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Competitor nominations for next month’s Mount Isa Mines Rodeo are at record levels, according to event organisers.

Isa Rodeo Limited Chief Executive Officer Natalie Flecker said the nominations, coupled with record pre-event ticket sales, all point to a `stronger than ever’ 62nd year.

The largest rodeo in the southern hemisphere will buck underway 12 to 15 August.

It was encouraging that more Queenslanders than ever were taking the opportunity to tick the iconic event off their bucket list, according to Ms Flecker.

“While border closures will inevitably have an impact on interstate travel, it is really heartening to see that more than 80 per cent of our ticket buyers for this year are Queenslanders travelling to north-west Queensland for the event,” she said.

“Adding the interstate visitors already here who are planning to attend the event, it’s exciting that the Mount Isa Mines Rodeo is ready to return to the red dirt after a virtual event in 2020.” 

Ms Flecker said a record 837 entries had been received from almost 570 competitors when nominations closed earlier this week.

“We expect there might be minor changes to these figures due to border issues, but many competitors are already in Queensland and competing on the northern run,” she said. 

The rodeo’s signature events have attracted outstanding nominations including the adrenalin-pumping Open Bull Ride (54), Open Saddlebronc (38), Ladies Barrel Race (81) and more than 60 teams in the Team Roping event.

Ms Flecker said it was still possible for south-east Queensland residents to experience the event for just $999 per person twin share, which includes return charter flights, two nights in the onsite Tent City and a three day rodeo pass.

“The new charter flight which departs Brisbane early Friday, August 13 and returns to Brisbane on Sunday night, August 15 makes the event more accessible than ever to our south east Queensland friends,” she said.

The Mount Isa Mines Rodeo offers Australia’s richest prizemoney with a $250,000 prize pool.

Ms Flecker said the Isa Rodeo was looking forward to welcoming visitors so they could enjoy world-class entertainment from the calibre of artists like Guy Sebastian and Lee Kernaghan plus the world-class rodeo action the event was renowned for.

“We are strongly focussed on staging a COVID safe event in 2021, and working closely with Queensland Health every step of the way,” she said. “Within an hour of opening ticket sales in May, the Isa Rodeo sold 20 per cent more than the 2019 which was their previous record and 60th anniversary event – so early signs were strong and this has only been reinforced with the record nominations.”

The Mount Isa Mines Rodeo is supported by the Palaszczuk Government’s Tourism and Events Queensland.

Tickets and flight and accommodation packages can be purchased at www.isarodeo.com.au 

For media assistance, please contact:

Susan Fuller, E: susan.fuller@synergypr.net.au

M: 0411 463 693