DOMINION RODEO TEAM

Opotiki News, Volume I, Issue 15, 25 March 1938, Page 3

DOMINION RODEO TEAM

EQUAL TO AUSTRALIANS COMMENT BY SELFUTOR 111 1) EiRS HA X DICA P PED, “The four men. selected were not equal to the standard set by Use Americou and Canadian men, but- they were cpiite as effk inet as many, of our Australian boys,” said Air Thomas 13. Alacfarlane, the selector of tlie four men to represent New Zealand at the •Sydney Royai Show next month, in an interview in Gisborne. All* Alacfarlane considered that the horses ridden on Tuesday were equal to those seen at the bushmeu’s carnivals in Australia. He stressed- the importance of the New Zealand men getting an insight into the methods used in rodeos as they were known in, Australia, and considered it would have a great bearing on the improvement of the sport in the Do minion, for the society was locking forward to the time when New Zealand would be represented each year at its Show.

“The riders were handicapped on Tuesday by the type of equipment used; the English hunting saddle is not suitable,” continued the visitor. “The boys will find that the saddles in use in the Show rodeo will be narrower in the grip and will, have a rolled knee-pad. Not many of- the men in Australia could have ridden those horses as well if they had had to keep their scats in saddles such as those in use in Gisborne.” Lean back for the first buck, was hi.s advice to the Gisborne competitors in future competitions. In explaining this, lie said that a large number of the riders bad been inclined to lean forward as their horses came out- of the pen.