Holly Moore and Jess West lighting up the stadium as the newest Cowboys spirit squad members

A childhood passion has driven two performers to the electric atmosphere of Queensland Country Bank Stadium. Find out what it’s like to dance in front of tens of thousands of roaring fans.

Members of the North Queensland Cowboys Spirit Squad, Jasmine Gallagher, Jess West, Brianna Phillips and Holly Moore. Picture: Shae Beplate.

What began as a childhood love of dance in a small country town has led one performer to the bright lights and roaring crowds of Queensland Country Bank Stadium, where she now performs as one of the Cowboys’ newest cheerleaders.

Holly Moore grew up in the small community of Emerald in Central Queensland.

After graduating high school, she took a leap of faith — moving to Townsville to continue her studies at James Cook University.

“I’ve been in Townsville since February, I keep getting lost, it’s so much bigger than Emerald,” she said.

Coming from a family of diehard Cowboys fans, Ms Moore jumped at the chance to audition when she saw the team’s cheerleading tryouts advertised on Instagram.

“I wasn’t quite ready to let go of dancing so I thought I’d give it a shot,” Ms Moore said.

After two rounds of auditions, Holly received the incredible news.

Member of the North Queensland Cowboys Spirit Squad, Holly Moore. Picture: Shae Beplate.

“I was in college so there were so many people around me when I got the email and we all just screamed, it was really exciting,” she said.

Since joining the squad, Ms Moore has found a supportive community in her fellow cheerleaders and has cherished the opportunity to perform in front of thousands of passionate fans.

Member of the North Queensland Cowboys Spirit Squad, Jess West. Picture: Shae Beplate.

“Being able to dance on the field is just insane … the atmosphere, everyone cheering, it’s just been amazing,” she said.

“I felt like an ant on the field. It’s so hard to believe that you’re actually there on the sideline, you can’t explain it.”

Balancing university studies, a busy social calendar, and cheerleading commitments has its challenges, but Ms Moore says the strong support network makes it all worthwhile.

The same can be said for another of the Spirit Squads newest arrivals, Jess West who also made the move north at the beginning of the year.

Members of the North Queensland Cowboys Spirit Squad, Jasmine Gallagher, Jess West, Holly Moore and Brianna Phillips. Picture: Shae Beplate.

After previously being too far away from any NRL teams, Jess saw the move north as a chance to reignite her passion for dance.

“I haven’t properly danced for a while and I wanted to get back into it,” she said.

She received the congratulatory email during her trip to Japan this year and since starting has enjoyed every second.

“As a young girl I was always in the dance scene … it’s been so great to meet people, especially when you’re not from here,” she said.

Both women have embraced the thrill, camaraderie, and community spirit that come with being part of the Cowboys cheerleading family, and made Townsville their second home.

Originally published as Holly Moore and Jess West lighting up the stadium as the newest Cowboys spirit squad members