EMERALD cowgirl Ellysa Kenny is hoping she can produce her best form at her local rodeo on June 26.The Emerald Rodeo is the first of 10 on the Australian Professional Rodeo Association Northern Run in Queensland.
Ellysa has won titles at junior national finals at Emerald but has only one open event win at her hometown rodeo, a win in the barrel race at age 14. She has recently been elected secretary of the Emerald Rodeo Association and will be busy with payouts after the rodeo.
"The Emerald Rodeo at Easter was pretty big and we are hoping for a bumper rodeo this month," she said.
At Easter, she was second in breakaway roping at the Destiny Downs Timed Event Rodeo at Emerald and third in barrel racing.
Two of her best performances this season are a win in the barrel race and second in breakaway roping at Gracemere Rodeo.
With just more than two months of the APRA season to go, Ellysa is second in the barrel race and all around standings and 7th in breakaway roping. She is almost certain to qualify in the top-15 for the Warwick Rodeo National Finals Rodeo in late October where she is keen to win an individual title in open ranks for the first time.
At the age of 15, she won her first APRA all around cowgirl title in 2017 and made it two titles in three years when she won the all around in 2019. In 2019, she won the all around and breakaway roping pro tour buckles for most money won in the season.
"I have been pipped at the post twice for the title in breakaway roping at the national finals rodeo," she said.
Ellysa competes in team roping predominantly with her brother Tyler. She has also competed with brother Jayden. When Ellysa was 18 and Jayden 11, they recorded a fourth at the K Ranch Rodeo in Sydney.
The Emerald cowgirl has competed in America after qualifying with a breakaway roping win at the Nebo Rodeo.
"Three Australian rodeos were advertised as qualifiers to secure a spot to go for the roping crown at Las Vegas," she said.
"In America, I competed on horses which I had never sat on before."
While she wasn't placed on her first trip to America, Ellysa said she was keen to compete again in North America.
Every top cowgirl has a top horse and Ellysa is hoping to record many more successes on Jellybean and Ted.
"We bought Jellybean as a two-year-old and the whole family has competed on him in the past 14 years," she said."He doesn't need a lot of practice, Jellybean knows his job."
It is the same with her barrel racing horse Ted; Ellysa said she just had to keep him fit.
"Ted doesn't need to be reminded of what to do," she said.
Ellysa also heads to the barrel on the right first in an event where riders can go left or right to the first barrel.
With two APRA all around cowgirl titles to her credit, Ellysa is hoping to one day catch her father Shane, who has 15 all around cowboy titles in the APRA.
The Emerald Rodeo this Saturday is the first rodeo on the Northern Run which goes to August 28 when rodeos are scheduled at Capella in Central Queensland.
The top 15 for the past two seasons will qualify for the October 27-31 Warwick Rodeo National Finals.
APRA Rodeo program
June 26: Emerald Rodeo
July 9: Gracemere Timed Events Rodeo
July 17: Taroom Rodeo
July 23: Bowen Xtreme Broncs
July 24: Charters Towers Rodeo
July 31: Richmond Let's Talk Xtreme Broncs and Steer Wrestling Mania
July 31: Richmond Rodeo
August 6: Cloncurry Xtreme Bulls
August 6: Cloncurry Junior Rodeo
August 6-7: Cloncurry Merry Muster Rodeo
August 12-15: Mt Isa Rodeo
August 20-21: North Queensland Elite Rodeo, Townsville
August 28: Capella Rodeo
