Community
16 October, 2024
Local competitors, cheap tickets and great vibes – rodeo a winner
The Great Northern Rodeo was proven to be a success on Saturday night.
If Saturday night was being treated as a dress rehearsal for the 2025 Mount Isa Rodeo, then the event ticked almost every box.
And while 2000 people at the Great Northern Rodeo in one night might be different to 30,000 people across several nights, the winning formula was apparent.
Cheap ticket prices, affordable food and drinks, local competitors in prime time and a popular band had spectators singing the praises of event founder Mark “Tommo” Thompson and his committee.
Not even heavy rain could put a dampener on the atmosphere.
As lightning lit up the sky, the competitors – mostly North West locals with a sprinkling of visitors – put on a stellar display.
From barrel racers to ropers, bull riders and steer wrestlers, the Great Northern Rodeo was action-packed across a five-hour window.
Fittingly, the biggest cheer of the day went to local youngster Tom Iraci, who slowly but surely navigated the barrel racing circuit with the guidance of announcer Jesse Glass on the microphone.
“We couldn’t ask for more than that,” Tommo said post-rodeo.
“It was a very simple rodeo but I thought the community got behind it; every person I saw couldn’t congratulate us enough.”
Tommo wouldn’t be drawn into speculation that he could be in charge of the full-blown Mount Isa Rodeo next year, but said he was confident the community would turn up in droves if it followed the same formula as Saturday’s event.
“Cheap tickets and cheap drinks will get the crowds,” he said.
“We had a lot of local sponsors; businesses that wouldn’t normally be able to afford to be a sponsor of the Mount Isa Rodeo.
“I think the best cowboys will come and the tourists will come if there’s a big crowd of locals.”
With APRA still verifying the results of the Great Northern Rodeo Series, the full placegetters were not available at the time of print.
Katherine cowboy Toby Daley won the open bull ride, while Tom Durkin claimed the saddle bronc.