General News
13 August, 2024
Rodeo's oldest competitor happy to pass on some of his wisdom
Bob Holder says he wants to celebrate his 100th birthday in the saddle.
The world’s oldest cowboy says he plans to celebrate his 100th birthday in 2031 on top of a horse with a rope in his hand.
Bob Holder, the legendary 93-year-old certified cowboy from Cootamundra in NSW, told North West Weekly he had no retirement plans after almost eight decades in the arena.
Competing in the open team roping event in Mount Isa at the weekend, Holder is a true link to the bygone days of Australian rodeo.
He entered his first rodeo in New South Wales during the closing months of World War II and competed in his first Mount Isa rodeo in 1960.
He said the only reason he didn’t compete in our city’s very first rodeo a year earlier was because he was on the United States rodeo circuit at the time, including a stint riding bulls and broncs at the famed Madison Square Garden in New York City.
“Cloncurry was the last rodeo in those days and the people of Mount Isa decided to start up a rodeo and now it is known all over the world – it is the best outdoor rodeo in the world – it is the Calgary of Australia,” Holder said.
“They get the best bucking horses and bulls here – they are the best and toughest in Mount Isa and if you don’t like it, well don’t come here. The stock here buck right from the chute.
“I’ll be coming here next year and the year after that and the year after that for the team roping – I’ll be making my ton on top of a horse with a rope in my hand.”
Holder said he enjoyed sharing his lifetime of experience with youngsters in the sport, such as 13-year-old Mitchell Wharton, grandson of Richmond Shire mayor John Wharton, who was the youngest competitor in the open team roping and walked away with third in the junior team roping.
“I’ll give all these young blokes all the advice I can,” Holder said.
“I am just as passionate about rodeo as when I first started competing when I was 14 years old.”