BALLARAT cowgirl Mallory Doyle has been Miss Rodeo Australia for nearly six months.
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Tomorrow night is the first time, though, she has been able to show off her crown in her home town.
Miss Doyle will lead the grand entry at the Ballarat Rodeo at 6.30pm, carrying the Australian flag ahead of some of Australia’s national champion bull and bronc riders.
However, it won’t be just about glamour for Miss Doyle on the night. After the grand entry she will pack away the silver crown and put on the spurs to compete in the barrel race event.
“I love the start of the rodeo, carrying the flag and hearing the national anthem. For me that is as important as the competing itself,” Miss Doyle said.
“I organise the grand entry. In Ballarat we are going to come out in pairs and split into a couple of figure eights. It’s about making it a bit more interesting for the audience.
“I’ll also be helping out behind the scenes, setting up the barrel for other competitors in the barrel race. I won’t get much opportunity to watch much of it myself.”
The 23-year-old has been competing in barrel racing for about five years, contesting Australia’s biggest rodeo in Mt Isa for the first time last year. Her best result to date was a fifth placing at Mt Isa.
As Miss Rodeo Australia, Miss Doyle visited flew to Canada and the United States last year, attending the Miss Rodeo Canada pageant in Edmonton, Alberta, and the Miss Rodeo America pageant in Las Vegas.
She has since travelled around South Australia and the rest of Victoria doing what is known as the “Christmas Run” in Australian rodeo, competing at each event in the barrel race.
“It will be great to be in Ballarat, having my family to support me doing what I do,” Miss Doyle said.
“They don’t often to get to go to events because of the travel, so this is the first time they will get to see me being Miss Rodeo Australia at a rodeo.”
Miss Doyle earned the title of Miss Rodeo Australia after raising funds for Ballarat Riding for the Disabled.
Profits for tomorrow night’s Ballarat Rodeo will go to Ballarat Riding for the Disabled as well as Beyond Blue.
gavin.mcgrath@fairfaxmedia.com.au
AT A GLANCE
WHAT: Ballarat rodeo
WHERE: Ballarat polocrosse fields
WHEN: tomorrow, gates open 5pm
HOW MUCH: adults $20, seniors $15, children under-16 $5