Sport
23 October, 2024
Great Northern Rodeo president happy to go out on top
Mark "Tommo" Thompson claimed steer wrestling honours in his own series.
Mark Thompson says he’s happy to have gone out on a high note as he officially retires from steer wrestling.
And while some might be sceptical considering “Thommo” has hinted at retirement once or twice before, the 55-year-old said that taking out overall honours in his own Great Northern Rodeo Series was the perfect way to bow out.
“That’s my last run,” the Great Northern Rodeo president said.
“I’m just getting to the age where I’m starting to get too sore and my back is playing up.
“I’ve had a knee reconstruction and two shoulder reconstructions.
“I’d rather quit on a positive note than keep going.”
Tommo was late to the rodeo scene. He didn’t take up the sport until he was well and truly in his 30s.
“I think I was 34,” he recalled.
“I got into the game late and they all thought I was crazy.”
Tommo, who has placed second at the Mount Isa Rodeo and been a regular on the North West rodeo circuit, said he would retire happy with his achievements.
“I’ve done well ... I’m very happy,” he said.
“I haven’t chased the circuit like others because I got into it late and I was always involved in business and I was flat out.
“I didn’t have time to go down the rodeo road like a lot of them fellas that go to all the rodeos.”
Tommo said it was a move into the Mount Isa suburb known as Breakaway that piqued his interest in the event that was then known as “bulldogging”.
“I played football when I was young and then I was out of town in the shearing sheds and that kept me too busy to be involved in too much sport,” he said.
“Then I had a bloke that I became mates with just living down the road from me, who was into steer wrestling.
“I thought, oh, that looks like something I wouldn’t mind giving it a go and we went from there.”
While Thompson finished in second place at this month’s Great Northern Rodeo, he finished first in the series, combining the points from earlier in the year.
GREAT NORTHERN RODEO WINNERS
Junior Steer Ride: Cooper Hoare
Jnr Barrel Race: Mackenzie McCulloch
Junior Breakaway: Jackson Dixson
Saddle Bronc: Tom Durkin
2nd Div Bull Ride: Jack Lukins-Shaw
Bull Ride: Toby Daley
Bareback: Deon Lane
Rope and Tie: Campbell Hodson
Steer Wrestling: Tyler Kenny
Team Roping: Tyler Kenny and Campbell Hodson
Barrel Race: Tylen Gibb
Breakaway: Kristie Moore
SERIES CHAMPIONS
All Round Cowboy: Campbell Hodson
All Round Cowgirl: Nicole Lillyman
Open Bareback: Deon Lane
Open Saddle Bronc: Tom Durkin
Steer Wrestling: Mark Thompson
Team Roping (Header): Andrew Forster
Team Roping (Heeler): Adam Harvey
Rope & Tie: Campbell Hodson
Ladies Breakaway: Kristie Moore
Barrel Racing: Courtney Gray
Junior Steer Ride: Jack Mullins and Joseph Foxless (joint winners)
Junior Barrel Race: Mackenzie McCulloch
Junior Breakaway: Charlie Limpus
Poddy Calf Ride: Tommy Murphy