Mount Gambier’s Kade O’Dea has finished the rodeo season with a strong performance at the 2023 Australian Rodeo Association Ariat Australia Junior Nationals Finals rodeo hosted by Emerald Rodeo in Queensland on the weekend.
O’Dea, 15, was in the top spot of the 2023 junior standings team roping heeler heading into the competition.
The youngster won the pro tour buckle for team roping at the event for winning the most money over the whole year in the category.
“I feel like all the work has paid off,” he said.
“It is my best season yet and it has been good fun.”
He also claimed the Western Series buckle for the best combined performance at the Deniliquin, Finely and Homebush rodeos.
O’Dea earned third in the first round of the finals for the junior breakaway (4.55 seconds), first in the second round of the junior team roping (7.4 seconds) and competed in the open team roping.
“The weather was good and the presentation was all put together well,” he said.
“A few of my family members come up and watched me and cheered for me and my sponsors really helped me out.
“It was just good to know (my family) were watching and it just made it a bit better.”
O’Dea said he would like to thank his aunt and uncle Debbie O’Dea and David Shegog for taking him to his competitions which has seen him travel more than 30,000km this year.
The youngster was also well supported by Mount Gambier High School who sent schoolwork away with him.
O’Dea said while he performed well he feels he could have done better and looks forward to coming back stronger next season.
“I hope to make it in a few more different events … than I did this year and just be better,” the youngster said.
“I hope to improve even more than this year and hope to keep getting better as the years go on.”
O’Dea was one of only three South Australians competing in the finals and said he was proud to represent his home state.
“It feels good to know that I am leading in South Australia with some of my friends and it feels good to be able to beat some of the Queenslanders that do it all the time,” he said.
The young gun will gear up for the next rodeo season in November starting with Kapunda Rodeo.
