ONE of the popular innovations at this year’s rodeo was well known country music duo O’Shea who were there not to perform but to act as roving social media ambassadors for the rodeo.
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The husband and wife duo Mark and Jay O’Shea are four-time Golden Guitar winners, present the Big Country in-flight entertainment channel on Qantas airlines and have their own TV Show, “O’SHEA USA” on Foxtel’s Country Music Channel.
It was the duos’ first visit to the Isa and came about when rodeo manager Natalie Flecker saw them doing a social media role at the Houston Rodeo in the US.
“We’ve working there for three years and the role evolved,” Mark said.
“We have our own TV so the link is there between hosting and social media. That led to the gig at Houston and we met some of the guys from Mount Isa, and they said you’re doing this at one of the biggest rodeos in the world, what about our rodeo.”
Jay said everyone in America asked what’s the outback like. “I’ve been to Ayers Rock and Alice Springs but we haven’t been to the outback in a really long time so it’s extra special to be able I’m legitimately in the outback,” she said.
Jay from Adelaide and husband Mark from Dalby first met in Sydney and moved to Nashville to further their music career.
“It’s a mecca for music lovers the world over, and we’ve been there now for 10 years,” Mark said.
“It’s still got a small town feel to it and it’s a great place to raise kids.”