Young Guns a hit | Rockhampton Sport | Local Sports in Rockhampton

Bray Perrett was in great form for the Rookie Bull Ride, but his 88 points failed to get him the win at the Young Guns Rodeo.

OVER the past few years stock contractor Brian Duggan has been running schools for youngsters wishing to enter the sport of rodeo – now it is beginning to pay off.

On Friday night at the Great Western Indoor Arena a large crowd turned out for the first of the Young Guns Rodeos for the year. They did not leave disappointed.

Many of these young riders have developed their skills participating at school rodeos and in last year’s Young Guns series.

A sign of this improvement came in the Rookie Bull ride, where Duggan had introduced some of his better bulls.

Better bulls mean better scores so long as the young cowboys are capable of negotiating that first hurdle – spending eight tortured seconds on the back of the bull.

One cowboy who was able to raise his own standard and draw favourable comment from more experienced riders was Kemp Donaldson. The former St Brendan’s College student rode the bull, One Horn, and completed his ride to the satisfaction of the judges who awarded the Alpha cowboy a score of 90 points.

“He would have won any Open Bull Ride,” Duggan said with admiration.

A score as high as Donaldson’s is exceptional and yet, on the night, he was pushed hard by Gracemere cowboy Bray Perrett, who scored an 88-point ride.

Consolation for Perrett came with a win in the Junior Bull Ride.

Duggan has built a big reputation for his herd of bucking bulls, but in recent times has expanded his interest to produce a string of horses for the other rodeo events on the card.

Among these events is the Bareback, where Blackall’s Chris Williams showed his class with a winning 80-point ride on a horse named The Wizard.

Duggan said there were many exceptional performances from more than 80 competitors who took part in the show.

Another young Alpha cowboy earned himself a good win was Callum Gleeson who took out the Steer Ride.

The work does not stop there for Duggan. On Saturday he runs a Rough Stock School starting at 9am for those interested in finding out if they have what it takes to be a rodeo cowboy or cowgirl.

Duggan said the school was run as a “come and try” day and a chance to have a bit of fun.

Also on this weekend is the Bull-a-rama at Blackwater, where 30 of the best cowboys from Central Queensland will be trying to get the better of some of the finest bulls in the Duggan herd.

Next rodeo event at the Great Western Indoor Arena is the St Patrick’s Day 4 Bs rodeo, while the next round of the Young Guns series is on March 26.