A family affair in the rodeo ring

Three members of the Todd family competed in the Friday night horse events in the rodeo ring at the Narrabri Show held in May.

Peter Todd Jnr, son Matthew and daughter Lily, aged 15 and 13 respectively, were focused on team roping, junior breakaway roping and barrel racing at the rodeo held at the Narrabri showground to enthusiastic crowds.

Matthew competed with his father in team roping, with Lily taking part in barrels and junior breakaway roping.

Lily ran at 16.79 seconds and took 4th place in the barrels and Mathew placed third in open team roping.

Father and grandfather Peter Todd snr has competed in team roping in his younger days and the popular farrier is kept busy keeping the family’s horses in top shape and ready to compete.

Tanya Todd, wife of Peter jnr and mother of Matthew and Lily, said “What’s involved in rodeo as a sport is patience, loads of practice, plenty of preparation and good horses. Our horses are all the breed of the Australian Quarter Horse.

“They have competed together since they were old enough to swing a rope, so they are not new to the sport, and it definitely takes years of practice to learn these skills.

Lily Todd competing in the Barrels.

“The family use horses rather than bikes to muster on the farm, and sometimes team roping skills come in handy.

The family love their sport and the friends they have made because of it and plan to continue competing for years to come.”

Prior to the weekend’s events, Peter Todd Jnr has collected several buckles at the Australian Bushmen’s Campdraft and Rodeo Association (ABCRA) National Finals, including the impressive titles of National Average Champion Team Roper Heading and National Average Champion Heeling.

The ABCRA is a non-profit equine sporting organisation formed in 1946 for the purpose of co-ordinating and assisting affiliated committees to conduct their events.

With their affiliated clubs and associations conducting more than 500 events annually across Australia, top competitors travel year-round to accumulate points and prize money to qualify for the season finale.

The ABCRA has grown today to be uniquely Australia’s only, and largest, organisation administering the sports of camp drafting and rodeo under the one entity.

Son Matthew, competing in team roping and junior breakaway roping, has carried home a number of buckles including the prestigious title of National Champion Header Team Roping at the Australasian Team Roping Association (ATRA) National Finals.

Mathew and Peter Todd snr.

Daughter Lily, competing in barrel racing and junior breakaway roping, has added to the family’s remarkable collection of buckles with her wins at the National ATRA Finals including taking home both the 1D National Barrel Champion and 3D Champion Barrel Racing titles.

Established in 2006, the ATRA is Asia Pacific’s premier team roping organisation and the governing body of the most prestigious team roping events across the continent.

As ATRA, like ABCRA, is a not-for-profit member-based association all profits go back into the development of the sport of team roping in Australia.

ATRA promotes diversity within the sport, with competitors ranging from young children to adults, encouraging competitors as they have the opportunity for equality in competitions across all events.

From elite team roping to breakaway roping, barrel racing, steer wrestling and rope and tie, these categories are some of the fastest growing horse sports in Australia.