Coobowie Rodeo
Did you know…
The site where you enjoy your family holidays and quiet getaways was originally the site of the Coobowie Rodeo?!
The Coobowie Rodeo, held annually in the picturesque town of Coobowie, South Australia, was a celebration of rural culture and a showcase of skilful horsemanship. Established in 1950, this event grew from a small local gathering into one of the region’s premier rodeos, attracting participants. 71 years ago, the first rodeo was held on the Yorke Peninsula on the 25th April 1950. After months of preparations by the newly formed Coobowie Rodeo Committee, the day finally arrived. President Keith Hart, Secretary Max Eichner, Assistant Secretary Bob Warren, along with their committee, spent many hours planning the stock yards, chutes and arena. Plans were obtained from the Gawler Rodeo Committee. Busy bees were held including the energetic committee and other locals, to erect yards, beginning in February and continued right through. Messrs Bartram, Short, Marshall and Eichner provided afternoon tea for the workers. It is estimated 3000 people attended and approximately 2000 cars surrounded the chosen arena on the day of the first rodeo. Admission for adults was 5 shillings and children 1 shilling.
Originally conceived to bring the community together and celebrate agricultural traditions, the rodeo featured traditional events such as bulldogging, calf roping, trick riding, buck jumping, and steer riding. Local and well-known riders (who were billeted by local families, creating long lasting friendships) entered in the Buckjumping Championship with first prize being 30 pounds. The wild steer first prize was 6 pounds, while bulldogging first prize was 15 pounds. Many steers were from Corny Point and brumbies from Queensland. Dan and Buddy Crotty from NSW, entertained the crowd with their trick horses. Dan and riders said it was “the best arena in the Commonwealth”. The Committee’s choice of site for the Rodeo could not have been better, being a flat piece of land for the arena, with excellent views obtainable from the rising ground to the South and North West; with sea as a background to it all. Coobowie was considered one of the best in Australia and lasted for 6 years. Over the years, it included various activities, from live music to local food stalls, creating a vibrant festival atmosphere.
As the rodeo evolved, it maintained a strong focus on promoting safety and the welfare of the animals involved. It highlighted the skills of competitors while emphasizing community spirit and showcasing the hard work of local families and organisations. A dance was held at the Coobowie Institute after the rodeo finished and parties continued in local’s homes well into the early hours of the next day. Entertainers performed with whips and horse tricks. Cowboy suits were the standard dress for all the boys. Trophy presentations were at the dance.
The rodeo ceased in 1955. One of the locals remembers a time when the area was used for football practice, once the rodeos finished up. The site transitioned into a caravan park in 1959, allowing visitors to enjoy the natural beauty of Coobowie while preserving the spirit of community that the rodeo fostered for decades. Today, the caravan park stands as a reminder of the rodeo’s legacy, continuing to attract visitors and celebrate the culture of the Australian outback.
Coobowie Rodeo Attracts Crowd
Pioneer (Yorketown, SA : 1898 – 1954), Thursday 22 March 1951, page 1, Trove
The Jubilee Rodeo last Saturday (second Rodeo at Coobowie) attracted over two thousand people. Although those attendance figures do not show a big increase on last year’s figures, the organisers of the Rodeo are satisfied that the widespread interest In both this and last year’s function is sufficient guarantee of future continued success.
It is probably still a little difficult for many folk to believe that Coobowie, a community of only a couple hundred people, could put on a show which is equal in importance to Rodeos organised by large towns in this and other states.
Rodeos everywhere in Australia have a very large following, attracting large crowds who are looking for entertainment with a real thrill. The riders who compete often barely have time to get from one rodeo to the next, so many are held throughout the country. These riders comprise mainly men from the cattle stations inland and men who have grown up with horses and follow the game for the love of it as much as for the stake money they have a chance of gaining.
Had the Coobowie Rodeo been below the standard of others in the Commonwealth, the interstate riders who attended last year would not have come again. As it was, there were many new faces among them. Those who were there last year were so impressed with the improvement in facilities and organisation on last year’s arrangements that they whole-heartedly endorsed the Committee’s decision to endeavour to have the Australian Championship contested at Coobowie within the next few years.
If the Australian Rough Riders’ Association grants permission for this, then Coobowie, in the eyes of the horsemen of the rodeo world, assumes real importance.
This year there was a much larger number of people from district away from the Peninsula in attendance. It is interesting to note, too, that in proportion Queensland was best represented among the riders.
An improvement this year from the public’s point of view was the introduction to the microphone of Bob Flicker as commentator “Flicker,” as he is more generally known to his 5 AD listeners, brought to the rodeo the same breezy patter enjoyed by his radio audience.
Unfortunately, the Committee’s attempt to subdue the dust was far from successful. It is one failing which will keep large numbers of people away from future events unless overcome. Alter lest year’s rodeo, a suggestion was made that couch grass be tried in the arena, but for some reason that was not tried. We believe, however, that the problem is to be tackled in time for next year’s rodeo.
The entries for Saturday’s event were so numerous that the Committee was forced to commence at 10.30 instead of 11 a.m. as previously planned.
Only local rider there were quite a number of entries from Peninsula horsemen’ to have a win was Doug Hart, who tied with an interstate man K. M. Rechstein’ for first place in the Novice Steer Ride, Brian Jolly, incidentally, was another local rider who gave a very good exhibition in this same event.
In the Special Calf Roping contest, each entrant was given ninety seconds to lassoo a calf, dismount and tie three of the animal’s legs to the satisfaction of the judge. Tom Willoughby roped his calves in the first heat and final in the shortest time, winning a special trophy (a magnificent hand-carved roping saddle made and donated by the famous trick rider, Dan Crotty) and a first prize of £10.
Some fine riding was witnessed in the Coobowie Buckjumping Championship. Johnny Roberts won with 162 points and Kevin McTaggart was second with 161 points. Kev, was second last year in this same event. Pat Clarke drew a local horse — Tom Butler’s (Minlaton) “Swivel.” This animal certainly lived up to its name—it just swivelled round and round, apparently trying to cause its rider to fall off with an attack of giddiness.
Dan and Buddy Crotty gave several exhibitions of superb trick riding, as well as competing in some events. They have recently returned from a tour of New Zealand.
Behind the scenes, or more accurately, behind the chutes, there were a lot of willing, if rather dusty, workers. Attending to the task of drafting the animals and getting them up to the chute were Ted Lyddon (Angaston), Garth Robinson of Yorketown, George Mumford (Brentwood), Ron Sherriff of Yorketown, Hartley Algie (from Edithburgh), Andy Preuss (also of Edithburgh), Gordon Bartram (Coobowie), Ralph Anderson (Stansbury), Mick Goldsmith and Jack Sherriff (Yorketown), Gilford Hancock (Edithburgh), Keith Algie (Oaklands) and a real veteran of rodeos, Hugh Mortimer, of Gawler. The lower end of Yorke Peninsula was pretty well represented there.
It pays to speak up ! So Bill Warby, (interstate man) thinks, anyway. One of the finalists in the Steer Riding Championship, he Jokingly appealed to his fellow riders to donate a special prize for fifth place, because he was “morally sure” to miss out on the big money. Fricker, hearing this, laughingly broadcast the appeal. To everyone’s surprise, it met with immediate response—the two Judges, Messrs. Quinlivin and Rowett, offering £1 each. Sure enough, Warby did come fifth. Then and there, the judges handed over the promised “consolation” prize.
PROCEEDS
Gate takings were £374 8, 11; luncheon £51 16: dance £54 11 and donations £24. Nominations brought in £42.
Prize-money of over £200 was the biggest item on the expense side.
The Rodeo Committee offers graceful thanks to the public for its support again this year; and to those many helper; who, before, during and after the event, toiled so willingly with a splendidly co-operathe spirit. The organisers of the function were also appreciative of Dan Crotty’s entirely unsolicited donation of a special trophy in the form of the riding saddle previously mentioned. This saddle, it is believed, Is worth somewhere about £50.
Dally Holden also earned the gratitude of officials for his very splendid performance as chute boss. Dally again this year accepted the responsibility of seeing that steers and horses were brought up to the chutes and released in good time, and he had the task of assigning the riders to their correct positions.
RESULTS
Novice Steer Ride
- Relchstcin and Doug Hart tied for first place; they shared the prize-money and drew for the trophy, which Reichstein won. Bill Henderson was third with 76 points.
Calf Roping Contest
Tom Willoughby (1277 sees.), Johnny Roberts (145) and Pat Clarke (85). Clarke did r.ot make time in the final.
Coobowie Steer Riding Champ.
Tom Willoughby 161 J, Dally Holden 161, Doyle Gill 160i and J. Roberts 157J. Bill Worby received a special 5th prize of £2.
Open Surcingle Ride
- McTaggart, T. Willoughby, Bill Warby and Johnny Roberts.
Bulldogging Contest
- McTaggart 131 sees., Dan Crotty 13 i’ and Bill Warby 16.
Buckjumping Championship
- Roberts (162). K. McTaggart <161), Pat Clarke (159i), M. McTaggart (1554). The prize for Pick-up men was given to Max McTaggart and J. Roberts.
Special Jubilee Trophy
The special Jubilee Trophy was awarded to Johnny Roberts, who gained 12 points to win it. A special prize of a steer-head lapel win was awarded to the boy selling most programmes on the ground; Ron “Short and J. Tape tied and were given a pin each.
Coobowie has had 3 schools. In 1873 Stephen Carter began teaching school in a building adjacent to the site of the Baptist Church, which was the first Institute. It is estimated that 29 scholars attended in 1873, 14 boys and 15 girls.
Approved teaches were paid 40 to 100 pounds per annum, according to classification. Parents paid 1/- per week per child for top classes, less for lower grades. These fees were collected by the teacher to augment the salary aid by the department. The Troubridge Board of Advise commences in 1877. Board members were nominated locally and confirmed by the Department of Education. Attendance of scholars with a radius of 2.5 miles was compulsory. The duties of the Board of Advise were to inspect schools, investigate complaints from teachers and parents, arrange repairs, call tenders and pay small amounts. It was necessary to obtain permission for payment above 5 pounds per annum per school.
Some schools were government owned, others provisional (not built on government land). Teachers were not allowed to teach children whose parents would not or could not pay. These cases were later investigated by the Board. In some instances, teaching was allowed without payment, others were ordered to pay by the court. The Board was a dedicated group, holding 113 meetings from Feb 1877 to June 1890.
On the 25th May 1886, the Education Department indicated that a wooden school and residence would be erected at Mt Melville. This could have been the school that later became Coobowie School. About 1890, Coobowie was pressing for more accommodation for the school children. Mr J C Noak, the teacher, reported there was seating for 30 pupils but the average attendance was 41.
It was about this tie the weatherboard school arrived from Mt Melville. We have been told Mr Henry Bartram assisted in moving the building intact, which was placed on his land on the north side of the Methodist Church. Photos show that in 1899-1919/1920 there were at least 53-55 pupils at the school. It would have been quite cramped.
In March 1920, the foundation for a new school was laid (in its current location) and was open for use by the start of school term in 1921. The school consisted of a 2-room stone building with a galvanised iron porch on the north side. This building was closed in 1971. In 1936, to commemorate South Australia’s Centenary, a sunken garden was built to the eastern side of the school. A plaque commemorating the event with the 25 pupils’ names and the teacher Mr Les Hewton, was also placed in the garden. This plaque has now been placed in storage for safe keeping.
During World War 2, they had trenches out in the yard in case of enemy attack. Built by the parents, they were 4ft6in deep and 3-4 ft wide, lined with sheets of iron and a gable roof. It was an L shape, around a pepper tree, inside the eastern side of the front gate. Yellow twin engine trainer planes used to come over from Adelaide. They were always flying low over the school. One pilot leant out and waved to the children.
Arbor Day was held each year, planting trees around the school and township. The high tides killed some of the trees before the sea wall was built. Other traditions included a rooster chase by the children and a game of basketball with the parents.
At the end of each year, after much practice, a school concert took place n the Coobowie Institute. A fitting end to a year of study.
According to a newspaper article dated 22/8/1941 – trees in the vicinity of the Coobowie School were planted in memory/honour of locals who had passed, including Moreton Bay fig trees. Could our fig tree in the campground be one of those?!
You will find many historical photos as well as a plaque of Coobowie Old Scholars and Teachers displayed inside the Coobowie Community Hall.
We have included “Coobowie by the Sea by Frances Low”. We believe that Frances was a teacher at the school and it is a song that she wrote.
Many thanks and credit goes to Marie Stanton for this insight and information of the history of the Coobowie School. Her dedication to collecting and sharing Coobowie’s History over many years is second to none. Marie and husband Malcolm, continue to be wonderful resources to the Coobowie Community to this day.
