Charity event a crowd pleaser

An overwhelming turnout at the Charity Rodeo on Saturday at Brigadoon brought out the best in competitors as they rode for a good cause.

Organiser Jo-Lee Kestel, of Waroona, said the event was a huge success and proceeds would be directed to flood appeals, including the Carnarvon flood.

“With the help of many volunteers and the big hearts of WA’s rodeo competitors, the second annual Charity Rodeo was a big hit, ” she said.

Starring alongside the cowboys and girls were some of the State’s best bucking and barrel racing stock.

Pinjarra cowboy Phil Jeffreys described his winning ride on Berty, the small horse with a big heart, as awesome, after scoring 67 points for a taste of saddle bronc victory.

Top score of the evening belonged to Wade McCarthy, of Chittering, who had the judges awarding 75 points for his eight-second ride on the bareback horse named Leftover.

Taking on the most ferocious of the open bulls with confidence, Malcolm Bergersen, of Bunbury, made it his third win in four, riding Polka Dot.

“The bull did its best to spin me off, but I managed to hang on, ” Bergersen said.

Also holding on for his life, Kayne Drew, of Bindoon, was the only cowboy to make time in the rookie bulls.

As the barrels were rolled out, the crowd was in for a real treat as WA’s best cowgirls lined up for the open race.

Two of the 19 riders were clocked under 17 seconds and were split by only a few tenths of the second hand.

Repeating her victory of last year, Chelsey Fell, of Chittering, stopped the clock at 16.30, while Amber Bowtell, of Bullsbrook, claimed second place with a time of 16.42.

In the under-18s barrel race, Taya McFarlane, of Baskerville, stopped the clock at 17.63 for the win.

Meanwhile, four-year-old Samantha Collins, of Muchea, had the crowd cheering her pony home in the beast versus motorbike event.

Keeping the crowd smiling, Joel Ruff, of Bullsbrook, had his best clown face on to entertain throughout the evening.

In a thrilling exhibition of horsemanship, the WA Trick Riders demonstrated extreme planking with some of their out-of-the-saddle riding techniques.