Grand Ambitions On The Hoof
Newcastle Herald
Saturday July 15, 2006
TAMWORTH'S ambition to challenge the Upper Hunter as horse capital of Australia has been renewed with a proposed multimillion-dollar horse and livestock centre.
Plans for the Australian Equine and Livestock Centre, released by Tamworth City Council, have already blown out from $14 million in initial estimates to $19.6 million. Most of the centre's construction costs will be met by the Federal and State governments and the council.Michael Dubois, the council's manager for the project, attributed the rise to a 40 per cent increase in the price of steel and the addition of features, which included a stock-selling centre, truck wash operation and an improved warm-up area. Mr Dubois said the equine centre would not undermine Scone."Scone is very much in the thoroughbred industry, we're targeting a different market, what is known as the western pleasure horse industry," he said. A spokeswoman for the council said two Newcastle building companies were tendering to build the centre.Other features of the centre will include stables for 500 horses, parking for 210 trucks and exercise areas for animals.Stage two of the centre includes accommodation for 200 more horses and expanded stock selling amenities.Stock sales will generate an important part of the centre's revenue.Scone-based Australian Stock Horse Association executive manager Cooper Wright said it was unlikely Scone's status was threatened.Mr Wright said Tamworth could not compete with the number of horse studs in the Scone area."An equine centre alone won't attract horse studs closer to Tamworth," he said.
© 2006 Newcastle Herald
