If you’ve seen and heard the likes of Brandon Leer and Jeremy Maclachlan in action at one of Hobson & Co’s live sales, you’ll understand why people from all walk of life are drawn to the auction ring at the Bathurst Show. It’s a seamless mix of super-fast-paced facts and figures laced with social commentary and local insight. Combined with the spectacle of a ton or so of beast powering into the ring, you could mistake it for top-notch entertainment.
But this is serious business.
“From day one in 1991 we realised that the Bathurst Agricultural Show how was the one community project which had to be protected and supported at all costs,” said Paul Hobson of Hobson & Co, a proudly independent, privately owned livestock auctioneering company with deep roots in the farming community in the Eastern Cape.
“As our footprint grew in the area, so did our influence in the livestock section where commission is earned for the society on livestock auctions held at the showgrounds, as well as on the annual prestige fat stock sale,” Hobson said.
Hobson & Co were the title sponsors of the show in the early 2020s.
“Covid and the foot and mouth disease crisis has severely hampered the livestock section over past few years, but we have endeavoured to keep this sector relevant, fun and exciting,” Hobson said.
This year, along with the sale action, Hobson & Co invite the public to enjoy the live entertainment from the newly renovated Hobson & Co bandstand at the old Bulls Inn.
Western Mounted Games
Western Mounted Games (WMG) is the action packed, precision sport of the equestrian world. A good WMG horse does not only require the speed of a racehorse, but the turning ability of a cutting horse and the control and responsiveness of the stock horse.
There will be a Western Mounted Games Demonstration in the main arena at lunchtime on the Saturday of the Bathurst Show. Adding to the action will be a Mounted Archery Demonstration.
This sport of speed and precision, evaluated with fair and accurate time-measurement, is a sport that trains and teaches all horse and rider combinations the skills needed to grow into an accurate and effective team, able to compete successful as a team
(in any discipline) under all circumstances on a high standard.
The South African Western Mounted Games Association (SAWMGA) is registered as a discipline with the South African Equestrian Federation (SAEF). Provincial teams are selected each year (Open Competition as well as Provincial School team selections).
Any horse is suitable for competing successfully in this sport. The success depends mainly on the horse-rider combination with regards to level of training, precision of completing the event, changing legs efficiently, correctly judging speed and turns, etc. Well trained rider and horse combinations normally competing in show jumping, eventing, polo cross, endurance and most other disciplines are doing exceptionally well in Western Mounted Games.
Thoroughbreds, Arabians, Anglos and Boerperd horses, as well as school ponies are very popular and are holding National Records in different classes and events.
SAWMGA adheres to the requirements of the Sports Act, SASCOC, and the SAEF.
They are also a member of SANESA (South African National Equestrian Schools Association).
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Talk of the Town is the proud local media sponsor of the 2026 Bathurst Agricultural Show.
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This article was first published in Talk of the Town, February 12, 2026. The newspaper serving the communities of Ndlambe and the Sunshine Coast, with a weekly wrap of Makhanda news, is available at stores from early on Thursdays
