Key Facts:
Warwick Rodeo & Gold Cup Campdraft
Monday 20 to Sunday 26 October
TICKETS HERE: Campdraft - Warwick Show & Rodeo Society
Warwick Rodeo & Gold Cup – to bring world-class campdrafting and rodeo within easy reach of the city this October
From campdraft's uniquely Australian roots to broncs and bulls in the arena, Warwick will shine as campdraft and rodeo HQ
Known as the 'Melbourne Cup' of campdrafting, the Warwick Gold Cup celebrates a sport born from Australia's legendary stockmen and women, making it the nation's most prestigious event of its kind, and drawing more riders and prize money than any other.
With a $370,000 prize pool, bespoke saddles, gleaming trophies, and an array of awards, it's long been regarded as the Australian Championship Campdraft, where the best of the best go head-to-head with the finest stock in the country.
Then add a world class rodeo!! Every October, the Warwick Gold Cup runs alongside the legendary Warwick Rodeo, where the nation's top cowboys take on champion broncs and bucking bulls.
TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW, with organisers urging fans to buy theirs, and organise accommodation as the week is set to fill this year as all things country takes over!
Immortalised in song by country music great Buddy Williams in the 1940s, the Warwick Rodeo carries a proud tradition of horsemanship, set in a town famed for its historic sandstone buildings, rose gardens, and wide, tree-lined streets.
Today, this combined celebration of skill, grit, and heritage draws more than 30,000 spectators, with competitors and horses travelling from every mainland state to be part of the action.
Warwick Rodeo & Gold Cup Campdraft: Monday 20 to Sunday 26 October
Australia's most famous rodeo returns in 2025 with a full week of action, adrenaline, and authentic country spirit.
7 Days of Campdrafting: From the crack of the whip to the final run, the nation's best campdrafters will go head-to-head for the sport's most sought-after buckles.
4 Days of Rodeo Action (Thursday to Sunday): Expect powerhouse performances in the arena as we bring you thrills, spills and world-class competition all week long.
100+ Stalls and Food for Every Craving: Browse, shop and discover with a massive range of Western wear, local makers, gifts, art, gear and more, plus a delicious selection of food trucks and stalls means you'll never go hungry – or thirsty.
2 Big Nights of Live Entertainment: Let your hair down with live music and a lively crowd – the perfect way to wrap up each day.
A HISTORY ETCHED IN DIRT AND GRIT
Horse-breaking competitions were recorded at Canning Downs as far back as 1857, on the very first station settled in Queensland in 1840, just east of where Warwick now stands.
Australia's first 'official' rodeo was held at Gayndah, Qld, in 1897, and Warwick's own debut came in 1906 as a Bushman's Carnival at Queen's Park Showgrounds. It's been held ever since, pausing only for floods, drought, war, not even Equine Influenza could halt the cattle events. By the 1930s, bigger prize money and more contestants saw Warwick Rodeo recognised as the Australian Championships. Back then, riders brought their own bucking horses, tying them to a central snubbing post, blindfolding them for mounting, and letting them loose when ready. The wilder the buck, the higher the score. As demand grew, Warwick began assembling its own string of broncs, with legendary secretary E.J. "Ned" Portley travelling far and wide during the Great Depression to buy the best. These Warwick buckjumpers became so famous they were sent by train to Sydney's Royal Easter Show, Brisbane's Ekka, Rockhampton's Rocky Round-Up, and beyond. The era of the committee-owned broncs lasted until 1982, when contract bucking stock began replacing the half-wild local mobs. But Warwick's rodeo spirit had already been immortalised, from Buddy Williams' 1945 recording Heading for the Warwick Rodeo to hosting the Australian Championships in 1947. By 1955, Warwick Rodeo proudly adopted the title: Australia's Most Famous.
THE AUSTRALIAN SPORT OF CAMPDRAFTING
Founded in the skills of Australian stockmen and women working cattle on vast rural properties, campdrafting has grown from an essential bush skill into one of the country's most uniquely Australian competitions. It combines horsemanship, courage, and instinct with the deep knowledge of working cattle, and it remains a sport you'll only find on Australian soil. Unlike rodeo events, which trace their roots to American cowboy traditions, campdrafting is entirely homegrown, an Australian invention that celebrates the everyday skills of stockmen and women in a competitive setting.
Australia's on of the richest Campdraft
The Warwick Gold Cup is Australia's most prestigious campdraft, and in 2022, the prizemoney reached record heights. Across all five campdrafts held during Warwick Rodeo, a massive $246,000 in cash and trophies was on offer, making them the richest in the country. The Gold Cup alone awarded $78,385, including $25,000 to the winner, a $15,500 Trevor Young handmade gold cup, and an $8,000 Tony Gifford saddle, courtesy of major sponsor Prydes Easifeed. Other highlights included $64,000 for the Canning Downs Campdraft, $15,750 for the Ladies Silver Cup, $21,000 for the Frasers Livestock Transport Stallion 'Draft, and $26,250 for the Champion of Champions, all boosted by high-value trophy saddles and silverware. With rodeo prizemoney adding another $74,500, Warwick's combined campdraft and rodeo program stands as one of the richest and most sought-after competitions in the nation.
Warwick Rodeo & Gold Cup Campdraft
Monday 20 to Sunday 26 October
TICKETS HERE: Campdraft - Warwick Show & Rodeo Society
