SIX Rodeo Queens from around Australia will be in Warwick (Qld) this week for the crowning of Miss Rodeo Australia 2018.
The Rodeo Queens are Kate Taylor (Cloncurry), Nikea Coulson (Kooralbyn), Ashleigh Grant (Warwick), Nicole Evans (Millmerran), Dakota Michaelis (Peterborough) and Tammie Conroy (Taroom).
The festivities will start with a Canapes and Cowgirls Night on Friday at 6pm at the Australian Rodeo Heritage Centre.
The horsemanship judging will be at the Warwick Showgrounds on Saturday morning and then the presentation and crowning of Miss Rodeo Australia at 6pm Saturday (Jan 20) at Douglas Feez Pavilion at the Warwick Showgrounds.
A busy weekend for the rodeo queens will finish with a celebratory brunch at Gordon Country, Goomburra, on Sunday morning.
Reigning Miss Rodeo Australia Emma Deicke said her favourite moment in 2017 was when she rode into the arena at the Wagga Wagga Rodeo in her new role and was introduced as Miss Rodeo Australia 2017.
She fondly remembers riding out in front of a capacity crowd at the Cheyenne Frontier Days in America and speaking to the crowd.
“It was incredible to carry the large Australian flag used at the Mt Isa Rodeo into the arena and ride beside 2014 world champion barrel racer Fallon Taylor and Miss Rodeo Canada Ali Mullen in the arena at the Warwick Rodeo APRA National Finals,” Deicke said.
One of her great memories was attending rodeos in towns like Merrijig in Victoria that she hadn’t heard of. Merrijig is part of the tri series rodeos in Victoria.
“I did the Man from Snowy River trail ride at Merrijig and was blown away by the beauty of the area,” she said.
Bowen River in north Queensland is her local APRA rodeo but she is originally from nearby Proserpine.
“My family has owned our cattle and cane farm since 1904,” she said.
There are three rodeos on Saturday (Jan 20), the Powranna Bull Ride and Rodeo in Tasmania, the Peterborough Rodeo in South Australia and the Yarra Valley Rodeo in Victoria.
Information from APRA office 07 4661 8183