Wesley McDonald clinches Sandstone Point Rodeo titles

An ambitious young bull rider has claimed two prestigious junior bull riding titles in a thrilling Qld competition, sharing his passion for the ‘dangerous’ sport he started as a child.

An ambitious young bull rider has claimed prestigious junior bull riding titles in a thrilling Queensland competition. Picture: East Coast Images.

A 17-year-old Burnett bull rider has won two of Queensland’s most prestigious junior bull riding titles.

Wesley McDonald, a grazier at Maidenwell in the North Burnett, won $600 for placing first in the Novice and Junior titles at the Sandstone Point 8th Annual Rodeo on Saturday, June 24.

He competed against 23 experienced riders.

The event hosted multiple competitions, including bull rides, saddle rides, bareback rides, junior bull rides, U16 junior bull rides, and whip cracking.

The 2021 Noosa State High School graduate said he fell in love with bull riding when he went to his first rodeo when he was just nine years old, the 2013 Woodford rodeo.

“I was desperate to give it a go and signed up for the next rodeo a few weeks later,” Mr McDonald said.

“Since then I have entered competitions almost every weekend for the past nine years.

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“It gives me such a rush,” he said.

Mr McDonald trains daily and travels across Queensland and Northern New South Wales every weekend to compete, between studying a Certificate II in Rural Operations at the Tontye cattle property at Maidenwell.

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“I have a 45-gallon drum which moves up and down with a handle, the most difficult part with bull riding is the mental ability to have confidence in yourself and to believe that you can stay on,” Mr McDonald said.

“When you’re on the bull you’re not thinking about what you’re doing as your body just reacts.

“There’s so much adrenaline to (be able to) stay on for eight seconds,” he said.

Mr McDonald’s mum Melanie McDonald said she was so proud of her son’s focus to achieve.

Wesley McDonald is excited to continue with the sport and turn it into his career. Picture: East Coast Images.

“The fact he makes the finals at the end of the season is just a reward for all the hard work he’s put in,” Mrs McDonald said.

“The future of his rodeo career depends on his own goals. I think he would like to go to the USA and do some rodeos, as long as he comes back.

“I was nervous when he first started, as I am a sports photographer he was hoping to get good photos of his first ever ride. I was so nervous I was shaking and all his photos were blurry.

“My heart rate still goes up when he’s getting on his bull, but 10 years since he started, I’m not so worried these days,” she said.

Mr McDonald said he was excited to continue with the sport and turn it into his career. In 2025 he hopes to compete with the Professional Bull Riders Association.

He will compete this weekend ((July 1-2) at the Rosewood Rodeo and Woolooga Rodeo.