The 2023 Cootamundra Rodeo is just two and a half weeks away, returning to the Cootamundra Rodeo grounds on Saturday 4 November. Taking place at 149 Rodeo Drive Cootamundra, this year’s event is set to see some amazing highlights across the day.
Cootamundra Rodeo President Mick Axsentieff says the committee have been working hard in the lead up to the event to put on another successful instalment. “We’ve just completed nearly all of the back of the shoots. We had a walkover from one side of the grounds to the other on the weekend. We’re cutting it fine, but we’ll get there,” Axsentieff said. “We’ve had a lot of inquiries from Sydney ringing up about the rodeo. We’re looking at probably 450 competitors, which is a great number. “The junior bull rides and the main event open bull rides are definitely the two events which pulls the most spectators through the gate. “We’ll be kicking off at 8am on Saturday morning and could run all the way into the night, it just depends on entry numbers. “The committee have been preparing for this rodeo for 12 months and it’s a big effort from the town. It costs a lot of money to run a full rodeo. It’s the first time in 30 years that we’ve run a full rodeo.
“It’s a massive achievement to bring a full rodeo back to town because it was the home of national finals years ago. It’s an outstanding achievement from a small committee of about 15 people. “All the committee don’t class ourselves as our roles, we just class ourselves as workers. We’re all Indians, not chiefs.
“We only have executive decisions for things we must make a call on, other than that, everyone has a say.” The Cootamundra Rodeo wouldn’t be going ahead without the terrific support of local sponsors to help fund the event and make it a reality.
“Taylor’s Windows are our number one sponsor. I certainly can’t thank all of our sponsors enough. It costs at least $50,000 to run a full rodeo,” Axsentieff continued. “We’d love everyone to come along on the day as well as supporting our street parade. Families and kids are all welcome. We have colouring-in competitions happening at the schools, as well as demonstrations at the schools a couple days before. “We’re looking at an estimate of a few thousand people to come through the gate on the day. Following the Cootamundra Rodeo, the Luke Coombs Tribute Show will be playing at the Cootamundra Ex-Services Club to wrap up the day from 8pm. “The Ex-Services Club is a sponsor of ours and they are using their bus to bus people up and back from the rodeo.”
Make sure you visit the Cootamundra Rodeo website to secure your tickets today.
Tim Warren
