When Riley Powell contests the under-8 steer ride at the Bendemeer Rodeo on Saturday, he hopes it will be the start of a beautiful relationship with the animals he aims to conquer as he morphs into a professional bull rider.
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It will be the four-year-old’s first competition, in an inaugural event at the rodeo.
His mum, Christie, said her boy wanted to be a bull rider when he grew up.
Christie’s sister, Melissa Rule, secretary of the Bendemeer Campdraft and Rodeo Association, said the under-8 bull ride was added to the program to make the rodeo more family orientated and “get more families here”.
The association also wanted to get more juniors involved in the sport, she said, adding: “There’s not much in this area for junior rodeo.”
Rule said the rodeo’s preparation was on schedule, although “a bit of rain beforehand would be great, just so we can rip up the grounds. But it won’t be a problem if it doesn't rain.”
She added: “The entries are pretty good. There’s quite a few in the novice and juniors [and] the open show should be great.”
Money raised from the rodeo is pumped back into the community including Bendemeer Public School. The association’s other main fundraiser for the year, their campdraft, was cancelled due to a lack of rain.
The association’s president, Clarrie Doyle, previously told The Leader that everything was now being put into the rodeo. “This is their [community groups] fundraiser for the year, and this is what keeps our little community going,” Doyle said.
The rodeo starts at 5pm.
