For the Southern Zone competitors and quite a number of other riders and ropers involved in the senior events at Tamworth, there will be little rest as they pack up and head south to be at Taralga the next day to compete.

“I love steer riding,” said rodeo rider Jackson Searle, 13. “I saw my dad do it and wanted to have a go. I think I was about three or four years old when I had my first ride.

“The adrenalin rush is something else and I look forward to competing even though it often means long trips to get to the competitions. Sometimes we travel to two rodeos in a weekend and around 30 in a year.

“Dad [Justin Searle] was a bull rider, bareback rider and past Southern Zone all-round cowboy. He now does team roping and I team with him. I have been roping for a year now.”

Jackson is a fourth-generation rodeo competitor. Both his grandfathers, Tony Connolly and Stephen Searle, were involved in rodeos and his mother Rebecca Searle’s grandfather, James “Cactus” Watts, competed in the 1950s.

Both Jackson’s younger brothers, Bailey and Cody, compete in barrel racing and Bailey is listed to compete in the steer ride for the first time at the Taralga rodeo. It is certainly a family activity, with mum looking after the boys ensuring everyone is fed and hydrated and that everything is ready for the next weekend road trip. 

They travel in a ute with a gooseneck horse float attached hauling three horses, all their gear, plus food and water for the horses and themselves. On the long road trips, Justin and Rebecca take turns at the wheel.

Last weekend’s trip to West Wyalong of around four and a half hours each way to compete in team roping only, was a long unfruitful one. They failed to make any catches.

Jackson has sponsors who help the family to get to the various events, mostly around southern NSW.

“Without the help from sponsors, we would not be able to afford to make the huge commitment needed to achieve qualification for the national finals,” Rebecca said. “Jackson’s main sponsors are Bill Bell and Rockin B Sound and Vision and Wade Farquhar of Rockin W Ranch and we really appreciate all the support we get.”

Jackson knows that to be good at the sport requires training and practise. He trains three to four days a week: three days doing cardio work and one day’s swimming. He gets to practise steer riding at home. The family has a training arena on their property and everyone gets involved.