Mel Wilburn - travel guides star, rodeo competitor and celebrity cutting winner

Story from July 2019 Horse Deals magazine.

Mel, for those who aren’t familiar with the TV show ‘Travel Guides’ can you tell us a bit about yourself?
I’m 29 and currently living near Wangaratta, Northern Victoria, working in a feedlot. I’ve got a twin sister, Stack, and we travel the world together as part of Travel Guides. Before the show I was up in Birdsville for three years as a contract musterer.

How would you best describe yourself?
Straight forward but a bit rough around the edges.

What’s your riding history?
I’ve been riding ever since I could remember.

Can you tell us about the horses you currently have out competing at rodeos?
I have a few good horses. Both horses I have trained myself; Hawk, a Hank Man Leo gelding I use for breakaway roping and a chestnut gelding Johnny, also Hank Man bred, I use for team roping.

How much did you know about cutting before you got involved with the Celebrity Cutting Event at the NCHA Futurity?
I knew a little bit. I did a cutting school with Max McTaggart when I was 13 or so. I loped a few horses around for a bloke but really never had the opportunity to sit on a fully trained horse, so I was very excited once I got the chance come my way.

Not many get the opportunity to sit on a good cutting horse, let alone one as special as Peter Shumack’s Eyebrows Cat. Can you describe to us what he was like to ride?
So well educated, he had every button you could ever imagine to push. I had goosebumps just sitting on him. When I told people I was riding Eyebrows everyone was like “you better hang on!”

How many rides did you get on Eyebrows before competing?
I had two rides on Eyebrows, one on Wednesday on the bag and the other was on cattle at lunchtime Thursday and the competition was on the Thursday night so I didn’t get a lot of practise in.

What was the atmosphere at the NCHA Futurity like?
So so loud. When I first put my hand down the crowd just started screaming. I’ve never been into an arena with such great atmosphere.

What was the biggest change going from roping into the cutting arena?
I would have to say not picking up on the reins. We have our reins in our left hand and pointing in the direction of the cow. I didn’t want to be penalised for picking up so I just held the front of my saddle pad.

How did your cow knowledge from roping help you out with cutting?
It’s all the same really, just read your cow. Working in a feedlot I draft cattle every day which I think gave me a big advantage.

Which fellow celebrity were you most excited to meet and why?
Simone Jade McKinnon by far. I must admit nearly every country kid growing up loved McLeods Daughters and I was one of them.

After your cutting stint, you were straight back to the rodeo circuit with a trip to Bowen River. How far do you travel for rodeos and how did you go at Bowen River?
Stack and I travel so much, we travel all over the country. I have no limits on how far I go as long as I’m roping good and winning money. I got second at Bowen River with a 2.65.

Let’s chat Travel Guides. How has this show changed your life?
Before Travel Guides I had only traveled Australia and now having traveled the world three times with 22 countries under my belt I’m very honoured and appreciative of the country we live in. It’s been the biggest eye-opener.

Has it changed what it’s like to compete at rodeos?
Not at all, I’m still the same person now as I was before the show, just get recognised more.

How would you describe your relationship with Stack after being a part of Travel Guides?
We are very close, we talk like ten times a day. I’d be very lost without her.

How have you balanced having horses and traveling away for the show?
While traveling for the show I turn all my horses out and then just get stuck into them when I’m home.

What’s to come next once your Travel Guides gig has wrapped up?
Just keep working so I can get a place to call home really, rodeo’n and getting young horses going.

From overcoming your fear of heights on multiple occasions on Travel Guides to delving into a different sport as part of the Celebrity Cutting, what is your best advice for giving something new a go?
Just jump in and do. You’ll never better yourself if you do the same things over, that’s what I tell my self anyways and don’t over think it.

Will you be wishing to make a return to the cutting scene?
I hope so. The Shumack family lent me an amazing horse that gave me the best possible first-time experience, which I would like to thank them for. Now that’s got me keen as, but not sure if I can afford cutting and rodeo’n, I’m broke enough just trying to rodeo.

Mel is proudly sponsored by: Wrangler, Twisted X Boots, Thomas Cook and Pure Western.

Sign up to our newsletter