The crowd will be on its feet when the pro bull riders come out of the chutes during the 20th Weipa Rodeo.
Professional bull rider Eli Hunter will be aiming to make up for lost time when he returns to western Cape York this weekend to captain one of the three Cape of Origin teams at the 20th Weipa Rodeo.
Hunter missed last year’s event due to an injury sustained competing just a week before he was due to travel to Weipa, and he told Cape York Weekly he was chomping at the bit to come back to where he learned how to ride a bull.
“It feels really good,” he said.
“Going back to the hometown’s one thing, and getting on bulls there and teaching kids how to ride bulls [at the rodeo school].
“I first started riding bulls there myself, so it’s a really homely feeling, to be honest, going back up there and getting on a few bulls while teaching the young kids how to start off their careers.”
Hunter will skipper one of the three teams, with fellow pro riders Zane Hall and Braydon Wellby also set to lead by example during one of the rodeo’s most popular events.
Wellby’s Northern team triumphed in 2024, and with a $13,000 prize purse, buckles and bragging rights on the line for the rodeo’s 20th anniversary, Hunter said he was expecting some friendly rivalry between the captains.
“Having those teams just gives it a whole other feeling,” he explained.
“My mates are captaining the other teams, but there’s nothing better than a bit of friendly rivalry.”
Wellby said he was thrilled to be returning for the milestone instalment of the rodeo, adding he was confident whichever team he drew to lead would put on a show for what is tipped to be a bumper crowd.
“I’m always excited to get back up to Weipa,” he said.
“Any team I end up with are going to hopefully come away with the win again; whatever team we end up with, we’ll definitely put a lot of effort in.
“It’s just a unique event, I reckon; everyone backs it and gets behind it, so it’s always a really good atmosphere.
“It’s a great feeling to ride in front of that crowd up there.”
Gates open at Andoom Oval at 3pm on 22 August and 2pm on 23 August.
