This week's 53rd Te Anau Rodeo is shaping up to be a biggie, with 220 entries received just before Christmas (December 23).

The popular annual event starts at 11am on Wednesday (December 30) at the rodeo grounds on Te Anau Terrace.

Te Anau Rodeo Club secretary Peter Dolamore said last year’s event drew about 170 competitors.

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“Entries are up substantially. That bodes well. There’s a lot of newer competitors, first time competitors too,” he said.

The Te Anau Rodeo is one of six southern summer rodeos held over holiday period. 

The circuit begins at Millers Flat on December 26 and moves to Maniototo, Omarama, Te Anau, and Wanaka before finishing at the Canterbury Rodeo near Rangiora on January 4.

Mr Dolamore said it was a bit early to be naming favourites, as only two South Island rodeos have been held this year. They were in October, at Winchester and Methven.

The Covid-19 situation meant the club would have QR codes available for people to scan as they entered the event.

There would be posters reminding people about the risks of Covid-19 but the club would be inviting people to take responsibility for bringing their own hand sanitiser, Mr Dolamore said.

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Breakaway Roping would be a new event for the women and juniors this year.

It is a new calf-roping event from the United States and was only introduced to New Zealand this season, Mr Dolamore said.

“There is a light string between the rope and the saddle horn so when the tension comes on the rope comes away from the saddle. That is when the timing is recorded,” he said.

The breakaway happened quite quickly, and top women were completing the task in about three seconds, he said.

“It is really new so we have no stats to go on here,” he said.

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The competitors at this year’s event would be mainly New Zealanders, with about four entries from Te Anau, including top Te Anau competitors Sam Duffy (open saddle bronc) and Kelly Macdonald (open barrel racing). 

At least 1500 to 2000 spectators had attended the rodeo in previous years and Mr Dolamore was hoping for another strong turn out this year, although the number of people who would be around this year was “an unknown”.

Because of Covid-19 travel restrictions the Australian announcer would not be coming, he said.

Mr Dolamore said sponsorship had been encouraging, despite Te Anau’s post-Covid economic downturn.

”We’ve had really good support from our sponsors. It has been really neat. The community gets in behind us and recognises the importance of this to the community,” he said.

“There is just a nice wee buzz in the rodeo club. We are really looking forward to it.”

For more information on the rodeo and other summer events in Southland, go to the Advocate South’s “Summer in the South 2020-2021” magazine, available in print or on the Southland App website HERE.

The Te Anau Rodeo is also on Facebook.