Veteran cattleman Wally Rae says the way the Australian Campdrafting Association manages its money is why he is offering an alternate nomination, draw and results platform to campdraft committees through a newly incorporated association, rather than to the existing organisation.
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Mr Rea, who has been campdrafting since 1972, announced on Tuesday that he had purchased the Campdraft Central platform from developer Clay Cini and that a Campdraft Central Association had been incorporated and was offering insurance for campdraft committees for what was described as "an affordable rate".
Mr Rae said at the time it was his way of donating to a sport that had given him so much pleasure.
Questioned further about his intentions, Mr Rae said making the platform, which allows committees to manage their drafts using one tool, from the nomination process, draws and results through to prizemoney breakdowns and payouts, available for very little cost this year, was because he could see there was a need for more competitions.
"There's quite a big waitlist to draft at most places, but there's a lot of work and expense involved in setting up more drafts," he said. "I can't put a post in the ground but I can help with software."
Asked why he didn't just make the financial contribution to the ACA, Mr Rae said while he liked the organisation a lot, he didn't agree with their business decisions at all.
"Would I donate money to them to go down the same well as other money," he asked, adding that he wasn't out to harm the organisation at all.
"If people like the ACA, use them and their system. If they don't like their way, don't use it," he said.
"My main driver is just to help start-up committees with software and insurance.
"People who don't get in to a campdraft get grumpy.
"The reason they can't get in is because there's too many nominations and not enough competitions, so let's have more of them.
"If you don't help, you can't expect to get a good outcome."
At the ACA annual general meeting in Cloncurry in April, members were given an opportunity to address a series of concerns, with president Rohan Marks saying the cost of the Campdraft One digital platform was a significant outlay, but a necessity for it to own its own nominations platform.
Declining to comment
Mr Marks declined to comment on Mr Rea's alternate system, and his comments, except to say everyone was entitled to an opinion and Mr Rea was entitled to his.
"It's a large statement though, to say a board of 50 is not doing the right thing," he said.
He added that he hadn't investigated the Campdraft Central system and couldn't comment on it at this stage.
Many in the campdrafting community are also reserving their comments on the news, saying they would need to know more about it.
One of those is Dulacca campdraft secretary Gerry Healing who said that as a not-for-profit group, it was something they'd have to be looking into but will watch to see how it works for other people before making a decision.
"It's about competitors too - if it fits more people in, that's good," she said. "At this stage our draft is in August so we've got time to see how it goes."
The Pittsworth and District Campdraft Association opened nominations for its annual charity campdraft on Wednesday, using Campdraft Central, and secretary Debbie Standing said she had been using the platform for a number of years.
"I started in 2009 using spreadsheets, then got a program that was too much work, then Campdraft Central came along and it made life so much easier," she said. "I haven't tried the ACA's Campdraft One, and I've been told Campdraft Central doesn't fit in with their format, but Campdraft Central rescued me as a secretary so I'm not throwing them away."
Ms Standing was unsure how people competing at Pittsworth would stand as far as accumulating points with the ACA went.
"We give a lot of our money away - last October we raised $10,000 for Careflight," she said. "We could lose some nominations if there's no ACA points on offer, but we get so many nominations, that might open it up for others."
Ms Standing said that when they'd introduced barrel racing and team penning to their events, they'd had to seek insurance through avenues other than the ACA.
"I think Campdraft Central will open up a lot in the equine world," she said.
Sally Gall
Based at Blackall, CW Qld, where I've raised a family, run Merino sheep and beef cattle, and helped develop a region - its history, tourism, education and communications. Get in touch at 0427 575 955 if you've got a story idea for me.
Based at Blackall, CW Qld, where I've raised a family, run Merino sheep and beef cattle, and helped develop a region - its history, tourism, education and communications. Get in touch at 0427 575 955 if you've got a story idea for me.
