Teenage brothers from Mangamuka will represent New Zealand in an annual trans-Tasman high school rodeo challenge in Australia next month.
Klay Lanigan, 15, and Bradley Lanigan, 13, both attending Taipa Area School, have won selection into the NZ Rodeo High School Trans Tasman team which leaves for Queensland next month.
The team will be in Australia for six days to face three challenges against the Aussies - two at the Great Western Hotel in Rockhampton and the other at the Blackwater Rodeo.
To be considered for the high school challenge, riders had to have finished reasonably high up on the NZRCA standings; a criteria the Mangamuka boys met easily travelling to events as far away as Dunedin on last year's national rodeo circuit alongside dad Matt.
Klay, who rode for the New Zealand team at last year's challenge in September (where he won his event with a big 71 point ride at the Cappella Rodeo) will again be contesting the bull ride and saddle bronc divisions.
During the 2011/12 NZRCA circuit, Klay contested the second division events in bull riding, calf roping and saddle bronc, particularly enjoying a good day at the pay window in his backyard at the Wild Out West Rodeo in Umawera. There he won the $1000 prize for first place in the bull ride - the best paying 2nd div bull ride in the country - and also 2nd place in the calf roping.
Unfortunately, his season ended prematurely after fracturing his wrist but he still made the top four in the All Round Rookie Champion (eg for those who compete in more than one event in rodeo).
A winner of the code award for rodeo at both the ASB Northland Secondary School Sports Awards and Far North District Council sports awards last year, Klay said he was looking forward to riding for his country again, and noted it was an "awesome feeling" to put on the New Zealand shirt with the silver fern and take it to the Aussies with a haka to begin the challenge.
Making his debut in the trans-Tasman will be Klay's younger brother Bradley, who will contest the steer riding. Bradley was third in the country in steer riding, and also contested up in the 2nd div in calf roping and bull riding during last year's NZRCA season, not bad for the then 12-year-old roping 100kg-plus calves.
The pair's mother, Reo, noted rodeo was far from being an easy sport and required a very disciplined approach by its participants.
"The boys work hard tramping possum and training pig dogs in their spare time and also on the farm to fund their sport. And they train hard as well as looking after their horses and training stock."
She said both lads had been given "awesome" support from their school, especially Chris Topi, and Ra Hita who gives up his time every day to train the boys in the school gym.
Others providing support included the Far North Pig Hunting Club, Peria A&P; Association and the Oruru Valley Rodeo Club organisations; and rodeo folk like Steve Morey and Chris McGarry for providing an arena and bulls to practise on.
Looking ahead to the upcoming event, Reo said the entry fees and accompanying travelling costs were expensive so any offers of support/ sponsorship from the wider community would be warmly welcomed. For more information, contact her at (021) 073-3015.