History has been made with 85 entries in the first ever Mount Isa Mines Indigenous Rodeo Championships.
The Mount Isa Mines Rodeo drew a record 956 entries, and a record purse of over $300,000.
The largest rodeo in the Southern Hemisphere, it’s an outback celebration of boots, buckles, belts, broncs and bulls, the rodeo family and the widest smiles in the country.
The iconic event runs through until Sunday, with nine reigning champions returning to defend their titles and claim another prestigious custom-made buckle. On stage at night, some of the country’s biggest names in music including Guy Sebastian lead the Rodeo Rock program!
Mount Isa Mines Indigenous Rodeo Championships RESULTS
Bareback
- Jason Craigie
- Bowman Button
- Reid Chong
Breakaway Roping
- Maisy Hetherington
Poddy Ride
- Reuben Craigie
Junior Steer
- Travis Coolatah
Barrel Race
- Ricki Sivyer
- Tenisha Erbacher
- Jennifer Marshall
Steer Wresting
- Shilo Gosbee
Saddle Bronc
- Tylor Chong
- Jason Craigie
- Kimba Fien
Bull Ride
- Stafford Swan
- Eli Toby
- Gilbert O’Keefe
Current Open Bull Ride champion and muti-award winner Troy Wilkinson, from Upper Horton in north western New South Wales leads the champions line-up, joined by twice Australian Bareback Bronc champion, and three time and current Mount Isa champion, the legendary Fred Osman from Cameron Corner in the far west of New South Wales.
Two-time All Round Australian Champion and going for three in a row as Mount Isa Mines Rodeo All Round Champion, and current Rope and Tie individual champion Campbell Hodson from Charters Towers is here, along with Steer Wrestling champion Luke Ford from Cranbrook outside Townsville and 2nd Division Bull Ride champion, the young Goondiwindi cowboy, Scott Wells.
Current Saddle Bronc champion Anthony Caldwell made the trip from Blandford in New South Wales, with all of his family competing. His wife Jo, a five-time Mount Isa Barrel champion and three-time Mount Isa All-Round Cowgirl, will complete in the Ladies Barrel while their two young riders in Georgia (six years) and Austin (five years) will battle it out against each other in the Junior Barrel!
Roma cowboy Sam Weston won the 2nd Division Saddle Bronc in 2021 and returns this year for a tip at the open title while Ladies Breakaway champion Jade Tribe from Tamworth in northern New South Wales is returning to defend her title, after winning last year at her first ever Mount Isa ride. Over 40s Bull Ride champion David Mawhinney from Tansey in Queensland is here, and he’s looking to take the title again. David was the 2015 and 2016 World Champion Bull Rider, Steer Wrestler, and Runner Up Saddle Bronc and is a three-time NRA All Round Champion.
Joining them are rodeo names that make fans and announcers alike tip their hats – 15-time All Round Australian Champion, Ariat Australia Pro Team Cowboy Shane Kenny, and the cowboy who’s won more Australian Bareback titles than any other ever (four in total plus he’s won multiple Mount Isa titles including one shared with current champ Fred Osman, his first way back in 2012) the Wandoan cowboy David Worsfold.
The current Australian Champion Bullrider, 22-year-old Mount Isa cowboy who the crowds fell in last year, Donovan Rutherfurd is competing along with Terry Evison, the current APRA All Round Champion Cowboy, blocked from coming to Mount Isa last year by COVID, travelling all up from Pine Grove in Victoria.
Also competing is THE most successful cowgirl ever in Cherie O’Donoghue, the seven-time and current APRA Australian All Round Cowgirl. She’ll have to beat the cowgirl who is streets ahead in the current National standings, also not able to be here last year, Leanne Caban from Emerald with her bullet-fast barrel horse ‘Akka Dakka’ and her amazing rope horse ‘Hammer’.
