The Weipa Rodeo committee is in need of some fresh faces to ensure the beloved event can return in 2026. Photo: Cape York Weekly.
The future of the Weipa Rodeo hangs in the balance after several executive committee positions were left open at the annual general meeting on Thursday (8 January).
A special general meeting will be held on Thursday 15 January, from 6:30 pm at the Albatross Bay Resort Hotel conference room.
Former president and secretary Reuben and Chrissy Slingo have called on the community to fill the vital positions to ensure the event can go ahead in 2026.
“The rodeo’s huge in Weipa, so it’d be really disappointing if we weren’t able to fill them and have the event on,” Mr Slingo said.
“There’s not a lot that happens in Weipa; being that we are remote, we don’t have access to just pop a couple of hours down the road and go to some of the amazing festivals and events and rodeos that are out in the big world.
“It’s a pivotal part of the year for everyone. It’s a community event, which is why it’s so important that we do keep it going.”
After serving in the roles for several years, including at the hugely successful 20th anniversary event in 2025, the pair made the decision to step down as president and secretary, but will remain on the committee.
Mr Slingo highlighted that the person filling the role did not require a rodeo background to do well.
“We’ve got a lot of experience on the committee, so I wouldn’t want anyone to not put their hand up thinking that if they didn’t have a rodeo background, they wouldn’t be fit for the role,” he said.
“We’ve got people with stock background that look after the cattle side of it.
“It’s one of those roles that most people would be able to do, and the support would always be there — they’d never be expected to know every aspect of the role.”
The former president said he and Chrissy, returning committee members, as well as recently retired members, were there to support the transition.
“Most of the committee has still retained … even committee members that do retire, there’s always that internal family sort of feel to it,” he said.
“Even though you’re out, you’re never really out; you’re always there to support and provide whatever information and learnings you’ve gotten over your years of experience.
“It’s a really supportive committee, and while there’s plenty of guidance for how it has been done, there’s also a lot of room for growth for someone who wants to come in with some fresh ideas and make it their own.”
Although the AGM did not go exactly as planned, Mr Slingo said Thursday’s meeting still showed plenty of community engagement for the rodeo.
“We had some new faces there — some young people that are keen to get amongst it, which is so refreshing,” he said.
“New or young people bring a fresh energy back to things, so it was really exciting to see so many come into the meeting and want to take on a couple of little jobs.
“It’s not all doom and gloom we may not have the rodeo. There’s definitely still hope there.”
For any queries about committee positions, message the Weipa Rodeo Facebook page or email [email protected].
