Time to become legends at the Mount Isa Rodeo Festival and Indigenous Rodeo Championships
-Nominations opens THIS FRIDAY-
The world famous red dust of Buchanan Park, home of the legendary Mount Isa Rodeo Festival in the Queensland Outback, is calling riders, ropers and barrelers to mark this Friday July 12 in their diaries – this is the date that nominations open to ride at the greatest show on dirt!
Natalie Flecker, CEO of Isa Rodeo Limited called on the whole country to get ready to rodeo!
“Mount Isa Mines Rodeo is the Southern Hemisphere’s largest rodeo and the third largest rodeo in the world, and this year champions will return to battle for the famous buckles, newcomers will become legends, juniors will rise up, eight seconds will seem like a lifetime and the heritage and importance of rodeo in the Outback will be celebrated. But there’s more: riders are coming from across the world to literally throw their hats in the ring!” she said.
“So, we are calling for riders from across our sunburnt country to enter NOW, and become part of the legend that is Mount Isa Rodeo Festival. For 64 years this rodeo has open the chutes, set the barrels and tightened the girths on the best cowboys and cowgirls in the country. Let’s make the 65th rodeo the best yet.”
ENTRIES OPEN FRIDAY JULY 12 AND CLOSE MONDAY JULY 22 – HERE
Let’s recap the last year’s results: 2023 was one for the ages, with a record number of entries registered, the most in 64 years of rodeo; and the highest number of junior and female entries ever, plus a record attendance at the Mount Isa Mines Indigenous Rodeo Championships, and the largest Saturday on record.
A new rodeo champion was crowned – eighteen-year-old Calliope cowboy Boston Leather etched his name into the record books by winning the 2023 Mount Isa Mines Open Bull Ride, taking a buckle that’s revered around the world. Will Boston return in 2024?
Outstanding Sarina cowboy Toby Hale was named 2023 Mt Isa Mines All Around Cowboy and famed Emerald rider Leanne Caban was again the 2023 Mt Isa Mines All Around Cowgirl. Will they make the trip to ‘Isa to defend their titles?
Victorian cowboy Jarrod McKane made the 2,400km trip from his home in Wodonga, Victoria to Mount Isa with one goal – to win the Open Bareback Bronc ride after he came third last year, and he did! Benalla cowboy David Stacey won the Open Saddle Bronc Ride, and let’s hope both southerners return to Queensland to ride again!
Young Rockhampton rider Matty Ahearn established himself as a cowboy to watch, winning the Junior Bull ride, while Barrel Racer Heidi Middlton won the Junior Barrel, with Cloncurry’s Cade Ferguson fast behind. Cade was fresh from representing Australia at the World Youth Rodeo Championships in Texas, and also won the Junior Steer Ride. They’re all welcome back to ride again to fame!
Mini Bull rider Wylie Roots from western Queensland put the rodeo world on notice, winning back-to-back buckles in the Mini Bulls (8 to 10 years). Coming second and third respectively were two more outstanding little cowboys in Tommy Murphy from Cloncurry and Austin Mawhinney from Tansey. In the next age group, 11 to 14 years, young Northern Territory cowboy Sam Daley took the title. Give these boys a few years and they’ll be superstars.
A legend was crowned at the second Mount Isa Mines Indigenous Rodeo Championships, with Northern Territory and Pitta Pitta cowboy Jason Craigie taking back-to-back Bareback Ride buckles, and doubling up to win the Saddle Bronc Ride, while Doomadgee cowboy Peter Jupiter stole the show with a spectacular dispatch from the saddle into the stand! Let’s hope both return for more!
Katherine cowboy, 27-year old Darcy McBean rode Darren Brandenburg’s bull ‘Dacky’ to the eight second buzzer and in doing so became the 2023 Indigenous Bull Ride champion, while Mackay cowgirl Maisey Hetherington won back-to-back buckles in the Breakaway Roping. Their nomination is just a click away!
This year, to mark 65 years of the Mount Isa Mines Rodeo ten American Junior Bull Riders from Texas will compete in a Junior Bull Riding Championship created exclusively for them on Thursday morning, before they take on the Aussies in the Junior Bull Ride. It’ll be a Trans-Atlantic showdown for the ages.
And that’s not all. There’s also the inaugural Trans-Tasman challenge that’ll make Bledisloe Cup fans cheer, celebrating two of the greatest Indigenous rodeo families from each side of the famous ditch.
The Ah One x Church Family Trans-Tasman Indigenous Rodeo Challenge will see some of the best cowboys and cowgirls from New Zealand take on the Mount Isa Mines Indigenous Rodeo champions on Thursday night. This Bledisloe Buck of rodeo has been created to pay tribute to George Ah One, known as The Carandotta Drover, and his family who walked the legendary CARANDOTTA horses over 200 kilometres from Carandotta Station through to Kalkadoon Park for the annual Mount Isa ROTARY Rodeo in 1959. While the Ah One name is legendary in Australian rodeo, the Church family is legendary in New Zealand. This multi-generational Māori rodeo family is the reigning national champions and celebrating these pioneers of indigenous rodeo heritage will create Trans-Tasman rodeo history.
Mount Isa Rodeo Festival: August 3 to 11
All information and TICKETS ON SALE: Mount Isa Rodeo – Australia’s Most Spectacular Rodeos
Thursday 8th August: Mount Isa Mines Indigenous Rodeo Championships
Thursday 8th to 11th August: Mount Isa Mines Rodeo
