An aspiring group of Central Queensland cowgirls have set out to make their mark in the male-dominated sport of ranch bronc riding.
Since the early days of American cowboys working their ranches on horseback, the sport of ranch bronc riding has evolved, with thousands of men competing in the sport while only a handful of women participate.
In this competition the rider can hold on with both hands, one on the rein and the other on either the saddle horn or gripping an additional rope or leather tied to the saddle.
Western Ranch Rodeo Australia (WRRA) entrepreneurs Cameron Eiser, Blackall and secretary Jacqui Flohr, Moranbah, are both on a mission to get ladies ranch bronc riding into arenas across Australia.
Both instructors started the WRRA school this year, holding several successful ranch bronc riding events and schools for aspiring cowgirls from across the Queensland and New South Wales.
Skilled horse breaker and bronc rider Cameron Eiser was inspired to create a school for women especially, and that was closer to their homes and in a safe and controlled environment.
"I saw a few girls trying to get to the US to train and compete, and they weren't able to practice anywhere and no one would really let them ride," Mr Eiser said,
"Jacqui and I saw a great opportunity to school the women right from the start and in a controlled environment, keeping it a bit safer for them, especially early in their career.
"We wanted to help aspiring ranch bronc riders here in Australia, so we started our school. It's still early days, and it's the first of it's kind and we're the first people to ever do it here in Queensland I believe.
"We have about eight girls enrolled in the school and these ladies are born and bred on the land and are coming from towns such as Charleville, Longreach, Rockhampton and across the Central Highlands."
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Jacqui said rodeos weren't exclusively a mans sport, but believes women don't get much respect as rodeo cowboys do.
"The number of women in the sport decreased after a US champion bronc rider was fatally injured by a bronc in 1929, Ms Flohr said.
"The widespread coverage of this event put a veritable end to ladies bronc riding in most rodeos and today thousands of men compete in the sport while only a handful of women participate."
The WRRA school is attracting a lot of interest from girls right down as far south as New South Wales, and Mr Eiser said they're aiming to add ranch roping events and to start running schools down south once restrictions ease.
The next WRRA bronc riding event and school will be held at Capella from November 19-21.
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