Opinion: Why I didn't want to attend the 2022 Isa Rodeo

I have lived in Mount Isa for the last seven years, married a local man and have a few kids running around my feet; I pretty much class myself as a local.

I have spent many years attending the Isa Rodeo, covering it for work with The North West Star and cheering on my husband, in-laws and friends in different rodeo events.

However, I had no plans of attending the Isa Rodeo in a personal capacity for a number of reasons.

Firstly, the money wristbands.

These were introduced as a cashless system to the Isa Rodeo in 2017. Like many, I wasn't and still am not a fan.

In 2017 to load money onto your wristbands, it cost $2.50 (non-refundable) through a system called AWoP. You were then required to refund any remaining funds on your band before the two-week timeframe passed. With any remaining funds going to the Isa Rodeo.

This year's wristbands cost patrons $3 to activate (non-refundable) with a different system called Wayver. Wayver states that the activation cost "is dependent on the event promoters."

However, this year some patrons got stung twice with an additional $2 to refund any money left on their wristbands. Wayver's terms and conditions state, "all refunds are subject to a refund processing fee." (no set figure stated).

Therefore this year, it cost attendees $5 per wristband, not including any funds that haven't been claimed.

In an already cashless and post-covid world, why do we still need this system when most people pay with their phone or card anyway?

And not to mention the queue to line up and put more money on your wristband!

Secondly, seating.

I understand the Isa Rodeo need to support their sponsors with Platinum seating, but what is this Gold Seating?!

Isa Rodeo has stung patrons by charging more for the seating sections adjacent to the chutes.

In 2022 the newly introduced Gold Seating set patrons back $290 for the three days, $140 more than general admission.

This year my in-laws went to sit in the same section, same seats, that they've sat in since Buchanan Park opened, to be advised they couldn't sit there.

My father-in-law would take the whole weekend off every year to sit and watch the rodeo. He called it his annual "holiday" from running the stock camp. But this year, they couldn't sit there. They honestly couldn't believe it.

And during the daytime schedules, especially on Friday, the Gold seating was mostly empty. Disappointing!

While I am on the subject of ticket prices.

Attending the Isa Rodeo for the first time can be a new and exciting time. Many tourists can justify paying $350/400 for a family three-day general admission pass or $150/160 for an adult.

But for locals, it can be expensive to join in the local celebrations.

For an adult to attend general admission for one day is $72.00. That's hard for locals to justify paying when other rodeos in the North West, like Quamby, Curry, Dajarra, Saxby and Sedan Dip, offer free or significantly less admission for an authentic bush rodeo experience.

Also, if you planned to indulge in a beverage or two, it was $9 for a beer, $12 for premixed cans like a rum and coke, $10 for a glass of wine and $4 for a bottle of water!

I have thoroughly enjoyed attending Isa Rodeo in the past, but I feel is getting very pricey and is deterring locals from attending the event and joining in the celebrations that have been a part of our history for so long.

- Senior Journalist, Samantha Campbell.

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