LAST year can only be described as a huge success for Cloncurry cowboy Kolt Ferguson who became the only competitor from the North West Queensland region to represent Australia at the world’s largest high school rodeo event held in the United States.
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Now, the 17-year old is in the process of unearthing more competitors from the North West to join the ride.
Ferguson, who was recently voted as student president of the Australian High School Rodeo Association, has spent 2015 promoting the sport and recruiting new members to become involved in his passion.
Having only found out about the association while at school, Ferguson’s primary goal is to create four qualifying events in the North West region.
“At the moment students out west are at a disadvantage to qualify for the world’s event because there have been no qualifying events out here,” Ferguson said.
“The closest events to qualify are over Townsville way, but because they were mostly while I was at boarding school it was hard to get to those events.”
Positive talks have been held between Ferguson and Curry Merry Muster Festival President Jeremy Grimm in what could result in Cloncurry becoming the first town in North West Queensland to host a qualifying event in conjunction with the town’s rodeo festival in August.
Ferguson, along with his little sister Brandee and fellow cowboy Donovan Rutherford will be competing at this year’s high school rodeo finals in Rock Springs, Wyoming.
“We are working as a team along with some of the other qualifiers from over Townsville way to fundraise for some of the expenses associated with the trip.”
The three of them plan to hold more fundraising events before June with ideas of a sportsman’s dinner in the mix.
“It would be awesome (to have a sportsman’s dinner). But with not a lot of time left we are looking for ideas and volunteers to help us. In the meantime we will keep having raffles and other smaller fundraisers.”
“While we know with the drought and downturn in mining out our way, that money is certainly fairly tight, we are hoping that any large corporates, small businesses or individuals may be able to donate goods or services to raffle or auction to help our fundraising if they are unable to help with sponsorship opportunities.”
For more information on the qualifying event please contact Kolt Ferguson on 0488421107 whereas Katrina Rutherford can also be contacted on 0428382753 for donations.
