At Saturday night's CSF dinner, the Braybrooks' Pharmacy Junior Sportsperson Award went to Wallendbeen rodeo competitor Montanna Wilkinson.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Montanna finished as all-round junior cowgirl runner-up in the the national titles after many successful events in NSW during 2018.
There was also special recognition of Cootamundra's Bob Holder, who in October last year was inducted into the Australian Professional Rodeo's Hall of Fame after 71 years of competing.
Montanna started 2018 with competitions in southern NSW, winning many events including the juvenile barrels and junior breakaway at Rockley, the juvenile barrels at Braidwood, Young and Guerie, the junior breakaway roping at Oberon, and finishing fifth in the ladies barrels and third in the junior breakaway at Nevertire.
As a result of these performances she was awarded the Australian Bushman's and Campdraft and Rodeo Association (ABCRA) southern zone rookie team roping header.
She qualified for her first ABCRA competition in which they only take the top 15 competitors in Australia, qualified for two finals and competed in both the juvenile barrels and junior breakaway roping over three days in Tamworth.
At Tamworth, Montanna was awarded the runner-up all round cowgirl for the junior national finals.
Bob Holder was inducted into into the Australian Professional Rodeo Association Hall of Fame at Warwick in Queensland in October last year, thereby earning the highest accolade in rodeo in Australia.
His career of 71 years has seen him ride in the US and travel extensively on the Australian circuit.
His first trip to the US was by boat in 1959.
He and three others with him because the first Australian cowboy to compete on the US rodeo circuit.
He was the first Australian to win prize money in a USA Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association event in a bronc ride.
Bob's passion for Rodeo was the driving force behind making rodeo an important part of Cootamundra's history.
As a result of his involvement the Australian national finals were held in Cootamundra several times and there were street parades and town participation.
Bob still competes. He has given away the bronc riding but now competes in team roping.
After an absence of 15 years, rodeo has made a comeback in Coota, with a successful event in March attracting an attendance of more than 450, and an even bigger event planned to go back to back with the Cootamundra Cup in October.