TAROOM RODEO

THERE was plenty of competition in the inaugural Richard Smith Memorial Team Roping at the Taroom Rodeo on Saturday.

The event was in memory of former Taroom Rodeo Club president Richard Smith who later moved to Springsure but passed away at the end of last year.

He competed as a header in team roping and many supporters of the sport donated prizes to make the event at Taroom one to remember. Prizemoney was boosted to $2000 for the event.

Tasmanian couple Gary and Jodi King donated inscribed horse breast plates for the winners, Clive and Leesa Hanrahan from Emerald donated two rope bags for second while Ripper Ball from Pine Hills Longhorns, Taroom, donated two wooden hat racks made from horse shoes for third.

As Richard was a header in team roping, Eddie Fisher from Nambour donated a buckle for the winning header which was won by Troy Caban from Moree.

Caban joined with fellow New South Wales rider Luke Taylor in the memorial team roping victory.

Taroom Rodeo Club secretary Tara Lovett said the rodeo went well despite the cold day.

“We were happy with nominations and there were no injuries,” she said.

“Our steer wrestling nominations were up a bit. We had good entries in junior events and Ty Pokarier won the junior breakaway roping a week after winning the national title.”

The rodeo stock provided at Taroom were too good for the bull riders with no scores in the open event.

Contractors were Darren Brandenbury (open bulls), Garry McPhee (open horses), Rick Knudsen (second-division horses), George Ayers (second-division bulls) and Destiny Cattle Company (timed event stock).

Mitchell rider Greg Hamilton mastered the Garry McPhee horse Cheyenne Top Girl to win the open saddle bronc.

North Queensland rider Jack Kidd won the open bareback bronc ride from runner-up Digger Hay.

Many of the best riders in the nation competed in cowgirl events with New South Wales pair Stephanie Gard (barrel race) and Wendy Caban (breakaway roping) winning at Taroom.

Warwick rodeo night

The second APRA rodeo last weekend was the first rodeo for circuit points at the Australian Rodeo Heritage Centre in Warwick.

Haden rider Matt Boland won the open event at the Warwick Concreters Bull Ride on Friday night on a bull from the Frank Biddle string.

A rider from the big smoke, Brisbane cowboy Lane Strucknell, won the poddy ride at the heritage centre rodeo.

The rodeo raised funds for the Miss Rodeo Australia quest, heritage centre and high schools rodeo program and organisers are planning a similar event later in the year.

The Australian Rodeo Heritage Centre function room will be the venue where the top-15 in each event will be presented with their numbers at a function on the night before the start of the Warwick Rodeo Australian Championships at the Warwick Showgrounds on October 22-25.

The third rodeo on the APRA Northern Run will be at Richmond on Saturday.

Taroom open winners:  Saddle bronc Greg Hamilton; bull ride – no scores; bareback bronc ride Jack Kidd; rope and tie Shane Kenny; steer wrestling Ryan Inman; team roping Troy Caban and Luke Taylor; barrel race Stephanie Gard; breakaway roping Wendy Caban.

ARHC Rodeo Warwick winners: Open bull ride Matt Boland; second-division bull ride – no scores; junior bull ride Dion Doro; junior steer ride Zane Hall; poddy ride Lane Strucknell.

APRA RODEO PROGRAM: July 25 Richmond; July 31-August 1 Cloncurry Merry Muster Rodeo; August 7-9 Mt Isa Rotary Rodeo; August 15 Katherine, August 22 Darwin; September 12 Pussycat Flats Rodeo, NT.

More information from APRA on 07 4661 8183