Steer-riding has ups . . .and downs

Kieron Lang came away with a scratched wrist, but a nicely polished ego at the Te Puke A&P; Show steer-riding competition on Saturday. He and his mates have competed at the show for a few years now - and Kieron's third place at 6.46 seconds was not too bad at all. "Yeah, we just come for the bull-riding," he said. Of his mates, the 17-year-old Te Puke concreter said with a laugh: "One got kicked in the hand and one in the bum and was limping the next day - he's a macho man, though."
Kieron is a keen horse rider and said that probably helped him stick to the steer.
"When you can see which way it's going to go I just lean that way," he explained to the Bay of Plenty Times.
His fall barely rated a mention: "Nah, I've had far worse than that."
Challenger Vanessa Grierson held on for 0.33 seconds longer - to clinch second place on debut.
The Te Puke Playcentre treasurer has achieved heroine status with the playcentre's children, who screamed and cheered as she was bucked and thrown about.
"I just hung on for dear life," she said.
The 29-year-old mum was nominated to represent the playcentre, as a way of drumming up publicity.
The winner was Scott Lally of Paengaroa, with 7.2 seconds.
Meanwhile, despite the smell, discomfort and painful exit associated with sheep riding, dozens of primary school aged children lined up to try their luck.
It was one of the show's most popular events, with the rules identical to that of a rodeo - whoever stayed on longest won.
And with the average time of just three to four seconds, dozens lined up determined to be the champ.
"I just closed by eyes the whole time," Pukehina's Casey Williams, 7, said of her rough ride, which saw her bucked off in seven seconds.
Thomas Bigwood, 7, was quick to state the obvious when asked about his ride saying: "the sheep was soft but the ground was really hard".
Despite a cringing exit for most riders, all those spoken to by the Bay Times were wild about doing it again.
In the end it was Hamilton's Mark Lee,7, who stole the show with a lengthy 13-second ride: "It was so cool," the first-time cowboy enthused.
The runners-up were Tauranga's Henry Smith, 7, with 10 seconds, Pongakawa's Joshua Belcher, 7, at eight seconds and Pukehina's Casey Williams, 7, with seven seconds.
Organiser Brian Pinkerton said sheep riding was always "very, very popular", and did not harm the sheep.
"The children are weighed to ensure they're under 25kgs and we pick good strong sheep to take their weight."
Brilliant weather on Saturday saw 5000 people turn out to the 99th Te Puke A&P; Show, held at the Paengaroa show grounds.
The family day out again delivered traditional country entertainment - dairy cattle, sheep, goats, horses, pets in fancy dress, and home industries. Other entertainment and contests included steer riding, tugs-of-war, tractor pulling, side-saddle riding, and gumboot throwing.