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There are many things that make a rodeo great: the stock, the venue, food and of course, most importantly, the cowboys and girls.
When it comes to making all these things work together there is no one better for the job than John Gill, affectionately known as “Happy Gill.”
His family have been breeding stock and organising rodeos for four generations.
John learnt the ropes from his father and grandfather as he was growing up.
“I’ve been in the business all my life, I was born in it,” he said.
“We were running rodeos back in the days of horse and wagon going from town-to-town on foot.
“You couldn’t have a cold drink unless you went a bought a brick of ice and you couldn’t have a cup of tea unless you started a fire.”
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Even now he is still traveling around the country taking his stock to rodeos along with the help of his family who are also passionate about rodeo.
Just last week they were at Heilsford rodeo and they will be at the ABCRA national finals in Tamworth the weekend before the Wagga Pro Rodeo.
The stock they take to rodeos have been bred at the family farm in The Rock.
“We’re very proud of that,” he said.
Some notable stock on show at the rodeo include High Flying Akubra, the Australian bucking bull of the year and Rambling Angel, the highest scoring bareback horse in Australia today.
The Wagga Pro Rodeo is organised by Happy Gil and his family with a few others lending a hand at times.
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