Record crowds and spectacular arena action mark the 67th Mount Isa Mines Rodeo
The red dirt flew and records were smashed at Mount Isa Mines Rodeo both in the arena and through the gates as a record crowd converged on Buchanan Park for the biggest and most celebrated rodeo in the Southern Hemisphere.
An 18-year-old bull rider from Armidale made his dream debut at the legendary events, with Brodie Meredith claiming the Open Bull Ride title at his first-ever Isa. Meredith entered the final in contention before producing an 84.5-point ride when it mattered most, taking his aggregate to 171 and the coveted buckle. It was an all-NSW podium in rodeo's most dangerous event, with Yarrawa's Luke Parkinson second on 167.5 and Tamworth's Clint Glass third on 166.5.
But the champions came from right across Australia. Victoria's Bailey O'Dell claimed the Open Saddle Bronc aboard Gill Brothers' Little Darling, ahead of local favourites Cade Ferguson from Cloncurry and Clayton Braden from Mount Isa, while NSW riders Henry Watkins of Manilla and Jarrod McKane of Wodonga shared the Bareback Bronc title on 163.5.
In the Barrel Race, Australia's rodeo champion and matriarch Leanne Caban, from Emerald and originally Julia Creek, took the title ahead of South Australia's Candy Michaelis and Alton Downs rider Anna Hamilton.
Winner of the Overall Cowboy of Rodeo was Cloncurry's Cade Ferguson and Cowgirl of Rodeo was Jane Ryan of Brigalow in Queensland.
Regional Queensland was stamped all over the winner's list, with champions and placegetters travelling from communities including Emerald, Cloncurry, Townsville, Richmond, Rockhampton, Hughenden, Yeppoon, Gracemere, Ravenswood, Goondiwindi, Alton Downs, Stanwell, Taroom and Miriam Vale, with buckles this week being driven home across the country.
The Over 55s Team Roping alone brought together competitors from NSW, Victoria and regional Queensland, while the Junior Team Roping even featured New Zealand's Victor Yates alongside Yeppoon's Cruz Leahy.
And if the junior results are anything to go by, the next generation is already coming hard. Tamworth's Liam Birks won the Junior Bull Ride, Maidenhead's Beaudie Neneadic won the Junior Steer Ride and also placed third in the Junior Bull Ride, while Emerald's Jax Dickfos took the Junior Barrel Race ahead of Rockhampton's Ruby Bell and Taroom's Kodah Lovett.
Cloncurry youngsters dominated the Mini Bulls, with Ashley Murphy winning the 11–14 years division and Dallas Murphy taking the 8–10 years title — proof that in rodeo country, they start them young.
And history was made in the arena with the first-ever Ladies Bronc Series, putting women back aboard bucking horses at Mount Isa and celebrating the fearless cowgirls who helped shape Australian rodeo. Charli Simmond from Katherine in the Northern Territory became the inaugural champion with a 70-point ride, ahead of Clare Saxby from Stanthorpe NSW on 65 and Upper Horton's Hayley Rose on 60. The new series marks an important new chapter for Mount Isa Mines Rodeo, honouring the pioneering women of the sport while giving a new generation of bronc riders their own place in the legendary Isa arena.
The 67th Mount Isa Mines Rodeo presented by Akubra drew one of the largest and most geographically diverse fields in Australian rodeo, with almost 800 competitor contesting the richest prize purse in the event's 67-year history. This year's field reflected the continued growth of the sport, with 200 female competition starts, 240 junior competition starts, and competitors travelling from every mainland Australian state, Tasmania and New Zealand, and the debut of the inaugural Ladies Bronc Series, cementing Mount Isa's reputation as Australia's greatest celebration of rodeo.
2026 RESULTS
Champion All round Cowboy Cade Ferguson from Cloncurry
Champion All round Cowgirl Jane Ryan from Brigalow
OPEN BULL RIDE 1st – Brodie Meredith – Armidale NSW - 171 (won with an 84.5 to take out the final) 2nd – Luke Parkinson – Yarrawa NSW - 167.5 3rd – Clint Glass – Tamworth NSW - 166.5
OPEN SADDLE BRONC 1st – Bailey O'Dell – Eddington VIC – 165 (won on Gill Brothers' Little Darling with an 82) 2nd – Cade Ferguson – Cloncurry QLD – 160 3rd – Clayton Braden – Mount Isa North Queensland, QLD – 158.5
BAREBACK BRONC 1st– SPLIT WIN Henry Watkins from Manilla NSW & Jarrod McKane from Wodonga NSW – 163.5
2nd – Brendan Crawley – Yass NSW - 160
3rd – Cody Quilliam – Townsville QLD - 156
BARREL RACE 1st – Leanne Caban – Emerald, QLD (originally Julia Creek) – Average of 34.847 2nd – Candy Michaelis – Lewiston SA - 35.245 3rd – Anna Hamilton – Alton Downs QLD - 35.351
STEER WRESTING
1st - Peter Davenport - KANYAPELLA Victoria - (11.4)
2nd - Jesse Glass – Tamworth NSW - (11.95)
3rd - Tyler Kenny – Emerald QLD - (12.05)
TEAM ROPING 1st – Georgie Kapeller / Tom Willoughby – 19.2 2nd – Jayden Kenny / Shane Kenny – 23.7 3rd – Lochlan Flanagan / Dallas Flanagan – 30.8
ROPE & TIE 1st – Clay Bush – Yass NSW - 23.4 2nd – Jackson Dixson – Alton Downs QLD - 24.5 3rd – Tyler Kenny – Emerald QLD - 30.2
BREAKAWAY ROPING 1st – Kylie Hancock – Rosenthal Heights QLD - 8.45 2nd – Brook Pokarier – Stanwell QLD 9.65 3rd – Torah Hintz – Richmond QLD - 10.0
OVER 55s TEAM ROPING 1st – Casey Tribe from Hallsville NSW and Glen Perkins VIC – 9.95 2nd – Mark Gibb from Charters Towers QLD and Kendall Douglas from Cloncurry QLD – 10.1 3rd – Lamar Cox from Hughenden QLD and Clint Dolan from Black rover QLD – 13.0
Ladies Bronc Ride
1st - Charli Simmonds – Katherine NT - 70
2nd - Clare Saxby – Stanthorpe NSW - 65
3rd - Hayley Rose – Upper Horton NSW - 60
2ND DIV BULL RIDE 1st – Hank Woodard – Gracemere QLD – 150.5 2nd – Beau Easton – Ravenswood QLD – 139.5 3rd – Dex Walker – Colosseum QLD – 80
2ND DIV SADDLE BRONC 1st – James Boulton – Penola South Australia – 143 2nd – Riley Flanagan – Goondiwindi, QLD – 129 3rd – Edward Maxwell – Pinkett NSW – 71
2ND DIV BAREBACK BRONC 1st – Cody Quilliam – Pimlico/Townsville, QLD – 143.5 2nd – Oscar Crawford –– 142 3rd – Isaac Leclair –135.5
JUNIOR BULL RIDE 1st – Liam Birks – Tamworth, NSW – 162 2nd – Rex Walker – Miriam Vale QLD – 155 3rd – Beaudie Neneadic – Maidenhead QLD – 142
JUNIOR STEER RIDE 1st – Beaudie Neneadic – Maidenhead QLD - 74.5 2nd – Bronzon Mara-Skeltlern – 71 3rd – Wyatt Gill – Upper Horton NSW - 69
JUNIOR BREAKAWAY ROPING 1st – Dekoda Caban – Moree NSW - 9.05 2nd – Riley Kohler – Richmond QLD - 11.8 3rd – Wyatt Gill – Upper Horton NSW - 16.3
JUNIOR TEAM ROPING 1st – Header: Victor Yates – NZ- 23.45 / Heeler: Cruz Leahy - Yeppoon QLD – 25.6 2nd – Header: Ruby Bell – Rockhampton QLD - 24.2 / Heeler: Olivia Foxlee – Thornton QLD – 33.2 3rd – Header: Torah Hintz – Richmond QLD - 38.05 / Heeler: Beau Middleton – Hughenden – 8.95 (1 head)
JUNIOR BARREL RACE 1st – Jax Dickfos – Emerald QLD - 34.547 2nd – Ruby Bell – Rockhampton QLD - 34.782 3rd – Kodah Lovett – Taroom QLD - 34.958
LOCAL STEER RIDE
1st Will Durkin
2nd Charles Fisher Bond
3rd Wally Hacon
Mini Bulls (11-14)
1st - Ashley Murphy – Cloncurry QLD- - 75
Kody Scott – Mount Isa QLD - 68
Joel Jaszczyzyn - 65
Mini Bulls (8-10)
Dallas Murphy – Cloncurry QLD - 71
Chilla Hartley – Cloncurry QLD - 68
Xander Shepherd – 59
