Mount Isa Mines Rodeo: Giru cowboy Braydon Wellby takes Open Bull ride
A Giru cowboy has taken the top buckle after winning the open bull ride at the Mount Isa Mines Rodeo over the weekend.
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A Giru cowboy has taken the top buckle after winning the Open Bull ride at the Mount Isa Mines Rodeo over the weekend.
A spokeswoman for the Southern Hemisphere’s largest and Australia’s richest rodeo confirmed that Braydon Wellby, 28, had been named Open Bull ride champion on Saturday night.
“He’s had a superb rodeo season, winning and placing from Tamworth to Townsville over the past few months and last night took Australian rodeo’s best-of-the-best title,” she said.
Held at the Buchanan Park Events Complex in Mount Isa, Australia’s longest-running rodeo attracted 750 competitors and thousands of punters from throughout the country over the course of four fun-filled days.
In a truly heartwarming moment, the world’s oldest professional competing cowboy rode with one of the youngest at the rodeo.
Bob Holder, 93, from Cootamundra in NSW rode with the youngest Roping competitor, nine-year-old Tate Smith from near Tamworth who said he wished for one thing: to be a professional roping cowboy.
The spokeswoman said the 84-year gap between the pair faded away as they “galloped down the arena, ropes in hand, concentration on their faces and love of rodeo in their hearts.
Holder, who rides as the Header in a Rope and Tie Team, also had some advice for young Smith.
“Never give up, keep practising and to keep on riding.”
Holder makes the 2200km trip to Isa every year, with his daughter Kerrie who is a champion barrel racer.
He said he had been to thousands of rodeos and still loved the experience.
“He’s competed in rodeos for 78 years, has a proud place in the Australian Rodeo Hall of Fame and has inspired generations of riders across the country,” the spokeswoman said.
In one of the most-loved final-day events at the rodeo, Spiderman’s superpowers failed him during the Superhero Bronc Ride.
The spokeswoman said cowboy Bailey O’Dell from Eddington 1400km west-northwest of Brisbane dressed up as Spiderman and “came spectacularly unstuck”.
“The crowd loved it,” she said.
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Originally published as Mount Isa Mines Rodeo: Giru cowboy Braydon Wellby takes Open Bull ride
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