Bucking rodeo action galore

Mick Williamson will be hoping to stay on his ride for the full eight this Saturday night.

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WHEN talk turns to bronc riding young St Brendan’s College bull rider Calan Gleeson shies away.

“That’s too scary for me,” Gleeson said.

“They throw you way too high.”

Gleeson is a young steer and bull rider from St Brendan’s College that is full of praise of those who dare try and stay on the back of a bucking bronc.

Fellow St Brendan’s College student Mick Williamson is one young bull rider that isn’t afraid to get on the back of a bucking bronc and has been doing so for the past two years.

“Its good fun, it’s better than riding bulls,” Williamson said.

Williamson began riding potty calves as a seven year old and decided to try his luck early last year with broncos and has thrived on it ever since.

Such is the talent of the young man, he is leading the Central Rodeo Cowboys Association (CRCA) junior saddle bronc competition and travelled to New Zealand earlier this year to represent Australia in a head to head competition with our neighbouring nation.

Gleeson, 16 and Williamson are a part of a group of young rodeo riders that travel around Central Queensland on weekends to test their abilities on the junior CRCA circuit.

From country towns around the region, the pair are joined on their travels by another country boy, in year 11 student Jesse Beak.

Beak has been competing in the sport for the past five years and has impressed in recent times winning second place at the Capella rodeo steer riding competition last weekend.

Tomorrow afternoon, he will compete in the Australian High School Rodeo Association (AHSRA) event and follow it up with a ride in the CRCA junior bull ride.

Gleeson is a newcomer to the sport after being introduced to the sport only last year.

“I just came to St Brendan’s and my mates here did it so I thought I’d have a go,” Gleeson said.

“It was a bit scary the first time but after that you’re alright.

“It’s a bit of fun now.”

The year 11 student will need to pull off a quality eight second ride in the junior bull ride tomorrow night if he is to outdo Harry Hockman, last weekend’s winner at the Capella rodeo.

Williamson, Beak, Hockman and Gleeson will all be part of tomorrow afternoon’s schedule as lead-up to one of the biggest CRCA events on the calendar.

Expecting to draw around 6000 spectator’s to the school grounds, the rodeo is the third-biggest rodeo in Queensland with a total prize purse of over $10,000.

The AHSRA event kick starts the day just before lunch and includes the bull ride, steer ride, saddle bronc, bareback bronc and barrel racing and is followed up by the CRCA event at night.

Along with all the young riders that will be doing their best to last the eight seconds on their rides, current CRCA bull rider Mitchell Paton will hope to do the same.