by Steve Cuff
LONG before Tom Burlison and his sturdy mount charged down a steep embankment in The Man From Snowy River movie, the legend was already well entrenched that horsemanship and the Snowy Mountains went hand in hand.
Dating back to 1943, the Jindabyne Man From Snowy River Rodeo has seen many a legend grace the rodeo arena and even more be involved with the event.
Before the old town by the Snowy River was flooded and Lake Jindabyne filled, the rodeo used to be held behind where the BP service station stands now, near the NRMA Jindabyne Holiday Park. The rodeo venue moved in 1967.
It was vastly different in the old days. Leading up to the rodeo, local horsemen would go into the bush to round up wild brumbies for the bronc and bareback events. Now stock contractors arrive with their best mounts.
“Sometimes we floated our horses up to Dead Horse Gap and then we mustered them all the way back to McGuffickes, back down the Big Yard Road. Sometimes we trucked them, or we would go up before Christmas and put them on reserves. Running them in on Christmas day, we got a bit sick of that, and sometimes we did not get them, so it was getting a bit risky,” said Milton Golby, who has a long association with the rodeo.
The rodeo has been a family affair for the Golby family, and many other families through the committee and competing. Attendees this year are likely to see Milton’s grandson, Callum, compete.
The rodeo has a great history, with cars lining the old rodeo arena long before Jindabyne became a summer tourist destination. Nowadays, the locals still attend to compete and spectate, along with thousands of summer visitors.
This year, the committee have moved the BBQ area down to the football field to create a food court theme. This will provide more space and increase the bar area, improving efficiency. Additional mobile toilets will be provided to assist with the large crowds.
The Jindabyne Rodeo is a real family affair for spectators. Besides the arena action, there is a side show alley for the kids, and if you need a new cowboy hat or buckle, you can choose one to complement your cowboy style.
The rodeo is a not-for-profit event, and each year the rodeo committee assist with locals in need or where they think money can be spent wisely. In the past 12 months, they donated over $7,000 toward upgrades to the Moonbah Church grounds, a historic church on The Barry Way.
Arrive early on December 28 if you want the best seats, and it’s a full day of action, including all your favourite rodeo events.
Gates open at 11.30, first event 12 noon.
Follow the Jindabyne Man From Snowy River Rodeo here on Facebook.
December 28 will see action aplenty at the Jindabyne Rodeo.
