2008 Mareeba Rodeo Festival Program

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Sat Jun 28 Walkamin Country Music Club Concert - Bull Bar, Kerribee Park - 3pm till late Sun Jun 29 Mareeba Motor Speedway Trophy Meeting - Kerribee Park Raceway - 11am Wed Jul 2 Western Dress & Window/Foyer Display Judging - 8am Thu Jul 3 Tablelands Regional Council Rodeo Garden Competition Judging - 8am Mixed Triples Self-Selected Bowls - Mareeba & Memorial Bowls Club - 1:30pm Fri Jul 4 Mareeba Rodeo Ball - Mareeba International Club - 6pm Living Waters Christian Churches, Greatest Cowboy Of Them All Country & Western Gospel Concert - Bull Bar, Kerribee Park - 6pm-9pm Sat Jul 5 Horse Sports - Kerribee Park - 8:30am Rodeo Festival Queen Competition Judging - 9am Indoor Bowling Championships, Mixed Rinks - Mareeba Gymnasium Hall - 10am Cutting - Kerribee Park - 11am Golf 18 Hole Stableford - Mareeba Golf Course - 12 noon Mixed Four's Bowls, Self-Selected - Mareeba & Memorial Bowls Club - 1:30pm Junior Cowpokes Competition plus Monster Cent Sale - Kerribee Park - 1:30pm Bush Poetry & Camp Oven Dinner - Mareeba Wetlands Reserve - 6pm-10pm Sun Jul 6 Mareeba Rodeo Handicap Cycle Race / Cairns Cycling Club - Kerribee Park to Mutchilba & return - 8am Horse Sports - Kerribee Park - 8:30am Gents' Bowls, Men's Fours - Mareeba & Memorial Bowls Club - 9:30am FNQ Road Racing Club, Production One Hour, Motorcycle Road Race Event - Mako Trac - 10am-3pm Golf 18 Hole Stroke - Mareeba Golf Course - 12 noon Mixed Bocce Competition - Mareeba International Club - 2pm Tennis Mixed American Tournament - Borzi Park - 2pm Mon Jul 7 Garden Competition Presentation Morning Tea - Mareeba Leagues Club - 10am Mareeba Art Society Annual Art Exhibition (open until 12 noon Saturday) - Mareeba PCYC/Shire Hall - 7pm Wed Jul 9 Ladies Bowls, Club Selected - Mareeba & Memorial Bowls Club - 12 noon Committee and Rodeo Queen Entrant's Dinner - 6pm Thu Jul 10 Mareeba Agricultural Show, Exhibits to be delivered (non-perishables, check schedule) - Kerribee Park - 9am-4pm Fri Jul 11 Mareeba Agricultural Show, Exhibits to be delivered (perishables, check schedule) - Kerribee Park - 8am-11am Mareeba Agricultural Show, Judging (all classes) - Kerribee Park - 1pm Monster Downtown Parade, Mardi Gras and Crowning Ceremony - Byrnes Street, Mareeba - 7:45pm Sat Jul 12 Mareeba Mazda Rodeo - Kerribee Park - 8am-9:30pm Stud Beef Cattle Show - Kerribee Park - 9am Beaut Ute Muster - Kerribee Park - 9am Mareeba Agricultural Show Exhibit Marquee - Kerribee Park - 10am-8pm Woodchops - Kerribee Park - 11am Interstate Teams Rodeo Challenge Qld-v-NSW - Kerribee Park - 6:30pm Sun Jul 13 Mareeba Mazda Rodeo - Kerribee Park - 8am-5pm Mareeba Agricultural Show Exhibit Marquee - Kerribee Park - 10am-4pm

The principal events for the Mareeba Rodeo Festival are:

Garden Competition:
The Garden Competition is conducted annually and covers gardens in the Mareeba Shire. The intention is to encourage residents and business proprietors to take pride in their premises and streets. Categories include best Front Garden including Footpath, Town, Rural Residential, Native, Most Colourful, Commercial and Most Water-wise Gardens.

Ute Muster:
The Ute Muster held in conjunction with the Mareeba Rodeo at Kerribee Park gives passionate owners the chance to display their ute's and win prizes. Muster Hours are between 9am to 5pm on Saturday and 9am to 2pm on Sunday. Categories include Street Ute, B&S Ute, Chick's Ute, 4x4 Ute, Work Ute, Feral Ute, Classic Ute and Best Graphics.

Mareeba Show:
There is the opportunity to participate in a traditional Agricultural Show at the Mareeba Rodeo. Categories are available for Photography, Needlework, Handcraft, Woodwork, Home Economics, Horticulture, Sugar Cane, Wine and Education. Exhibits will be on display in a marquee adjacent to the Stud Beef Cattle Show.

Woodchops:
Woodchop is a traditional drawcard event seen at all agricultural shows, showcasing the skills of axemen. The woodchop competition is an icon event acknowledging the rich history of the timber industry. Most of the events being performed evolved from the actual tasks and work-day skills required of axemen just prior to the appearance of the chain saw. Competitors require strength, a sharp eye, speed and accuracy while using the razor-sharp competition axes.

Stud Beef Cattle Show:
This is a show for fully registered, handled stud beef cattle that are led into the ring for judging and receiving the judge's comments. The show comprises all breeds, including Brahman, Droughtmaster, Charbray, Short Horn, Piedmontese, Braford and Limosin. Bulls, cows and calves compete in the senior, junior and calf championships. Exhibitors attend from Central and North Queensland to enter their cattle for competition and display.

Rodeo Festival Queen Competition:
This competition commenced in 1959 and is open to single girls in the Mareeba Shire. Entrants are judged on rodeo knowledge, appearance, poise and personality. The girls, along with the Matrons of Honour, attend many functions during Festival Week, being very welcome guests. The announcement of the Queen, Princess and Most Popular Entrant is made after the Parade and is a widely anticipated part of the rodeo festivities.

Down Town Parade:
The Parade of queen entrants, floats, horses and trade displays is held on the Friday night of the Rodeo weekend and usually attracts crowds of around 4000. The Parade starts at 7:45pm and completes 2 circuits of Byrnes Street. At the conclusion of the parade the Rodeo Festival Queen is crowned at the main stage.

Mazda Teams Relay:
A team of three competes against the clock in a multi-facet relay. The contestant rides a horse around the barrel race course, then dismounts and runs to the waiting Mazda ute, with driver, who then drives through a figure-of-eight course, the contestant then runs back to hand the baton to the next team member to complete the same course. Winner is the fastest recorded time for the weekend.

Protection Clown Competition:
Contestants are judged on their protection ability during the Bull Ride. This is the only sport in the world where competition is based on saving lives and preventing injuries. During a bull ride the clown relies on his athletic ability, precision timing and the ability to think and make decisions in milliseconds. These are choices that could mean life or death for either himself or the bull rider, whose life has been placed in his hands. Points are awarded for anticipating the moves of the bull and extracting the bull rider to safety once he has dismounted.

Interstate Teams Rodeo Challenge:
A State of Origin Challenge between Queensland & New South Wales competitors. Teams compete in Bull Riding, Saddle Bronc, Steer Wrestling, Barrel Race and Breakaway Roping. Team members are matched against an opponent and that is the only person they have to beat to gain points for their team. Time event competitors compete side by side e.g. 2 barrel-racers or 2 steer-wrestlers at the same time so you can see who wins the match-up for their team. Points are awarded for each match-up - win 2, lose 1, no score 0. A scoreboard will allow spectators to view up to date results of their team throughout the program.