Thirteen-year-old Corey McCoy will be cracking it at the Sydney Royal Easter show after a huge win last weekend in Corryong.
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After securing multiple titles at whip cracking events at the Man From Snowy River Bush Festival in Corryong, Corey's now focusing on more silverware at the Sydney Royal Easter Show.
Corey will be hitting the Woodchop Arena in the 16 years and under category on Tuesday, April 23 at 10am.
According to Corey's mum, Sharon, he has always had a whip in his hand.
"We have horses, so he was always playing around with the whip," Sharon said.
"He only has to have someone show him and he can pick things up."
Corey started playing around with whips when he was six, but only started competing three years ago.
"He watched at the Deni Ute Muster," Sharon said. "He wanted to compete but it was pre-entry only, but they did let him do a demo."
After Corey finished his demo the competition organisers were so impressed they gave him a 12 month membership to join the Australian Whipcrackers and Plaiters Association (AWPA).
Corey said he trains every afternoon practicing his accuracy.
"I practice the tricks I want to perfect and then the things I need to get better at," he said.
At the Sydney Royal Easter Show, Corey will need to compete in three categories - 10 tricks, one minute freestyle and then 10 targets.
Corey has the added pressure of not only performing at the Royal Show, but he has also moved up to a new age division - 16 years and under - however the 13-year-old Young High School student has plenty more competitions coming up.
He's set to compete at the NSW titles to be held at Beef Week in Casino, the Queensland titles in June, then the titles in Victoria and Tasmania later in the year.
Corey not only cracks whips but is also an avid rodeo competitor, taking on steer riding, breakaway roping, he even rode in the bucking pony category last weekend.
"It'd be a hard choice to choose between the two (rodeo riding and whip cracking)," Sharon said.
Corey thanks his Dad, Simon Martin, The Wicks Family, Anthony Rennick for sponsoring the Corryong competition, and the East Family.
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