It was certainly a week that required stamina, and sadly I was found wanting at the end, failing to front up on the Sunday night to hear John Farnham and co rock the rodeo arena.

I heard the Voice was in fine voice, bookmarking a great five days in the Isa.

It started with the Isa Street Festival at which every family in Mount Isa seems to have attended.

And no wonder, with the colourful parade to enjoy, autographs from Johnathan Thurston to obtain and great food to be had from the dozen or so stalls.

It was great to see the city centre so throbbing and vibrant and Jai Thistletwayte topped it off with a terrific concert.

It was a different vibe and demographic on Thursday at the Mailman Express.

Young families were thin on the ground, but I suspect everyone aged 18 to 30 in the city was at Buchanan Park that night.

They even let a few old codgers like me in, though I scattered well before proceedings got messy.

Congrats to Charlie Prow on winning his second successive Mailman.

On the Friday the action moved to the rodeo arena end of Buchanan Park.

Once again we saw top quality action with the best cowboys and cowgirls, the best stock, the best announces in the business performing in the best arena.

There weren't too many brickbats, but one must be served to Telstra.

I was not along in finding 4G coverage at best poor to middling on the weekend.

I accept that on big weekends like Rodeo demand for phone and internet coverage spikes.

But this should have been expected and planned for.

I know that in previous years Telstra have brought a Cell On Wheel (a COW, appropriately for rodeo) to, ahem, beef up their coverage on a big weekend.

I could be mistaken but I didn't hear of any such plans this year, a big omission on the rodeo's 60^th year anniversary.

Pointedly Telstra have not responded to my question on the topic.

They must be COWed.