Cloncurry was host to a North West Division High School Rodeo in November, attracting competitors from Yeppoon, Emerald, Richmond, Julia Creek, Cloncurry and Mount Isa.
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In August this year, permission was granted for North West Queensland to have its own division on the Australian High School Rodeo calendar.
This offers the North West athletes every opportunity to gain enough points to go to the Australian Finals in Tamworth without having to travel long distances.
The first of these events was held in Richmond on father’s day weekend.
Cloncurry was the second High School rodeo of the series. The event organisers also held Australian Team Roping events to allow for the families bringing children to compete, to also be able to have events to compete in over the week-end.
So it was a full weekend, with an ATRA team roping and barrel racing night on Friday, the Australian High School Rodeo on Saturday night, and an ATRA team roping and barrel racing event on Sunday.
There are two divisions High School Division: 15 - 18 years of age and Junior High Division 11 - 14 years of age.
Outstanding competitors over the week-ends events were Heath O’Keefe from Mount Isa taking out the Junior High Tie down Roping, Team Roping, Chute Dogging and Ribbon Roping with his partner Brandee Ferguson.
In the High School Division, Cloncurry’s Kolt Ferguson dominated the timed events with a win in the Team Roping and Steer Wrestling and second place in the Tie Down roping, while Cameron Southern dominated the rough stock end of the arena taking out wins in both the Saddle Bronc and Bull Riding events.
This event followed the success of Ferguson qualifying on the Australian Team in 2014 to compete in Rock Springs Wyoming US.
After seeing what incredible opportunities this can give anybody wanting to further in the sport, and loving the experience, Ferguson became heavily involved in the association, and accepted the role as student president.
His goal was to promote the sport and the association throughout Australia, and try to get a North West Queensland division.
He said there is so much talent being missed out here, because regional children do not often have the opportunity to travel.
Ferguson and his family traveled to five states from last year through to the Australian High School Finals in Tamworth to try to earn enough points to be secure a spot on the Australian team again for 2015.
Ferguson often traveled from boarding school to as many events as he could – even flying to South Australia for a couple of the bigger events.
Ferguson and his younger sister Brandee achieved this goal along with Mount Isa cowboy Donovan Rutherfurd, who traveled with the Fergusons for a couple of the qualifying rodeos in Tasmania and also in the World National High School Rodeo Association Finals.