Events
Original events included buckjumping (saddle broncs), bullock riding, campdrafting, bulldogging, wild-cow milking, wild bullock races, wild horse races and releasing the surcingle. Other common sporting events such as flag and bending races (similar to pole bending) were held for the competitors’ horses.
Later the term "rodeo" became more commonly used, with American saddles used and the events took on American naming patterns. The ABCRA now affiliates the sports of campdrafting, roughriding (saddle bronc and bareback riding, steer and bull riding) and timed rodeo events: barrel races (ladies and junior), rope and tie, (ladies), steer wrestling, junior calf riding, team roping and breakaway roping (ladies).
The wild horse race begins with untamed horses in the chutes. Teams of three people then run to the chutes and saddle the horses. One member of the group must then ride the horse across a finish line in the arena, ahead of any other riders. The wild bullock race is conducted in a similar manner to the wild horse race. In the steer undecorating event a competitor has a hazer to keep the steer running straight, while the woman attempts to remove a ribbon from the steer’s shoulder as fast as possible.
In 1992 the National Rodeo Queen Quest was founded by the National Rodeo Council of Australia to promote and encourage young women into the sport of Rodeo.
Carnivals and rodeos typically take place during the spring and summer, and are usually arranged to avoid date clashes, so that competitors may take part in as many events as possible. The prize money is obtained from donations and entry fees, with the main prize money being for the open campdraft event.
The biggest rodeos are in Queensland, with the National Titles Rodeo held on the Gold Coast, the Mount Isa Rotary Rodeo, Mareeba rodeo and Warwick Rodeo where there are prestigious campdraft events in addition to rodeo events. Some of the large events in New South Wales are at Tamworth which runs a big rodeo at the Australian Equine and Livestock Events Centre, Sydney has the large (RAS) show and Walcha holds a four day campdrafting and rodeo competition annually. Omeo, Victoria also holds a large rodeo, with lucrative prize money for the bronc riding competition.
Read more about this topic: Australian Rodeo
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—Ruth Benedict (1887–1948)
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—Margaret Anderson (1886–1973)
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—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)