Noonamah Rodeo to go ahead in September pending approval of full crowd COVID-19 safety plan

THE organisers of the Noonamah Rodeo are optimistic the September event can go ahead after the first two rodeos in May and July were cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Noonamah Rodeo organisers say the event will only go ahead in September if similar crowd numbers to previous years are allowed. Picture: Justin Kennedy

THE organisers of the Noonamah Rodeo are optimistic the September event can go ahead after the first two rodeos in May and July were cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Noonamah Tavern owner Tony Innes said he had submitted a COVID-19 safety plan to the NT Government but the event would only be commercially viable if authorities allowed the usual large crowds to attend.

“The main issue that may effect us is if we have to run with reduced numbers it won’t be possible for us to run but if we can run with normal sized crowds we’re in with a pretty good chance,” he said.

“Because it’s still a bit over two months away if they ease things a bit more than we’re in with a good chance.”

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Mr Innes said the rodeo usually attracted about 3000 people and while 4500 punters were expected to attend the Darwin Triple Crown in August, the smaller area available to the rodeo meant spacing people out in a similar way was not an option.

“If we have to do that with the rodeo it’s not possible, it’s a small area with big numbers and we need those numbers to pay the bills so if we can’t run it with a full crowd we just won’t run it,” he said.

“It’ll probably be a big one because obviously we haven’t had any this year so we sort of need a crowd of up around 3000 to make it work so if the Chief Health Officer is happy to accommodate a full crowd we’ll go ahead.”

Mr Innes said the easing of border controls would allow bull riders and motocross riders who usually attended the event from interstate to come in September but Victoria’s second wave of coronavirus cases could still present a problem.

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“Most of our freestyle motorbike riders do come out of Victoria but we’d be able to source from South Australia or Brisbane which is still OK,” he said.

“But the last thing we need is another outbreak up here, it sounds selfish but we probably do need to re-shut the borders with Victoria.”

The first Noonamah rodeo for 2020 is currently scheduled for September 12, pending Chief Health Officer Hugh Heggie’s approval of organisers’ coronavirus safety plan.

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