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Community

6 November, 2024

Queen Quest to return as Zonta takes the reins of popular pageant

Talks began earlier this year and the deal was finalised by the administrator last week.

By Matt Nicholls

The last two rodeo “queens” – Phoebe Ryder and Tammy James – who were the 2022 Mount Isa Rodeo Charity Quest winners. They are pictured with Linda and Lee Pulman of Bell & Moir Toyota, which has sponsored the rodeo and queen quest for decades.
The last two rodeo “queens” – Phoebe Ryder and Tammy James – who were the 2022 Mount Isa Rodeo Charity Quest winners. They are pictured with Linda and Lee Pulman of Bell & Moir Toyota, which has sponsored the rodeo and queen quest for decades.

An important piece of the fabric of Mount Isa will return to the community next year as the famous Rodeo Queen Quest is revived by a local service organisation.

The Zonta Club of Mount Isa will take the reins of the Queen Quest, which will now be known as the Zonta Rodeo Queen Quest.

The move was first orchestrated back in June this year as Isa Rodeo Ltd looked for an external partner to run the quest after it was unable to attract entrants in 2024.

The rodeo first approached Rotary, which declined due to a lack of local numbers to administer the pageant, paving the way for Zonta to get the nod.

Nikki Rowsell, the chair of Mount Isa Zonta, said it only took on the Queen Quest after receiving the blessing of Rotary.

“We are grateful to Isa Rodeo Ltd for giving us this opportunity; and for supporting us as we start this journey,” she said.

“We are confident there will be a Mount Isa Rodeo in 2025, as are many people in our community.

“The Queen Quest is important to Mount Isa. Collectively, previous entrants have raised more than $1 million for their chosen charities and groups.

“The message we hear is that our community has missed not having a quest over the past two years.

“Indications are that there is sufficient interest to re-introduce the quest.”

Although Isa Rodeo Ltd is now in the hands of administrators, SV Partners last week gave Zonta its blessing to pursue its plans to stage the Queen Quest in 2025.

Ms Rowsell said Zonta would next week hold an information session for potential entrants in the Zonta Rodeo Queen Quest, with a view to enabling entrants to raise funds over Christmas or start in the new year. Details of the meeting will be published on the Zonta Club of Mount Isa Facebook page, with a venue to be determined once it has an estimated attendance figure.

And, following the cancellation of this year’s rodeo charity ball, it has been confirmed that the event will return in 2025.

“We will, with the assistance of our friends in Rotary, host the 2025 Rodeo Queen Quest Ball,” Ms Rowsell said.

“This ball will be held at either the Civic Centre or Buchanan Park Entertainment Centre, rather than the rodeo arena as in previous years.

“This will help us to reduce costs, and to avoid any interference with rodeo preparations and plans.”

Zonta, which is an all-women’s service organisation (with the support of many men in the background), has more than 40 active members in Mount Isa, making it the largest of the service groups in the city.

Ms Rowsell said much of the credit for Zonta’s recent success could be put down to the late president Terri Grosser.

“I think it started with Terri ... she had melanoma and she still took on being president and the thing about Mount Isa is how the community will pull together when things go wrong or someone’s in trouble,” she said.

“I think a lot of people saw how we all rallied around Terri and I think we probably got a few members that way.

“I feel like she created this beautiful momentum in the club, and it’s just kept going.

“I’ll actually end up being president for three years because we lost her early and I just hope I can keep that going.

“It’s a big job; it’s a little bit terrifying but I’m excited to give it a red hot go at the same time.”

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