Good entertainment at Oxford rodeo

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34099, 11 March 1976, Page 20

Good entertainment at Oxford rodeo

The first rodeo of Hie 1976 South Island circuit went off with a "whoop’’ last Sunday at Oxford. About SO cowboys from as far afield as Australia and Canada lent their support to the event. Crowd attendance was well down compared with past year- Members from the Cost Community Centre Associa tiivn, who were in (charge of the gates, esti- ■ mated that about 1000 cars I had been admitted and about >2OOO collected. Included among ihe entrants were Jaff Henry from Christchurch, who, true to his title as national bareback champion, w-on the open bareback competition, and. Brian Robinson of Waimate,; the current national saddle; bronc champion, who won ihe saddle bronc compel it ion. "Greenhorns amongst the spectators were kepi eniighted by the announcer. Lorry McVicar from Nelson, who mixed rodeo jargon: with witticisms, and proved that “the old man” was stiff competition tor the young cowboys any day of the eek. The programme was varied and it required ail of the cowboys’ skill to compete against the wild broncs, wrestle 5001 b steers, quick J fooled calves and Murray Curie's cross Brahmin bulls.

I The entertainment was supplemented by an assortment of sideshows and 1 stalls. However, the small I crowd was either not tn the festive mood or was too; ‘engrossed in the rodeo events and sideshow proprietors reported business to be “shocking”. Some attributed the poor attendance to lack of publicity. The day had a special meaning for Australian professional rider “Ducko Fra- ' zer. The Oxford rodeo marked his return to the arena after an absence of 12 years, recovering from an injury he sustained when a : horse bucked him over a | protection barrier. i Between rides Ducko, : along with Jenny McDonald iof Christchurch, entertained I the crowd with country and i western songs. Results.— CALF ROPING First go round— R Stevenson 1: R. Jones 2: 1. Watt .3. Second go round. — I. Watt 1. V. McV'icai 2; R. Woodley 3, L. McVicai 1. Aggregate.— L. Watt 1: R. Woodley 2; 1.. McVicar 3: V. McVicar 4. PERMIT STEER RIDE N Fox and M. Flood 1 equal: G. Garvan 3; D. 1 isdal! and P. Tilson 4 equal. JUNIOR BARRELL RACE C. Wrightman 1: E. Camp- ■ bell 2: C. Loffhagen 3; M. I Eder 4.

CALF RIDE D Burrows 1. B Burrows 2; B Crow 3: W. Stewart 4. PERMIT BARE BACK D McGibbon 1: D. Atkinson 2: D Blank 3. Fl RS I GO ROLND SILER WREST LING T Henry I. P Stivan 2; P Cole ■>. P. McC'athey 4. OPEN BARE BACK I. Henry 1: J. Jennings (Australia) 2: N. Hobbs 3; L. Wart 4. BARRELL RACE Mrs A. Flood J: Mrs D. Carmichea) 2: Mrs I. McKenzie 3; Miss D. Dally and Miss G. Storey 4 equal. SADDLE BRONC B Robinson 1; C. McDonal 2: B. Raleigh 3; I. Denon 4