History of Wingham Rodeo
The first rodeo event ever on Wingham Showground was held, who knows, it was so long ago that the date has been lost in the mists of time.
The early rodeos at Wingham were run under A.R.R.A. Rules and some 50 odd years ago, following a rodeo at the neighbouring town of Gloucester, an impromptu meeting of committeemen from Dungog, Gloucester and Wingham was held with a bottle of rum around a burning log at a campsite on a stock reserve just out of Gloucester.
Although no minutes of this meeting exist, probably due to the effects of the rum, the committees of Wingham, Gloucester, Dungog, Maitland and Gresford met at a formal meeting shortly after and the A.B.C. was formed at Dungog.
The first Australian Championship ever held was held at Wingham. The competitors at the early rodeos at Wingham were mainly station hands from properties within the Manning, Gloucester area and entries in these events were usually very strong. It was not unusual to get entries of 40 to 50 competitors in the saddle ride and the bullock ride could have anything up to 120 competitors.
There were often some wild scenes around the chute area and some of the local larrikins, who had probably been having a few drinks, needed a Chute boss who was big enough to be able to enforce a bit of order.
The committeemen at Wingham, seeing the trend emanating from the United States, decided that if they were to continue to run rough riding rodeos an arena had to be built which would cater for this change of style to a more professional type of rough riding rodeo.
In 1972 when the decision was made to build this new type of arena it was decided that the spectator comfort and ease of operation should be main considerations. Work was then begun on construction of the new arena and some. 2500 hours of voluntary labour and $50,000 later this magnificent, flood lit arena was completed.
Wingham hosted its first National Final in 1985 and was voted by competitors and spectators alike as the best ever. This Australian National Final will be even more spectacular with the best of Australia's cowboys and cowgirls and the best of Australia's bucking stock competing against each other for victory.
BILL FOTHERINGHAM Past President.
