Sport
17 May, 2022
Buck along to the Biboohra Bull Ride
THE bulls are prepped, the grounds are immaculate and the drinks are chilling at Simmo's arena, so wipe the mould off your boots and hat, find your favourite jeans and head on out to Hume Road on 28 May for the Biboohra Bull Ride.
THE bulls are prepped, the grounds are immaculate and the drinks are chilling at Simmo's arena, so wipe the mould off your boots and hat, find your favourite jeans and head on out to Hume Road on 28 May for the Biboohra Bull Ride.
Join some of Queensland's big names in rodeo as Glen and Robyn Simmonds and their team of supporters work to raise money for their charity partner, the Indie Rose Foundation, to ease the burden on FNQ families, whose children need to travel for specialist medical treatment.
Mareeba cowboy Kurt Shephard, who was on track to become the nation's Professional Bull Riders Australian champion last December, will be swinging gates for fellow competitors in the rough stock arena. One of the nation's most consistent riders, 27-year-old Mr Shephard was sitting at number 1 in the PBR race when he suffered a neck injury in February, sidelining him from the competition for the last three months. Such was his domination of the dirt in arena's across the country, he still holds Australia's number 3 ranking and he is “biting at the bit” to get back on the bulls and re-launch his career on home soil at the Monster Energy PBR Cairns Invitational on 16 July.
With Kurt out of action, internationally ranked athletes, Lachlan Richardson from Gresford, New South Wales and Luke Smith from Tully are primed and ready to step into the breach. Fresh from competing in the PBR State of Origin III competition at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre on 21 May, Richardson and Smith are currently sitting at 69th and 106th respectively in world PBR rankings.
More than half way to achieving seven figure earnings from his sport, and with five 90 point rides, 32 event wins and a victory at PBR's Tamworth 2021 State of Origin II under his belt, Richardson said he was keen for a rematch with Simmo's unridden star, “High Hopes”. He has been unceremoniously dumped in the past by the fiery 650kg black Brahman sire, who has catapulted cowboys for five years straight from Ingham to Weipa, and knows an eight-second berth on the bovine athlete would add a touch of legend to his record.
With his star still well and truly on the rise, 24-year-old Michael Smith, who bucked second to Richardson at Tamworth is currently sitting inside Australia's top 10 performers, in 9th place in the Australian PBR standings and will also want an eight when they pull that gate at Biboohra.
Recent event winners from Chillagoe will also be in the mix. Luke Smith, who took out the Open Bull Ride there, Leith Malone, who won the Novice and winner on the Mini bulls, and Josh Snell will all be upping the ante for the competition. “It has been a great start to the Northern rodeo season with very high noms at Einasleigh, Mt Garnet, Chillagoe and Ingham Sugar City and we are already seeing our Junior Bull Riding schools paying dividends. Several of our clinic attendee's names have been showing up on judge's sheets around the region this season,” Robyn Simmonds said.
Crowd favourites from Borgheros Mini Buckers from Proserpine – Jett Star, Alcatraz, Turbo and Chicken Joe – will be onsite giving the 8-U11 and 11-U14 cowboys plenty of bang for their buck. The little bulls are pulling their own star appeal with a great following around the north. Simmo’s bucking bulls will headline their act with the Spaniard, High Hopes and Off the Chain, just to name a few and Colin Fry will be bringing some of his top performing CF7 sires, such as Living on Dreams, Blood in the Water and Gangsters Retreat all the way from Greenvale.
While the competitors battle it out for the $5000 Open Bull Ride purse, DJ Nate will be rocking the beat, the food vans will be cooking up a storm and the cold drinks will flowing at the bar. The gates will be open at 3.30pm and the afternoon will kick off with the U11 Steer Ride at 5pm, with stock supplied by Tableland Bikes and Power Equipment.
The majority of events will be under lights culminating in the Open Bull Ride later that evening. “We weren't prepared for the crowds when 2000 revellers turned up for our extremely popular, ‘Slam'n for Sam’ bull ride in 2018,” Ms Simmonds said. “But we have learned from that and we are ready to go this time. “We are affiliated with the ABCRA and have dual affiliation with the CRCA of central Queensland. We have support from over 50 sponsors from across Far North Qld, including our major sponsor, Hendle's Sandblasting, and platinum sponsors Bendigo Bank, Fahlstrom Scaffolding, Tonkin Steel, Northern Concrete and A Touch of Country.”
More than 70 volunteers have put their hands up to help out, including supporters of the Indie Rose Foundation, who will be working behind the bar. Online ticket sales have been very strong, but there will also be tickets at the gate.
“We would like to send a shout out to the Indie Rose wheelbarrow team, ‘The Indestructables’, who will be competing in The Great Wheelbarrow Race on Friday and a thank you to Bendigo Bank for sponsorship of our Protection Athletes,” Ms Simmonds said. “We are looking forward to a terrific night of family entertainment.”
For any queries related to competing, attending or sponsorship, call Robyn Simmonds on 0428 979 175.
