Queensland knows how to rodeo. And pro-rodeo is experiencing significant growth in competitor numbers and affiliating rodeos, with five new rodeos on the Australian Professional Rodeo Association's event calendar in the next couple of months alone.
"Rodeo is a family sport, for those participating and those in the crowd, so what we have to offer everyone in regional areas is something unique," said Shane Iker, speaking on behalf of the APRA executive.
"The APRA team have been hard at work improving our affiliation services, supporting committees to improve their event experience and ultimately, doing all we can to show regional communities just what pro-rodeo has to offer."
New to the APRA calendar was Yelvertoff Rodeo. Held in conjunction with the Yelvertoft Campdraft last weekend, it was a huge success.
"Affiliating with the APRA gave our Yelvertoff committee the opportunity to deliver an efficient and entertaining rodeo," committee spokesperson Riley Curr said.
"Competitors want to know the event is professionally run, that there will be quality stock to compete on with a view to winning money and points. The APRA's professionalism and reputation ensures that.
"We have a number of very talented competitors in North Queensland. They often travel thousands of kilometres for APRA affiliated rodeos in southern Queensland and southern states, so we're proud to have provided an opportunity for these athletes to attend a rodeo and gain points in their local."
The APRA's Northern Run of rodeos is about to kick off and a bumper line-up of events begins on July 2 with another newcomer to the APRA calendar, the Cunnamulla Full Festival. The festival will be followed by eight more events before one of the association's most northern events, and another newcomer, the Townsville Time Event Rodeo on August 18.
"Our committee looked at how to capitalise on the APRA calendar and decided to run a timed event that would complement the existing line-up of events and attract these competitors as they're travelling rodeo-road from one place to another just near us," Townsville Timed Event committee spokesperson Rebecca van Houten said.
"In 2021 we recognised there were plenty of competitors travelling through the area so we seized the opportunity this year and worked with the APRA to develop an event.
"Affiliating with the APRA promises quality stock, and we have Destiny Downs Cattle Co, supplying us, so we know we're offering the competitors an opportunity to compete at their best, for the competition to be tough and times fast."
Find an APRA pro-rodeo near you - prorodeo.com.au