Over the past four months Sky Sanders has been chipping away at the leader board on the national circuit, in her first season in the adult competition travelling around 9648km hauling her horses all over the country.

All riders in New Zealand rodeo once they turn 16 must compete in the adult 2nd Division and earn $3000 to move up into the Open Division (break open) to compete with the top elite athletes in the country. To break open is a huge badge of honour and a milestone achievement.

Sky, at 16 years of age and her young 6 year old 14.1hh quarter horse Lynx, who Sky broke in and trained herself, in their first season have won three titles this season and they broke open

In February Sky and her horse Lynx won the Mad Bull Rodeo Series. They ran three runs to qualify on an average over two days and then the score board was wiped clean and the fastest run in the finals won, she was last out, but first home, running a 16.7 second time and crowned the series Rookie Champion.

They then went on and won the Pat McGrath South Island Buckle Series at Waipiata. Over the 14 South Island rodeos this 2023/24 season the top six South Island competitors in their events earned points which were accumulated and recognised as the best rookies in the South Island. Sky and Lynx-Z-Catt (horse) chipped away at the leaderboard to claim the 2nd Division Barrel racing title ahead of the open competitor by a narrow two points on Sunday 25th February at Maniototo. 

Their latest achievement which was awarded at the national finals prize-giving on the 23rd of March in Methven, winning the New Zealand 2023/24 Rookie Barrel Racing Champion title and also finished 3rd in the NZ Rookie All-round Race.  

If it couldn't get better for the young cowgirl, to top off the season also broke open at Raetihi, the final rodeo of the season, two weekends ago. Congratulations Sky on such a wonderful campaign and your accomplishments.

Heading into the year, Sky also in the past month was selected for the 2024 New Zealand High School Rodeo Team and in February competed against the Australian High School Team in Southland. The team will be heading to Australia later in the year to compete in the Trans Tasman Challenge and Sky is also heading to Wyoming, USA in July to represent NZ at the National High School World Rodeo finals.

Another Rodeo competitor who has had a wonderful season in the Junior National Rodeo Division is Amelia Knowles. Amelia was chasing a Junior National Title along with 10 other junior competitors who had caught in the Break Away during the season and it came right down to the last day where she clinched the Junior Break Away Roping Title at the last rodeo of the season. 

Break Away Roping is relatively new to the sport and you must be signed off to compete in the event, yet the competition in the junior ranks has been tight. Amelia has travelled many miles, while jump riding horses, with a cool head went out on the last day knowing it was going to be a decider, and caught her calf. She also finished 2nd in the Junior All Round Campaign after finishing 10th in the Junior Barrel Racing and catching in the Team Roping, giving her much needed points to move up the placings.

Amelia was awarded the New Zealand Junior Break Away Roping Title on the 23rd of March at the National Rodeo Finals Prize-giving, congratulations Amelia on your National Junior Breakaway Title, such a fantastic achievement.

At the start of March Amelia also competed in the NZSI Teams and Individual Event at Lawrence. Amelia finished 2nd in the Junior Barrels and 3rd in the Junior Poles.

Amelia also applied through the Australian Youth Rodeo Association to attend the Shawnee International Youth Rodeo and was accepted and will be heading to the USA in July as part of a Youth Australian/NZ Team, we wish you all the best for this Amelia, you have worked incredibly hard, go catch them!

Georgia Gillespie Year 11, has been out on the Show Circuit when not competing in barrel racing on her horse Noddy. Georgia and Noddy had a fantastic outing recently in a strong field at the Wanaka A&P Show, winning Open Park Hack Champion and then won the Reserve Novice Park Hack Champion, Georgia also won second in the Rider Class.

Congratulations Georgia, Showing/Classing takes a lot of time and preparation, congratulations on your success.

Ruby Cameron Year 9, recently competed in Middlemarch at the A&P Show. Ruby and her horse Galaxy Razza Ma Taz won the Round the Ring and then went on and won the Reserve Champion Round the Ring Pony against very stiff competition and also won the 1.10m Show Jumping. The weekend prior Ruby placed 3rd on Elderberry and 4th on Tazza in the 90cm Showjumping Class at the SCNO Show Jumping Champs in Waimate. In February Ruby and her two mounts at the Mt Bender A&P Show won the RTR Hunter Pony over a wire, 2nd in the Open RTR and won the 1m Show Jumping.

Congratulations Ruby, so great to see you climb the ranks in show jumping, a future Olympian star in the making!