Riding bulls in the US on the cards for Queensland rodeo’s young “Mr Fabulous”
Suellen Hinde - Queensland Editor |
Queensland’s top bull rider Donovan Rutherfurd is living up to his motto, “the harder you try, the better you do”, after claiming the biggest win of his career at the national rodeo finals.
The 22-year-old from Mount Isa won the 2021 Australian Bull Riding Championship and Rookie of the Year titles.
The softly spoken cowboy, who built his own arena on his grandparents’ cattle property Moldonvale Station, is very humble about his win.
“All the hard work is finally paying off,” the young man who has been competing in rodeo since he was ten-years-old said.
It was a record-breaking event for Donovan, with his fourth and final round ride setting a new National Finals Rodeo Bull Ride record of 92 points on the McPhee Rodeo Company’s bull, “Mr Fabulous”.
But instead of grabbing the next opportunity, he is putting his family first by continuing working as head stockman at Moldonvale, which he admits helps hone his rodeo skills.
“There is a lot of responsibility out here (the property is 45 kilometres south of the Isa) and I want to stay and help grandma and grandad,” he said.
“I am a little undecided – America is definitely on the cards but not yet.”
Queensland’s rodeo scene is coming back to life in 2022, with events cancelled during the pandemic back on.
Working out bush keeps him fit for bucking bulls. He is passionate about rodeo because “I love the lifestyle and it’s a real adrenalin rush”.
But he also knows the pitfalls after injuring himself in 2018.
“I stepped off a bull and didn’t land very good and it stood on my face,” he said.
“It was a pretty big bull about 800 kilos and it broke my jaw in four places and I have had a few screws and a plate put in my mouth.”
