under lights before an enthusiastic audience, the event showcased the precision, timing and stock sense that sit at the heart of campdraft. David Thorn and Bigg Redd rose to the occasion, producing an outstanding performance to claim the 2026 title on 25.
David Thorn and Bigg Redd rose to the occasion, producing an outstanding performance to claim the Feature Cut Out Final. Image by JEM Photography.
DJ Warren and Avalon Twilight won the Junior Draft. Image by JEM Photography.
“The next generation
also enjoyed its moment
in the spotlight….”
Earlier in the championship, Troy Palmer and WillingaPark Impressive Sassy claimed the Maiden Shoot Out on 89.5.
The next generation of Australian campdrafting also enjoyed its moment in the spotlight. The Junior Draft required a runoff after Sarah Langfield and Willie and DJ Warren and Avalon Twilight could not be separated at the end of competition. Warren and Avalon Twilight produced the stronger performance in the runoff to claim the Junior Draft Championship, while Zac Whipp and Elle secured the Juvenile Draft title.
From the silence of the Grand Entry and Australian National Anthem to the applause that followed the final presentations, the Gold Buckle Campdraft Championship again demonstrated why its significance extends well beyond prize money and results.
ANOTHER MILESTONE
As the final presentations concluded and competitors began preparing for the journey home, there was a sense that the 2026 Gold Buckle Campdraft Championship had reached another milestone. It was a Championship shaped by exceptional horses, cattle that demanded patience and judgement, and competitors who travelled from every corner of the country in pursuit of one of Australian campdraft’s most coveted titles.
It was also a championship celebrated by record crowds, packed grandstands and the unmistakable atmosphere that surrounded every major final. From the silence of the Grand Entry and Australian National Anthem to the applause that followed the final presentations, the Gold Buckle Campdraft Championship again demonstrated why its significance extends well beyond prize money and results.
Eight years after its inaugural running, Terry Snow’s vision continues to shape Australian campdraft. The Gold Buckle has become the Championship he imagined, where great horses, skilled riders, challenging cattle and a passionate campdraft community come together on one stage. For Pete Comiskey, it was a fourth Gold Buckle. For everyone who filled the grandstands at Willinga Park, it was another unforgettable chapter in one of the sport’s most respected Championships. EQ
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