And what perfect timing for the Southern Zone Rodeo Association and organiser Matt Darmody from Yass to plan the Parkes Rodeo Stampede this Saturday night.

John Gill from The Rock, near Wagga competed at the World Series at Parkes in 1967, winning the all-rounder title at 30 years old, and he remembers it well.

“The World Series was run in conjunction with the annual show at the end of August,” the 79-year-old said.

“It attracted Americans, Canadians, competitors from New Zealand and it was run over a series of towns.

“Of course it was a much different atmosphere then, rodeos were held during agricultural shows and agricultural shows have changed a lot.

“Back in those days, agricultural shows were in their prime, you had rodeos, the Wall of Death and boxing tents. Showgrounds only got used once a year.

Anyone who knows the rodeo industry, would know who John Gill is.

He’s been dubbed “the god of rodeo”, born into the sport – literally on the road to a rodeo in 1937. He lives and breathes it.

John said he first started riding steers at rodeos in Parkes in the 1950s. He learnt to ride at 7 years old and retired in his mid 70s.

“All the shows around, they all used to have their own chutes and everything, that’s the problem these days, nobody knows this history,” he said.

“Rodeos are still popular but people are drifting away from rodeos because they don’t have the time anymore.

“Once you never had your iPhones or tablets, you would go to the rodeo all day. Sometimes you had to get out of the house because you had no air conditioner.

“That’s where it’s all changed.”

John and his business John P Gill and Sons Rodeo Producers and Stock Contractors are supplying the stock, chutes and the arena for Saturday’s event.

The last time a rodeo was held in Parkes was 11 years ago and Matt says he’s hoping to make it an annual attraction. 

So far 96 competitors from around the region and beyond, including Young, Forbes, Boorowa, Cobar, Wagga, Gundagai, Tamworth, Dubbo, Goulburn and Sydney, will be competing in nine different events.

Bronc rider Shaun Reid from Forbes is among those competing.

The events include bull ride, saddle bronc, bareback, ladies barrel race, novice saddle bronc, novice bull ride, 14-U18 juvenile steer ride, 11-U14 juvenile steer ride and U18 junior barrel race.

“What makes this one of the better events is it’s not a full rodeo and it’s not a Professional Bull Riding (PBR) event – it’s a shortened version, it has a bit of everything,” John said.

There is also a feature open bull event at the end of the night, with Earthbound the feature bull.

One lucky rider who competes in the bull ride earlier in the evening will be chosen at random for their chance to compete for $3000, providing he can hold on for the required eight seconds.

Saturday’s event enables riders to accumulate national points in an attempt to qualify for the ABCRA national finals in Tamworth in January.

Among Saturday’s highlights will be the main bucking bull named High Flying Akubra, which has been rated the highest point scoring bull in PBR.

And local Kadin Hill will be making an appearance in the arena – not riding a bucking bull but will be hopping into the rodeo clown barrel.

“Come down and watch him, it’s going to be great,” Matt said.

“I’d like to see a couple of thousand people attend (on Saturday), and then another 1000 next year.

“It’s going to be annual, I don’t see it not working.

“We’re going to build on what we’ve got, and change it up and bring something different each year.

“I’ve got five rodeos going at the moment.”

All the action kicks off at the showground at 6pm.