SUCCESS: Warwick Rodeo sees huge crowds and best cattle
CROWD numbers were so high at the Warwick Gold Cup Campdraft and Rodeo APRA National Finals, on Saturday night the bar ran out of everything but beer.
Between 30-35,000 people made their way through the gates throughout the week, add that to the 400 volunteers and over 1000 competitors and it made for one mammoth event.
Warwick Show and Rodeo Society media coordinator Kate Christensen said the number of visitors was up on last year, with crowds on both Friday and Saturday night exceeding expectations.
Visitors from around Queensland, New South Wales and even Katherine made the trip.
"It proves that we're doing something right that people are coming back each year and they're bringing their mates along,” Mrs Christensen said.
Mrs Christensen said it a full year's worth of effort from the dedicated volunteers to put Australia's Most Famous Rodeo together.
"We couldn't do it without the volunteers and our great sponsors, you couldn't pick any one person who was better than any other,” she said.
"We just work so well as a team to put on this great event.”
The quality of the competition held up its end of the bargain, with Mrs Christensen saying many visitors were really impressed by the livestock.
"A lot of their comments were that it was the best cattle they'd seen for the Warwick Campdraft,” she said.
"It's a wonderful credit to the Campdraft Committee and Cattle Draft Committee, to produce what they did in the dry times we've seen.”
Warwick Show and Rodeo Society President Gerard said the crowd on Saturday night was the biggest he'd seen, while the entertainment provided by performers Mik Oberle and The Tony Q Band were second-to-none.
"It's become so well-known. They know it's a great week and I think people have got to know what's in place and we'll keep building on it from here on,” he said.
A strong contingent of young rodeo fans will help ensure the event continues to grow in years to come.
"We've got younger people coming into volunteer and young people on the management committee, so they'll keep following us and they're coming up with new ideas,” Mr O'Leary said.