No bull, Buster's a cowboy hero

5th January 2010

Whangarei cowboy Buster Tauariki started 2010 with a  large adrenalin rush which should make the rest of his year seem sedate.

He won the bull riding contest at the Far North Rodeo in Kaitaia on Saturday by staying a mandatory eight seconds on the back of Henry J, an evil-tempered animal gleefully described by a rodeo buff as "1000 kilos of explosive hamburger".

Henry J, bred by Fred Teixeira, of Kerikeri, has tossed off everyone who has attempted to ride him over the past four years, so Buster's eight-second effort marked him as a cowboy of vast mana.

The Kaitaia event was the first in a series of four Northland rodeos this month, paving the way for the national rodeo finals at the Maungatapere Equestrian Centre in March.

Far North Rodeo secretary Daphne Neho said everything went well at Kaitaia, with gate takings of about $8500 "a bit down on last year".

The Oruru Valley Rodeo at the Peria saleyards on Sunday was similarly successful, according to rodeo president Thomas Garton.

"There was an exceptionally big crowd, good weather, no injuries to stock or riders - it was a blessed day," he said.

Mr Garton said the distinctive "Tough enough to wear pink" campaign run at the rodeo for the past few years had again sold many pink shirts, hats and armbands to raise money for the New Zealand Breast Cancer Society.

There was more rodeo action in the Wild out West event on Chris McGarry's farm at Umawera yesterday.

And the Mid Northern Rodeo will be held at Maungatapere on the weekend.

 The top eight rodeo competitors in NZ  will be invited to enter the national finals in March to compete in seven internationally recognised events - steer wrestling, rope and tie, team roping, saddle bronc ride, bareback bronc ride, barrel racing and bull riding.