Ellie Gard has lost track of the number of times she’s won the junior barrel racing at the Myrtleford rodeo, but every race is just as exciting.
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The 13-year-old’s success at the staple Boxing Day event was made even sweeter by her brother’s return to a North East arena.
Ellie, from Table Top, watched 19-year-old Ben Gard tackle “Horrible Manners” in the first round of the open bull-riding.
“He was hoping to ride for eight seconds,” she said.
“At the rodeo, I enjoy barrel racing the most; I started when I was three.”
While Ben didn’t place in the first round, the young cowboy has been doing the family proud.
Ring announcer Terry Murray introduced Ben as he geared up as the first rider.
“He was the 2011 and 2014 pro tour junior all-round cowboy and 2015 junior high point all-rounder,” he said.
“He’s spent a lot of time riding in Canada and he’s fresh back from there.”
The main events began with a tribute with Mr Murray asking for a minutes’ silence for Lee Shrimp, who died in a car crash last week.
“I received a phone call about a cowboy who lost his life on Thursday in Emerald, Queensland,” he said.
“Lee was at many times a national finalist cowboy, the 2005 Warwick winner and a friend of many.
“The rodeo world was shattered when the news came through.”
Almost 2000 people stood in silence and remained as the bare back, team roping and bull-riding events got underway.
Rodeo contractor John Gill said a number of esteemed national riders had travelled to make the 63rdd event, which kicked off the “southern run” season.
“People will be going to ride at Jindabyne tomorrow, then come back to ride at Yarrawonga and Tumbarumba,” he said.
“We have the best bucking stock in Australia and best riders, so you can’t get much better than that.”
Myrtleford Golden Spurs Rodeo committee president Kevin Kennedy said the rain had impacted numbers for the second year in a row.
“Given the rain, if we can get something between $10,000 and $15,000 as a Lions Club back into the local community, that will be terrific,” he said.
“At 3pm I was a bit worried, but they’ve still come, so I’m rapt.
“It’s a bit like football – for the die-hards, it doesn’t matter what the weather throws at them, they’ll come.”
