On their way to the Downunder Extreme Cowboys Nationals, seven strong riders from up north called Luna Meadows Equestrian Centre in Tallarook home for a week.
The team, dubbed Southern Cross Xtreme Cowboy Racing, bases itself in Maryborough, Queensland, and is led by president Tammy Kingsman.
Ms Kingsman said it all started seven years ago with seven friends, but was now a club boasting about 300 members.
“We’ve created a family — it’s not a club, it’s a family,” she said.
Extreme Cowboys originates from Texas and involves a number of disciplines rolled into one.
It requires riders and their horses to face an arena full of obstacles, which they only discover on the day of competing.
“I feel we build extreme horses — having horses that can be cutting cattle out of pens, and they go and complete 10 obstacles after that,” Ms Kingsman said.
“It’s having a horse that can go out on jumps, and then they can go into a reining circle or a dressage move.”
The club’s vice-president Celina Eastley, who has been involved in the sport for four years, said she enjoyed Extreme Cowboys because her failures felt like a learning experience.
"I love the growth in yourself and the partnership with your horse,“ she said.
“There’s a lot of trust both ways and it can be pretty hard to build that trust sometimes, but it’s really great when you achieve it.”
Ms Kingsman said the bond between horse and rider was exceptionally strong in Extreme Cowboys.
“I think with this sport, you’ve got more than a horse, you’ve got a best friend,” she said.
Each year, the sport’s national competition is held in either Maryborough or Ballarat.
In the past, the club has taken home both state and national titles, and one of its members is even set to head to the United States to compete internationally.
Tiani Cook, who will head to Texas in October, started competing in Extreme Cowboys in 2023.
“I often say to people, I’m a jack of all trades, master of none — this sport allows you to be that,” she said.
“One of the things that drew me to the sport as well is that it’s just such a fantastic camaraderie.
“We really cheer and yell out when competing and that’s always nice to hear.”
Ms Cook rides on both a former brumby from the Northern Territory and a thoroughbred, but in the US, she will need to compete on an entirely new horse — with just a week or so to take the reins and practice.
Tallarook’s Luna Meadows’ owner Sharon Wilson said it had been fascinating watching the riders and their horses over the past week.
“It’s been crazy. I am blown away by their dedication, their experience, the way they approach things,” Ms Wilson said.
“They go hard when they want to, and it’s like, ‘wow’. But, they can also go out on a ride into town.
“Their horses are just so experienced and adaptable to everything, and these guys are exactly the same.”
The club’s team competed at nationals from Friday, April 24, to Sunday, April 26, with Ms Kingsman taking home intermediate reserve champion and her daughter Maddy Scott achieving third in the youth category and winning the young guns reserve champion.
Eva Hughes won the youth champion title and got the encouragement award, while Tiana Cook won the reserve open and finished third in the non-pro category.
14°C