Qld: Plan to bring rodeos to high schools
By Jordan Baker
TOWNSVILLE, April 10 AAP - City teenagers could soon be riding bucking broncos andbulls under a plan to bring rodeos to high schools.
Several rodeo organisations from across the country have banded together to form theAustralian High School Rodeo Association.
The association will take rodeos to city and country schools and hopes to develop asyllabus for secondary students.
Australian Professional Rodeo Association general manager Steve Hilton said the schemewould teach safety and introduce the sport to a wider audience.
It would take in all events, such as bareback and saddle bronco riding, bull riding,the rope and tie and steer wrestling.
While participation in rodeos was not declining, potential cowboys and girls neededmore opportunities to develop their skills, Mr Hilton said.
"The skills that we can teach them in rodeo can help them out in their other careers,like anything in the livestock industry," he said.
Mothers need not worry, because the school rodeos would focus on safety.
"It's perceived to be a very dangerous sport, but the safety standards we enforce,that sort of avoids a lot of injuries," Mr Hilton said.
The first rodeo on May 25 will involve several south east Queensland schools, includingWest Moreton Anglican College in Ipswich and Nudgee College.
Mr Hilton said the main obstacle to a school rodeo syllabus was the fact that rodeowas not recognised as a sport by the Australian Institute of Sport.
"We are looking at perhaps going through the Equestrian Federation, because we areall members of the EFA," he said.
Association national director Clive Fox said the rules would ensure participants reacha certain level of education.
"The last thing we want is for the young competitors to go off and want to be cowboys,"
he told ABC radio.
Rodeos are most popular in Queensland but are held throughout the country, except inthe Australian Capital Territory.
AAP jb/sc/cjh/
KEYWORD: RODEO
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