A recent entry to this year’s Mount Isa Rotary Rodeo Queen Quest, Tegan Ferris, is taking on multiple new challenges this year within her quest to be Rodeo Queen.

“I’m a born and bred Mount Isa girl, so being a part of the Queen Quest has always kind of been on my bucket list to do,” she said.

The quest focuses primarily on raising funds for the would-be queens’ nominated charities, something Tegan is familiar with.

“I have organised a few fundraising events actually. So it’s not my first rodeo!”

And charity work seems to run in the blood. Tegan’s nana and great aunt are Joyce Neilsen and Kathy Swift, famous long-time local fundraisers for the Leukaemia Foundation.

“They are legendary at fundraising, and we would usually do it for the Leukaemia Foundation too. But I’ve chosen Young People Ahead as my charity this time,” Tegan said.

Ms Ferris is simultaneously embarking on a new career with the Mount Isa based youth organisation, as a case manager for the YHARS (Youth Housing and Reintegration Services) branch of YPA’s work.

“I think that our young people, and Young People Ahead, really need some help from the community, and raising funds for them could help to benefit the entire community,” Tegan said.

Tegan said they are working towards the goal of running a training facility for disadvantaged youth right here in Mount Isa.

“What we are looking to do is to grow as an organisation and create a social enterprise,” Tegan said.

The YPA team is planning to set up a small coffee shop in their building where young people can learn how to develop skills in work and life.

Money raised in Tegan’s quest will go towards this exciting project.

Tegan has a few events planned already, starting with weekend barbecues at Bunning’s, and busy bar work at Mount Isa Race Club on March 3 and 17.

Together with her high school sweetheart / husband, Darrien Ferris, and their children, Jaycie (11) and Iziah (11), Tegan is ready to take on the challenge of Mount Isa Rodeo’s annual  Queen Quest.