Mount Isa Mines Rotary Rodeo has joined forces with a personal development specialist to run a special course for Doomadgee girls and women.
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The course prepares participants to take part in the crowning of the inaugural Indigenous Rodeo Princess and Queen, and encourages community involvement.
Isa Rodeo Manager Natalie Flecker and Townsville-based TMT Deportment and Etiquette Academy Director Trisha Telford spent two days in Doomadgee last week running the academy’s “Gorgeous You” course.
Ms Flecker said the course was attended by 12 “rodeo princesses” aged 10 and 11 years and four “rodeo queens” aged 18 and over.
“The course was designed to help share with the participants how to be good role models and ambassadors for rodeo,” Ms Flecker said.
“The Isa Rodeo Queen Quest fosters kindness, thoughtfulness, hard work, resilience and respect, and these are part of the true rodeo spirit we wanted to share in Doomadgee.”
Doomadgee Rodeo Festival organiser Alec Doumadgee said the Doomadgee queen entrants would be encouraged to develop initiatives for the young and older members of their community and the inaugural Indigenous Princess and Indigenous Rodeo Queen will be crowned at the Rodeo Ball at the PCYC on the Wednesday night (August 16) before the Doomadgee Rodeo (August 18-20).
Ms Telford ran the two-day Gorgeous You course for the young girls and women at the Doomadgee School, with the full support of the principal and teachers.
“The course is designed to build confidence and self esteem and belief in themselves as proud young indigenous women,” Ms Telford said. “I was impressed by their manners and respect and how the community is encouraging their young girls and women.”
The Indigenous Rodeo Princess and Queen quest is a positive initiative for the Doomadgee community, according to Mr Doomadgee.
“We hope to install pride in our young ladies and girls and build confidence and self esteem,” he said.
“We have wanted to do this quest to honour our women for the sacrifices and struggles they have made for us over many years. It is the first ever Indigenous Rodeo Princess and Queen Quest I am aware of in Australia, and we hope to build it every year to give our women the platform to show their beauty.”
At the conclusion of the course, the Doodamgee participants were presented with sashes in front of their community.
“All the ambassadors are very keen to start creating community events not only for the children but also for the elders and to keep on promoting their rodeo,” said Ms Telford.
Ms Flecker said the Isa Rodeo was proud to work with the Doomadgee community on such a positive initiative. “I know from working with the rodeo community over the years how real the values that rodeo people share. It is very heart warming to see how the Doomadgee community has really embraced this initiative.”
Derek Barry
Editor of the North West Star Mount Isa since January 2016. Prior to that, an editor at several regional southern Queensland newspapers. Passionate about telling local stories. Comes with a strange accent to due an Irish accident of birth.
Editor of the North West Star Mount Isa since January 2016. Prior to that, an editor at several regional southern Queensland newspapers. Passionate about telling local stories. Comes with a strange accent to due an Irish accident of birth.
