17-year-old Ashton Sweeney will head to Wyoming later this year to represent Australia at the National High School Finals Rodeo (NHSFR).
Ashton was selected to go to America after qualifying in the top four of the Australian High School Rodeo Association finals, which were held in Bendemeer earlier this year.
The Quirindi local is avidly preparing to head to America with his father, Jade Sweeney, in July.
“Bulls are his life at the moment, he’s just in love with it,” Mr Sweeney said.
The teen is a relative new comer to the sport, having only taken up bull riding in the last three years, but by all accounts, he’s a natural.
“He’s used to being around animals, his grandma owns a cattle property and I work with horses but it wasn’t until we moved to a new house a few years ago and had the set up for him to give bull riding a crack that the rodeo obsession started,” Mr Sweeney said.
“We’re so proud of him, ever since he first got on a bull, he’s just worked so hard at it, going to every rodeo and giving it his all.”
Ashton’s bull riding career so far has included eight wins, multiple places and two buckles in the last six months.
The NHSFR competition in Wyoming will be held over six days and will be fiercely contested.
“It’s big – there’s people coming to represent lots of countries internationally, plus competitors from all the American states.”
“We haven’t got the official schedule yet but he’ll have to compete in a number of heats and then hopefully make it to the finals.”
The main challenge for the family to focus on at this stage however, is to raise the funds to get there.
“We’re lucky he’s not into horses otherwise we’d have to worry about animal transport too but we’ve still got to get over there, with all his protective gear and stay for just over a week, it’ll be worth it but it’s expensive!” said Mr Sweeney.
The family has had a GoFundMe page set up since February, but are also holding a major fundraising event at the Imperial Hotel in Quirindi this Saturday night 6 April 2024, from 6pm.
The evening will feature performances by popular local music act the Dally Croft Band and the raffle that the family have been running for a few weeks now will also be drawn on the night.
“The community has been amazing. The raffle tickets have been selling like hotcakes and the support we’ve had from everyone has just been phenomenal,” said Mr Sweeney.
In another unique opportunity, the Sweeney family are also offering the chance to sponsor Ashton, either as a one off for his trip to America, or as an ongoing arrangement for his Australian competitions.
Ashton has long-term goals to move to America once he completes high school at the end of next year.
“That’s his dream, he’s so excited to get over to America this year. He knows the sport isn’t big enough in Australia for him to make a career out of it, and it’s hard in America too, but he knows that’s where he needs to be if he wants to go pro,” said Mr Sweeney.
For more information on how to donate to Ashton’s fundraising efforts, visit his Go Fund Me page or see the event page on Facebook for the fundraising event at the Imperial Hotel.
Ashton’s bull riding journey can be followed on his Instagram page.
(Top image: Ashton Sweeney in action