‘Grabbed the bull by the horns and hung on’: How the Nutrien Classic put performance horses back on the map

The Nutrien Classic is bringing the cowboy cultural phenomenon to life as the Tamworth team host the 18th annual sale with 5000 visitors expected to get their country on in Tamworth this week.??

Nutrien Livestock Agent and event co-founder Mark Barton said the Nutrien Classic Sale was born in 2008 out of frustration toward gaps in the market of the performance horse industry.??

“Compared to the sheep and cattle market, there was no one really in performance horses saying ‘look, this is a bona fide industry’,” Barton told Nutrien.??

“The campdrafters were separate to cutters who were separate to polocrosse, there was no one event bringing everyone together. If you look at what the industry has evolved to be, it’s because all the sectors have finally come together in a united approach.???

“We’ve now got an industry that’s world class and a sale that’s world class. There’s a lot of things that we do with our event that’s unique and it's been replicated around the world.”??

he strength of the Australian Performance Horse industry?is also reflective of the beef market across Northern NSW and Queensland, where majority of the horses are sold to.??

According to Nutrien Ag Solutions Market Insights Analyst Ethan Woolley, consecutive strong seasons and confidence in the beef market is expected to have a positive influence on this year’s sale.?

“Following consecutive years of strong seasonal conditions, fundamentals look to be supportive of the Northern Cattle Industry which relies heavily on performance horses,” Woolley said.??

“Confidence in the Northern cattle industry is strong and given the relationship between performance horses and cattle production, this sentiment should follow through to equine markets.”??

As the Nutrien Classic has gained momentum, uniting beef producers, horse lovers and exceeding $100 million in sales over the past decade, Barton said recent spotlight on the industry has also had a big impact on recent success.???

“The amount of people that have that romance of owning a horse, that’s certainly a part of it. I get a kick out of Yellowstone and Territory, particularly with the number of blokes that want to be a cowboy now,” he said??

“As corny as the shows are, I do think they've had a big impact on our industry. It just gives people have a connection and interest back to animal production and it’s great to see there’s something driving that romantic and emotional connection back to horses and agriculture.???

“And I’d love to say the success of the Classic is due to exceptional planning, but we’ve just grabbed the bull by the horns and hung on.”