The Murrumburrah-Harden Show is set for a Bucking Bull return in 2025 with a number of categories and age groups set to line up for their chance to win some serious cash.
The annual show is held on November 15 with Bucking Bulls complementing the working dogs and the quick shear this year.
Organiser and Rodeo veteran Zak Leitner told the Times, “There will be an open bull ride, a novice bull ride, a local poddy ride, and then there’ll be a junior steer ride for the kids as well.”
Both sexes are welcome to take part with lads and ladies set to enter the fray.
“There are three different age groups for the kids – 8 to 11s, 11 to 14 and then 14 to 18.”
After the juniors are completed it will be up to the adults to see if they can stay on for 8 seconds.
Rodeos are not foreign to the beautiful shores of the Murrimboola Creek and it is hoped that a successful event may lead to something more fully fledged in the future.
Zak said, “After the quick shear and the wood chop, everyone normally goes home and then comes back for the fireworks, so we are just trying to fill in the time gap to keep people there, and it is something the town hasn’t had for a bit. It will be a lot of fun.”
“There used to be a full-fledged rodeo, so this is a way of giving them a bit of that back again after it had been on a hiatus for a couple of years.”
The sport can often be hair raising and Zak said that there’s a few regulars on the circuit who may be out, meaning that plenty of cash could be on offer for those willing to step up.
“There are a few out injured at the moment. We’re just waiting to hear back if they’re going to be back for ours. It is one of those things at the moment that is a bit hard to know. Entries open this Thursday, and they close in a week, so we’ll know more in a week who’s coming.
“It is going to be run right beside the dog ring, in with the wood chop and the quick shear. They’re all going to be in the same sort of area. So it can be just one bar and food stalls and everything between them, all there together.”
It will be no small feat to prepare an enclosure for the Bulls and will require a large amount of setup using bobcats and sand.
At 37, Zak may not be about to jump on a Bull, but he did take on a very handy Bronc a few years ago to keep the locals entertained at the Harden Rodeo at the Racecourse.
He said, “We will just try and use this as a stepping stone, and we’ll see what happens, if we can make something bigger and better and keep moving forward, that’s the goal.”
Entries for steer ride and bull ride via ABCRA website.