In short:
The Alice Springs Rodeo has returned after a hiatus in 2025, drawing more than 2,000 people for a day of bull riding, bucking horses and junior events.
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Rodeo → return → riding
Three competitors were taken to hospital, while 38-year-old cowboy Sam Webb won both the Open Bull Ride and final shoot-out.
What next?
Organisers are hailing the event as a success and hope it will return next year, while the RSPCA says animal welfare concerns remain.
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concerns → take → success
The dust was flying and cowboys were hitting the dirt as the Alice Springs Rodeo returned after a year out of the saddle.
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Rodeo → fly → saddle
More than 2,000 spectators in total visited the arena at Blatherskite Park on Saturday, watching competitors take on bucking bulls and horses, while some of the youngest riders tried their luck on poddy calves.
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some → visit → calves
For Aileron Bush Club secretary James Christian, the response showed how much the event had been missed.
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event → show → Christian
"It's electric," he said.
"People are really glad to have a rodeo back on here in town.
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People → say → town
"There's people from all different parts of society here, all cheering … they're enjoying the spectacle."
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they → be → spectacle
Mr Christian said the event drew organisers and competitors from across a huge stretch of the Territory.
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event → say → Territory
"The committee comes from probably a diameter of about 1,000 kilometres," he said.
"
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he → come → kilometres
We've all converged on Alice Springs to put on this show.
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We → converge → show
[
Young riders take their turn
Among those preparing to enter the arena was 10-year-old Lucy Muenstr, who was competing on the poddy calves.
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who → take → calves
She said she was more excited than nervous about getting into the arena.
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she → say → arena
"It's pretty fun," she said.
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she → say → ?
"You can just watch everyone fall off, and that, and it's just funny sometimes — but it's not funny if someone hurts themselves."
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someone → watch → themselves
Another young rider, 12-year-old Ollie McKay, had travelled 300 kilometres and was also hoping to leave with a buckle.
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rider → travel → buckle
"I enjoy it, and it's just, like, the fun and the feel," he said.
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he → enjoy → it
"I just like riding and just like the cattle and all that."
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I → like → cattle
For a cowboy veteran, 41-year-old rider Garyshane James, who has competed in rodeos for about 25 years, seeing another generation taking part was an important part of the event.
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generation → compete → event
"Kids that get here — amazing young fellas getting in and having a go and keeping the cowboy spirit going," he said.
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he → get → go
"Rodeo was our key to get out and see our mates."
Three competitors taken to hospital
The dangers of the sport were also on display.
Three competitors were taken to hospital after being injured during the rodeo and were reported to be in a stable condition and recovering.
Rodeo announcer Ricky J. Morrison said injuries were an accepted risk for many competitors.
"
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injuries → get → competitors
The cliché saying for rodeo is it's not if you get hurt, it's when," he said.
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he → hurt → rodeo
"If you do it long enough, you're going to get hurt."
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you → do → it
He said the difference in size between riders and bulls made the risks clear.
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risks → say → riders
"When a cowboy weighs anywhere from 50 to 100 kilos, and the bulls weigh anywhere from 450 to 600 kilos … you're probably going to come out second best sometimes," he said.
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he → weigh → kilos
Animal welfare concerns remain
While the crowd cheered on the competitors, not everyone was tipping their hat to the rodeo.
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everyone → remain → rodeo
"We oppose rodeos on animal welfare grounds because of the high risk of pain, injury, fear [and] stress," she said.
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she → oppose → pain
Dr Evans said behaviours including head tossing, showing the whites of the eyes and excessive salivation could indicate distress in bucking animals.
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behaviours → say → animals
She acknowledged rodeos could provide social connections and contribute to the identity and economy of regional communities, but argued those benefits could be achieved in other ways.
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benefits → acknowledge → ways
Sam Webb cleans house
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Webb → clean → house
In the end, the competition produced a clear winner.
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competition → produce → winner
Territory cowboy Sam Webb, 38, won the Open Bull Ride before taking out the final shoot-out, earning $1,500 for each victory and pocketing $3,000 in total.
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Webb → win → total
Mr Webb said there was no secret to his success.
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Webb → say → success
"It's just like a hard day at work," he said.
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he → say → work
"You work hard, you get the results.
"
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you → work → results
He said he was never worried about taking on the bull that ultimately delivered his win.
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that → say → win
"That's the fella I wanted, the big red fella," he said.
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he → want → ?
Mr Webb said beyond the competition, the rodeo offered something less tangible but no less valuable.
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rodeo → say → something
"It just brings the community together, brings everybody together," he said.
"
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he → bring → everybody
It's a time to meet and greet and have a good time."
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It → meet → time
After the hiatus in 2025, organisers have described the rodeo as a "peak success" and hope to get back in the saddle again next year.
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organisers → describe → saddle
The Aporia