Some of Australia's best saddle bronc riders head to Upper Horton, NSW

Some of the best saddle bronc riders in Australia will head to Upper Horton in NSW on New Year's Eve.

Upper Horton is 100 kilometres north-west of Tamworth and has produced a number of Australia champion bronc riders.

Past world rookie champion Brad Pierce is the CEO of Wrangler Xtreme Broncs, an organisation which is affiliated with the Australian Professional Rodeo Association and includes 12 of the best bronc riders in the country.

At each Xtreme Broncs event, bucking horses are provided by three contractors. Eddie and Malcolm Gill, of Gill Brothers Rodeo at Upper Horton, are one of the contractors.

Two of the best bucking horses in the nation, Moves Like Jagger and Whiskey Boy, will be bucked out at Upper Horton.

The Xtreme bronc riding series started in North Queensland during the northern run in July and August.

There was a record 40 saddle bronc riders at Charters Towers, numbers were capped at 33 at Richmond and Bowen, and there were 40 Xtreme bronc riders in saddle bronc at the 2021 Cloncurry Rodeo.

"I remember when we were getting 12 or 13 riders at the Moree Rodeo, now we have between 28 and 35 riders at most saddle bronc rides," Eddie said.

Some rodeos also have a bareback bronc ride in an Xtreme Broncs Show in the eastern states.

The Xtreme Bronc organisation is holding clinics in saddle bronc and bareback bronc riding at Upper Horton on December 18-19.

Some of the coaches will be Calvary Stampede saddle bronc champion Darryl Kong, Darren Clarke, Brad Pierce, Michael Maher and Rhys Angland.

Eddie said a number of semi-retired cowboys like Angland were contemplating a return to bronc riding due to the Xtreme Series.

On New Year's Eve at Upper Horton, there will be 33 rookie saddle bronc riders competing during the day with the top six qualifying for the finals at night.

All 33 first round runs in the Xtreme Open saddle bronc event will buck out from 7pm (NSW time).

Despite the difficulties due to COVID-19, the number of competitors in rodeo are booming.

APRA chairman Shane Iker said the greatest growth area was in northern NSW.

"We are hosting our first professional rodeo for 13 years at Casino in March," he said.

The APRA program includes Hervey Bay Rodeo - January 1, followed by Wangarattatta Rodeo, Victoria - January 7, Alexandra Rodeo, Victoria - January 8, Maryborough Rodeo - January 8 and the first professional rodeo in Tasmania for six months on January 8 at Carrick.

Article courtesy of Australian Community Media and Queensland Country Life