Eastwell brothers vying for gold at Ariat Warwick Rodeo

The Eastwell brothers are set to take their rodeo successes to greater heights this week, with a thirst to win gold at their hometown and in front of the sprawling crowds of the 2021 Warwick Rodeo.

Mitch Eastwell will be aiming to win the rope and tie at the Warwick Rodeo starting Thursday night.

The Eastwell brothers from Warwick and their mother will all compete in the Ariat Warwick Rodeo starting Thursday night.

Mitch, Brock and Wade Eastwell have nominated for the rope and tie, and team roping.

Their mother Julie Small and Mitch’s partner Kylie Hancock will both compete in the breakaway roping at the Warwick Showgrounds.

While campdrafting has already started in Warwick, the rough stock and timed events won’t start until Thursday night.

There will be rodeo performances on Friday night, Saturday daytime and night and Sunday daytime.

Four hundred and twenty nominations have been received, a massive number considering many riders from New South Wales and Victoria did not nominate due to border restrictions.

Three years ago, Mitch won the Australian Professional Rodeo Association title in the rope and tie after an outstanding nationals finals in Warwick.

This year’s APRA national finals were scheduled for Warwick this week but postponed due to border restrictions.

Brock and Mitch Eastwell have both won averages at the finals, Brock in 2017, and Wade in 2018.

In 2017, it was a one, two, Warwick finish in one round when Mitch was first and Brock second, so all three are a genuine chance to win their first Warwick Rodeo rope and tie other than past success in rounds of the national final.

“All of the riders in Warwick this weekend will have a shot at victory,” Mitch said.

“When you are in the box before your run in the rope and tie, everything else is blanked out, it is you, your horse and the calf.

“You have just got to make it happen.

“I am pretty keen to win at my hometown rodeo.”

Mitch is a builder and was working at Taroom before heading to Wandoan last Saturday for the warm-up rodeo to Warwick.

He has placed twice at Taroom at the start of the Northern Run and won a round at Mt Isa this year.

Mitch will compete on his horse Memphis at Warwick and will borrow a horse for team roping. If he places, he will give some of the prizemoney to the owner of the horse.

Current all around cowgirl champion Ellysa Kenny won the barrel race at Wandoan on Saturday with Fallon Mulhall the breakaway roping winner.

In the last Warwick Rodeo to be held in 2019, Warwick rider Kylie Hancock had two thirds and a fourth at the national finals to be second overall in the average.

There are 420 nominations for the rodeo, including 30 in the saddle bronc and steer wrestling and 23 in the bull ride.

Prizemoney won at the Warwick Showgrounds will go towards qualification for next year’s national finals.

Originally published as Eastwell brothers vying for gold at Ariat Warwick Rodeo