Last year’s bareback bronc champ keen for action
Worsfold went from 10th to first last year
❝amount The
of people ... there is unbelievable and anyone who has anything to do with ... country life is there...
— David Worsfold
NO MATTER how many rodeos David Worsfold competes in, he always gets a bit of a thrill driving into Warwick.
The Wandoan grazier has won the bareback bronc section at the Warwick Rodeo and Campdraft for the past two years, but the 34-year-old has been kicking around the scene since he was 19.
And after competing all around Australia and in America, the excitement in Warwick tends to begin even before he unloads his gear.
“Since I was a kid it’s always been my favourite,” he said.
“I think Mt Isa might have better prizemoney, but the money in Warwick is still good and I don’t think anything compares to it.
“The amount of people in the crowd there is unbelievable and anyone who has anything to do with cowboys or country life is there, so it’s a good chance to see everyone.”
Despite starting out on bulls as well as the broncs, Mr Worsfold said it was the horses that captured his attention best and his skills as a bareback bronc rider soon eclipsed anything he could offer on the bulls.
“I got better at bareback than bull riding and I didn’t get hurt as much,” he said.
“I’ve been around horses all my life and liked it, so I kept doing it.”
For the past few years he had been one of the most consistent performers on the Australian Professional Rodeo circuit and this year he was set to head into the finals in second place.
While that might not sound like the best place to start, you’d go a fair way to find someone who sounded less
concerned about the fact.
“Last year I was maybe 10th going into the finals and won, so I’m a lot closer this year,” he quipped.
“But I just try and ride
better than I did last time and don’t worry about what everyone else is doing.”
He said as a younger man he didn’t do too much to prepare, but these days he
looked after himself a lot better to keep up with the younger riders and had his own fitness regime.
He said it included push-ups and pull-ups as well
as weights and healthy eating.
Mr Worsfold will compete from Thursday to Sunday.
For more on the events visit www.warwickshowand rodeo.com.au.