Mount Isa Rodeo backs young riders with $10,000 funding for US youth finals

Inside the Kalkadoon Arena, in the heart of Queensland's wild north-west, courage can be measured in eight seconds.

The Mount Isa Rodeo is the biggest in the Southern Hemisphere and this year some of its youngest riders made the biggest impression.

Kalkadoon and Pitta Pitta cowgirl Lareece Daley-Kennedy, 13, is preparing to step onto the international stage after receiving invitations to two youth world finals in the United States.

She 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.

Now the Mount Isa Rodeo is putting real weight behind that next generation, committing $10,000 to help get Lareece to the United States.

It is the first time the incumbent board has directly backed a young rider in this way.

For Lareece, the secret to lasting eight seconds is simple.

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

Lareece was not the only young rider to impress.

Cloncurry brothers Dallas and Ashley Murphy, aged 10 and 14, swept the mini bull titles.

Cade Ferguson, 19, was crowned the rodeo's all-round cowboy, just weeks after becoming world champion in bull riding and reserve world champion in saddle bronc at the Cinch World Championship Junior Rodeo in Oklahoma.

In her father's footsteps

Lareece took up riding after hearing stories about her father Nathan Kennedy's own days in the sport.

"I just wanted to follow my dad's footsteps," she said.

The sport has taught her how to take a hard landing and get back up.

Earlier this year she was winded on her first steer ride and last year at Cloncurry she was thrown and landed on her neck.

"I'd heard people say, 'Oh, she came second', and I just got up like nothing happened," she said.

Her family initially set out to raise about $15,000 to make the trip to the US possible, with supporters across the north-west chipping in through raffles and donations.

Then came the call from the Mount Isa Rodeo to the shock and delight of her family.

"Blew me away, made me cry actually," Mr Kennedy said.

"It's got us there. It's got us over the line."

Backing the young ones

The Mount Isa Rodeo has already had to fight for its own future.

The event fell into voluntary administration in September 2024, before a group of residents rallied to revive it for last year, bringing it back before a record crowd.

Now the board is turning its attention to the riders coming through.

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.

Smaller rodeos across the region also give young competitors somewhere to build their skills before stepping into the Kalkadoon Arena.

Mr Curr said the Murphy brothers and Cade Ferguson were examples of what can happen when talent was matched with family support and opportunities to compete.

"If there's talent around, we've got to support them and encourage them and give them opportunities," he said.

Beyond the Kalkadoon Arena

Mr Curr said he wanted the Mount Isa Rodeo 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.

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.