Sport
8 November, 2022
Bound for the big leagues
GREAT Northern Bullriding champion and professional Australian bull rider Wyatt Milgate has decided to truly take the bull by the horns and move across the world to pursue his dream and passion for bull riding.
Wyatt found himself on the back of a calf when he was just five years old in his first calf ride in his hometown rodeo, the Mareeba Rodeo.
From then Wyatt never left a bull’s back and made it his mission to become the best bull rider he could be.
He competed across the country over the following years into his 20s, accumulating numerous buckles along the way in his junior years and even a couple of rides in the Professional Bull Riding circuit.
“It has literally been every year, I have not had a break even during Covid I was still riding wherever I could – practising at home, at other people’s properties,” he said.
Even broken ribs, a punctured lung and a lacerated liver could not keep Wyatt out of the game for long – taking about a month to recover from his injuries before getting right back on the back of a bull.
Wyatt is a four-time Great Northern Bullriding Series Finalist, the 2019 and just recently the 2022 champion after the recent finals in Atheron.
Great Northern Bullriding Series spokesperson Peter Brown believes Wyatt has what it takes to make it overseas.
“When he gets his stuff together and he gets over there, he could potentially be one of the 10 or 20 best bull riders in the world,” he said.
Wyatt’s Dad, Kyle, competed in Canada when he was riding and has connections in both the American and Canadian bull riding circuit.
Using these connections, Wyatt hopes to move and live in either of the two countries and behind the arduous climb to the top of the bull riding ladder.
“I want to exceed in my riding and if you want to prove yourself you’ve really got to go overseas – there is more competition in America and Canada,” he said.
“I want to see what I can do and I know it will be a good time over there.
“I am mainly going over for the memories, it will be a memory that I will have for the rest of my life.”
While it would be nice to get straight into the pro circuit, Wyatt is prepared to duke it out in the amateur bull rides until he can prove himself and move up into the big leagues.
