Twenty-three bucking broncos for the National Rodeo finals have been mustered from Northland forests and farmland where they have been running wild for the past year.
They are now being prepared to take part in the annual Mid Northern Rodeo including the national finals to be held at the Maungatapere Equestrian
Centre on March 7-8.
Mid Northern Rodeo president Noel Upton said rounding up the wild horses was "a bit of a mission" but their "frisky" nature made them perfect for the event. "They're a bit of all sorts really."
Des Maddox and Wayne Hill had spent hours gathering the horses, which were high in the hills and deep in the bush.
Mr Upton said the herd would join around 40 other horses, some of them from as far away as Gisborne and Wairoa, at the equestrian centre to perform in the rodeo.
Only the top eight rodeo competitors in the country are invited to enter the national finals, where they will compete in seven internationally recognised events - steer wrestling, rope and tie, team roping, saddle bronc ride, bareback bronc ride, barrel racing and bull riding.
