The Australian Equine and Livestock Events Centre (AELEC) is a multi building and arena complex that was designed for equine usage. It has two indoor

arena An arena is a large enclosed platform, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theatre, musical performances, or sporting events. It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectators ...

s, stabling, plus an education and training building, which is located on the

New England Highway New England Highway is an long highway in Australia running from Yarraman, north of Toowoomba, Queensland at its northern end to Hexham at Newcastle, New South Wales at its southern end. It is part of Australia's National Highway system, an ...

approximately five kilometres south of the Tamworth Central Business District in the suburb of Hillvue. The centre, designed by architects Timothy Court and Company and built by National Buildplan presents a landmark for New England Highway traffic. This complex is a multi-level, multipurpose

livestock Livestock are the domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to provide labor and produce diversified products for consumption such as meat, eggs, milk, fur, leather, and wool. The term is sometimes used to refer solely to animals ...

centre with a total

seating capacity Seating capacity is the number of people who can be seated in a specific space, in terms of both the physical space available, and limitations set by law. Seating capacity can be used in the description of anything ranging from an automobile that ...

of 4,020 and is the biggest of its kind in the southern hemisphere. AELEC can be used in its entirety or parts thereof depending on the participants’ requirements. Tamworth is recognised as the "National Equine Capital of Australia" because of the high volume of equine events held in the city, the presence of several equine organisation offices and many nearby breeding and training establishments.

History

The

New South Wales Government The Government of New South Wales, also known as the NSW Government, is the Australian state democratic administrative authority of New South Wales. It is currently held by a coalition of the Liberal Party and the National Party. The Governmen ...

approved the

Tamworth Regional Council Tamworth Regional Council is a local government area in the New England region of New South Wales, Australia. The area under administration is located adjacent to the New England Highway and the Main North railway line. It was established in Ma ...

business plan in May 2007 that provided for the centre’s construction. TRC contributed A$20 million with council cash, loans and reserves. The

Australian Federal Government The Australian Government, also known as the Commonwealth Government, is the national government of Australia, a federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy. Like other Westminster-style systems of government, the Australian Government i ...

contributed $6.6 million and State government made grants of $3.65 million. Belmore Engineering of Tamworth won the tender worth about $350,000 for the cattle yard roofing and the

campdrafting Campdrafting is a unique Australian sport involving a horse and rider working cattle. The riding style is Australian stock, somewhat akin to American Western riding and the event is similar to the American stock horse events such as cutting, w ...

judge's tower. Work commenced on the 22 ha site in June 2007 by the National Buildplan Group of

Armidale Armidale is a city in the Northern Tablelands, New South Wales, Australia. Armidale had a population of 24,504 as of June 2018. Estimated resident population, 30 June 2018. It is the administrative centre for the Northern Tablelands region. It ...

who won the tender to build it. This centre is the biggest ever construction undertaken by Tamworth Regional Council on behalf of its city and community and is a significant landmark there. The main arena, domed sale ring and six stable buildings incorporate unique, post-tensioned steel truss technology designed by the project's Sydney based structural engineer S2 Corporation, is believed to be a first for equine centres on the world. The complex was opened to the public on Sunday 21 September 2008 as part of a community open day from 12 noon to 5 pm. About 8,000 to 9,000 people from across the state visited the centre. Additional seating is planned for up to 1,500 more on the mezzanine level in Stage II. Stabling will be increased to 700 stalls in stage II. The stadium will be extended to include a restaurant and an exhibition hall for a heritage hall of fame. This will be the future site for the annual Tamworth Pastoral & Agricultural Show. On 23 October 2008 the NSW Chapter of the Australian Property Institute voted the Australian Equine and Livestock Events Centre as the leading local government project in

New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...

(NSW) in this year. The 2010 Professional Bull Riders (PBR) Finals were held over two nights at the Australian Equine and Livestock Events Centre, with five top-ranked professional bull riders from the United States and 25 of Australia’s best bull riders contesting the event. Dan JAMES (3)

Official opening

On 21 February 2009 the Australian Equine and Livestock Events Centre was officially opened by the NSW Governor,

Marie Bashir Dame Marie Roslyn Bashir (born 1 December 1930) is the former and second longest-serving Governor of New South Wales. Born in Narrandera, New South Wales, Bashir graduated from the University of Sydney in 1956 and held various medical positio ...

, before a sell-out crowd of almost 3,500 people. Professor Bashir commented that the complex ''takes your breath away'' and

Tony Windsor Antony Harold Curties Windsor, (born 2 September 1950) is a former Australian politician. Windsor was an independent member for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly seat of Tamworth from 1991 to 2001 − supporting the incumbent Greiner L ...

, Independent MP for New England, stated that AELEC could be compared to the

Sydney Opera House The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue performing arts centre in Sydney. Located on the foreshore of Sydney Harbour, it is widely regarded as one of the world's most famous and distinctive buildings and a masterpiece of 20th-century architec ...

. The audience was entertained by top performances of skill during the opening night. The

Gomeroi Dance Troupe The Gamilaraay, also known as Gomeroi, Kamilaroi, Kamillaroi and other variations, are an Aboriginal Australian people whose lands extend from New South Wales to southern Queensland. They form one of the four largest Indigenous nations in Aust ...

performed along with Mark Atkins playing his

didgeridoo The didgeridoo (; also spelt didjeridu, among other variants) is a wind instrument, played with vibrating lips to produce a continuous drone while using a special breathing technique called circular breathing. The didgeridoo was developed by ...

Colin Friels Colin Friels (born 25 September 1952) is a Scottish-born Australian actor of theatre, TV and film and presenter Early life Friels was born in Kilwinning, Ayrshire, Scotland.Interview with Colin Friels, ''George Negus Tonight'' (ABC Television ...

recited "

The Man from Snowy River The Man from Snowy River may refer to: * "The Man from Snowy River" (poem), an 1890 Australian poem by Banjo Paterson. * '' The Man from Snowy River and Other Verses'' an 1895 poetry collection by Banjo Paterson (including the above) * ''The Man ...

", while a mob of 20 horses and stockmen galloped around the arena with their

stockwhip A stockwhip is a type of whip made of a long, tapered length of flexible, plaited leather or nylon with a stiff handle and thong able to pivot along the handle easily. Stock whips are used when mustering cattle.'' Origin and uses The Austral ...

s cracking. Other performances included a display by pony club members of the 30 Zone area. The

charge of Beersheba Charge or charged may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Charge, Zero Emissions/Maximum Speed'', a 2011 documentary Music * ''Charge'' (David Ford album) * ''Charge'' (Machel Montano album) * ''Charge!!'', an album by The Aqua ...

was re-created by 52 members of Light Horse troops from NSW and

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , established_ ...

. A troop of 12 horsemen appeared as the Electric Horsemen to give an unusual light display. Heath and Rozzie Ryan gave

dressage Dressage ( or ; a French term, most commonly translated to mean "training") is a form of horse riding performed in exhibition and competition, as well as an art sometimes pursued solely for the sake of mastery. As an equestrian sport defined b ...

displays with their stallions and a liberty horse. Six of Australia's best

horse riding stunts Trick riding refers to the act of performing stunts while horseback riding, such as the rider standing upright on the back of a galloping horse, using a specially designed saddle with a reinforced steel horn, and specialized kossak loops for h ...

riders performed, including a blindfolded girl who made a circuit of the arena, without a lunge rein. Dan James then showed the audience, in his acts, why he is the 2008 Australian Horseman of the Year.

General information

The site is more than 72 hectares in total. Over 300 trees have been planted and even more shrubs have been installed. The perimeter of the complex is in the shape of a horseshoe. Over 1,000 workers were employed on the project with up to 100 working on the site on some days.

Some of the facilities include

* 478 stables in six blocks with wash bays – box stalls approximately 3.6 metres by 3.6 metres in size. The two stable blocks located near the sale centre can be converted into cattle pavilions for stud or led cattle. * Sale centre with theatre-style seating for 660, standing room for 400. This can double as a covered warm up area. * Indoor Arena – 40 metres x 80 metres with rough riding chutes with seating for 3,360 with corporate sections * 100m x 100m outdoor arena with specialised "Ebb & Flow" surface * An educational and training building has a lecture theatre with seating for 44 and an area where animals can be brought into the classroom. This block also has a veterinary room, utilities room, meeting room and ablution facilities. * The 95m x 110m sand campdraft arena and cutout yard was designed by the ABCRA. * Two 30m by 70m outdoor competition or warm up arenas plus a 60m x 30m arena with "Ebb & Flow" surface. * 4-Star cross country course. * Disabled access and parking at both levels and a lift from lower ground level to concourse and VIP area. * Trade and exhibition concourse area of 50 sites. * VIP bar and catering on second level overlooking arena and sale centre. * Viewing screens, sound and lighting systems. * Air-conditioned event management offices and meeting rooms *

Show jumping Show jumping is a part of a group of English riding equestrianism, equestrian events that also includes dressage, eventing, Show hunter, hunters, and equitation. Jumping classes are commonly seen at horse shows throughout the world, including th ...

and

areas * Undercover cattle handling and holding facilities * Toilet and showers facilities in stable complex with laundry facilities * Truck bay and 195 powered camping facilities adjacent to stables The Tamworth Regional Council has spent more than $1.2 million in extending recycled water for use in the Longyard precinct and harvesting runoff water from the complex buildings.

Centre uses

The biggest event scheduled in 2008 was the nine-day 35th National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) ANZ Futurity which featured over $500,000 in the prize pool. The first

rodeo Rodeo () is a competitive equestrian sport that arose out of the working practices of cattle herding in Spain and Mexico, expanding throughout the Americas and to other nations. It was originally based on the skills required of the working va ...

held in the AELEC was run by the ABCRA. Other uses for the centre include: *

Australian Stock Horse The Australian Stock Horse (or Stockhorse), has been especially bred for Australian conditions. It is a hardy breed of horse noted for endurance, agility, and good temperament. Its ancestry dates to the arrival of the first horses in Aus ...

Quarter Horse The American Quarter Horse, or Quarter Horse, is an American breed of horse that excels at sprinting short distances. Its name is derived from its ability to outrun other horse breeds in races of a quarter mile or less; some have been clocked at s ...

and other horse breed sales and shows *

Campdrafting Campdrafting is a unique Australian sport involving a horse and rider working cattle. The riding style is Australian stock, somewhat akin to American Western riding and the event is similar to the American stock horse events such as cutting, w ...

and

team penning Team penning is a western equestrian sport that evolved from the common ranch work of separating cattle into pens for branding, doctoring, or transport. Today it is a fast-paced event that gives a team of three riders on horseback from 60 to 90 s ...

. *

Dog agility Dog agility is a dog sport in which a handler directs a dog through an obstacle course in a race for both time and accuracy. Dogs run off leash with no food or toys as incentives, and the handler can touch neither dog nor obstacles. The handler ...

trials * Stud

shows, sales and seminars * Educational exhibitions *

Pony club Pony Club is an international youth organization devoted to educating youth about horses and riding. Pony Club organizations exist in over thirty countries worldwide. Origins Pony Club began in Great Britain in 1929 when the Institute of the ...

events * Rodeos * Rural or industry field days The bovine and equine industries have strongly supported use of the AELEC complex with bookings for 250 days of the first year of its operation.The Royal Australian Institute of Architects
Retrieved 2009-12-5 Alpaca and goat events have also been held, or are scheduled to take place here.

References

External links

{{Commons category, Australian Equine and Livestock Events Centre
Australian Equine and Livestock Events Centre
Indoor arenas in Australia Buildings and structures in Tamworth, New South Wales New England (New South Wales) Sports venues in New South Wales Equestrian sports 2008 establishments in Australia Sports venues completed in 2008