Eight seconds is a long time when you're riding a bucking bronco or a raging bull – just ask the competitors at the Tua Marina Rodeo and vintage machinery field day yesterday.
About 3000 people gathered to watch the spectacle and the organisers say they had more entrants in the events than previous years.
The rodeo was an annual fundraiser for Tua Marina School, the township's vintage machinery club and residents' association and the Tua Marina Cowboys.
Jacinta Sheridan, who competed in the second division steer and bull ride, said her ride yesterday was the best she had done.
She had started at about three years old riding sheep and then graduated to calves and steers, she said.
There was a lot of mental preparation involved beforehand, but it helped to try and not think about the ride.
"It's easier to just get on and do it."
Among the other competitors was first-time rider Tom O'Sullivan, of Awatere Valley, who said he had been wanting to ride for a long time.
A workmate had been bullriding in Australia and talked about it all the time, he said.
The eight seconds which was the time required for each ride felt like a long time, he said.
Before his ride he went over what he needed to do in his head and also got tips from his workmate and from other riders, he said.
Competitor Robert Sheridan said he had only received bumps and bruises since he began riding about nine years ago.
The goal of many competitive riders was to break into the Australian or American rodeo circuit because there was more money involved, he said.
Another novice, Zhen Schruers, from Greymouth, rode a bull for the first time at a rodeo in Reefton the weekend before the Tua Marina Rodeo.
He was keen to carry on bull riding and other riders had been helpful and given him pointers, he said.
Mr Schruers did not stay on for the full eight seconds, but said while riding the bull he "zoned out" and just tried to hang on for as long as he could.
"[The time] goes way slower. It seems like you're on there for ages."
President of the organising committee Grant Sheridan said entries were up on previous years including 14 entries in the under 45kg calf ride which normally attracted about seven riders.
Twelve bronco riders had also entered this year compared with about six in previous years.
- The Marlborough Express
IMON WONG
Robert Sheridan in the bare back event
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