Young Riders Shine at Mount Isa Rodeo

Inside the Kalkadoon Arena, in the heart of Queensland's wild north-west, courage can be measured in eight seconds. The Mount Isa Rodeo, the biggest in the Southern Hemisphere, has once again showcased the talents of its youngest riders, with some making a lasting impression.

Young Riders Shine

Kalkadoon and Pitta Pitta cowgirl Lareece Daley-Kennedy, 13, is set to step onto the international stage after receiving invitations to two youth world finals in the United States. Bull riding runs in the family for Lareece, who took up the sport after hearing stories about her dad's rodeo days.

"Just lock your knees in and your legs and just hold on," she said.

Lareece has been invited to compete at the Professional Youth Roughstock Association World Finals in Oklahoma and the World Championship Mini Bulls World Finals in Texas. The invitations follow a string of strong performances across the North West, including a second-place finish on her first steer ride earlier this year.

At this year's Mount Isa Rodeo, she came just short of the buzzer in the Mount Isa round before returning to place third in the Indigenous mini bulls.

Support for Young Riders

The Mount Isa Rodeo is putting real weight behind the next generation, committing $10,000 to help get Lareece to the United States. This is the first time the incumbent board has directly backed a young rider in this way.

For Lareece, the secret to her success lies in her family and her love for the sport. "I just wanted to follow my dad's footsteps," she said.

Lareece's father, Nathan Kennedy, was thrilled with the support from the Mount Isa Rodeo. "Blew me away, made me cry actually," he said. "It's got us there. It's got us over the line."

Developing Young Talent

The Mount Isa Rodeo vice-chair, Marcus Curr, said developing young riders was becoming an important part of the organisation's future. "A lot of kids in the bush … don't get to play cricket and football as much as city kids do," he said. "So rodeo is a big part of their life and their culture."

The board runs an annual junior clinic where young people, including children from remote communities, learn about safety, technique, and competition. Mr Curr estimated about 50 children attended this year.

Mr Curr said the rodeo wanted to become "more than just running a rodeo for the weekend". "It's about investing in opportunities for kids and having Mount Isa Rodeo being a part of Australia developing some of the best cowboys and cowgirls in the world," he said.

A Bright Future

For Lareece, one of those opportunities is already waiting in the United States, with plenty of pressure and expectation. But ask what she loves most about bull riding, and the answer is much simpler. "Winning and holding on."