General News
7 August, 2024
Local rising star eyes home town barrel racing success
Courtney Gray is hoping she can improve on her eighth place from last year's Isa Rodeo.
Courtney Gray is a woman on a mission – she makes no secret of the fact she wants to be one of the best barrel racers in the country.
Her quest will take another step forward at Buchanan Park this weekend where she will look for a top-10 finish at the Mount Isa Mines Rodeo in what is undoubtedly the most competitive event on the program.
Gray, who grew up down the road in Cloncurry before moving to Mount Isa in her teens, says anything better than eighth – where she finished last year – would be considered a successful weekend.
To do so, she’ll need her best horse firing, although he does come into the rodeo under an injury cloud.
Roc N Floyd, or Floyd as he’s best known, was getting treatment in Cloncurry on the weekend to deal with some soreness after a busy year of barrel racing.
“I’ll let him have a roll through on Thursday (today) and see how he pulls up and goes from there,” said Gray, who is also known as one of the clerks of the course at the Mount Isa Race Club.
“I think he’ll be OK. He seems fine and has enjoyed the rest and treatment.”
Gray doesn’t come from a rodeo family, although did grow up with a horse in Cloncurry.
She made the move into barrel racing in around 2016 when she was still at high school.
“I brought a little mare from a friend who brought her from a sale yard for $800 and she was a really good little horse,” Gray said.
“I won a lot of junior events around here on her.”
As the mare got older, Gray got rid of her horses and went to work on a cattle station.
When she returned to town, she got back into the sport, although it was difficult at first.
“I messed around with some shitty horses and then I brought Floyd about three years ago,” Gray said.
“He’d been through a few homes and a lot of people had trouble with him ... he’s not an easy horse and he’s got a lot of quirks that I think people just didn’t really want to deal with.
“Being an accident-prone horse, people were not that keen on him.”
However, Gray has formed an impressive bond with the speedy gelding, who has picked up prizemoney across the North West this year, including a placing at the Normanton Rodeo and a win at Yelvertoft.
The 25-year-old said if Floyd brought his best this week he could turn some heads at Buchanan Park.
“Last year he was unfit – he’d just come back from an injury,” she said.
“He loves that arena, though. We have had a lot of success there.
“We use it for NBHA (National Barrel Horse Association of Australia) events and I have taken him there for a few fitness runs and he definitely knows the arena.”
Gray, who works as a courier in Mount Isa, said she wouldn’t be at rodeos each weekend if not for a host of local sponsors.
“I’m pretty well zero cost on a weekend because of my sponsors,” she said.
“I get my fuel sponsored by World Welding and Transport Services, my feed is looked after by Mount Isa Pets and Produce ... my vet – AAA Vet Clinic – they’re amazing, Kate is always there for me; she and her husband Mark and their businesses always look after me and cover my nomination fees.”
Gray’s first run at the Isa rodeo is scheduled for Saturday morning.