A world champion bull rider and the unveiling of a memorial plaque to the designer of the Australian Campdraft Association logo will be part of the action at the Augathella Rodeo Grounds this weekend.
The honour to the memory of the late Bill Cox has been organised by founding ACA president Ashley McKay, who once had the exceptional Augathella artist as a neighbour at Mount Lindsay Station.
Ashley had seen Bill’s work previously, and knowing how good it was, commissioned him to create the organisation’s logo.
“Not one other horse organisation had a logo or artwork that compared to the artwork Bill did for the ACA,” Ashley said. “And he did it pro bono.”
He is still taken by the artwork and logo that Bill used to come up with his 1972 design, which is still in use today, along with the designs on the organisation's flag, badge, ROM and roll of honour certificates.
“Bill didn’t campdraft and horses weren’t his thing,” Ashley said.
“But he wanted to do something for his mates that were involved in campdrafting.
“He was pretty raw to rural life, but we ended up with many years of friendship.”
Bill’s artistic talent spread beyond the rails of the campdraft arena, into his local community, especially when he moved into town.
His friend and former neighbour Kent Russell instigated the memorial plaque and he said Bill was a community-minded man, who was always hard at work.
“If a school had a play on, he would make the backdrops and if the football club had a banquet, he would create a banner,” Kent said.
“Bill never campdrafted, but he was certainly a huge part of the association.”
So much so that he was inducted as an ACA honour roll recipient.
Now an Injune resident, Ashley will be returning to Augathella on Saturday for the memorial plaque unveiling, taking place at 11am, along with a number of Bill's friends and family.
World bull rider in town
Junior bull riders from Brunette Downs to the Atherton Tableland to Toowoomba and everywhere in between will be learning from one of the best in the business at Augathella throughout the weekend.
Three-time Brazilian world champion bull rider, Adriana Moraes, has flown in from overseas to conduct a school organised by Lane Frost Brand Australia.
There will be 25 of them, along with eight protection athletes from places such as Mackay and Woollongong.
Ex-bull rider Adrian Roots is the instigator of the world class learning opportunity, saying he chose Augathella as the venue because all the cool stuff usually happened on the coast, and so it was something for kids in the bush.
Adrian's son, Dustin Roots last year became the first junior bull rider from Australia to compete in the PBR world championship in Las Vegas.
He said the students would put on a jackpot bull ride on Saturday night to demonstrate the skills they'd taken in over the weekend.
Sally Gall
Based at Blackall, CW Qld, where I've raised a family, run Merino sheep and beef cattle, and helped develop a region - its history, tourism, education and communications. Get in touch at 0427 575 955 if you've got a story idea for me.
Based at Blackall, CW Qld, where I've raised a family, run Merino sheep and beef cattle, and helped develop a region - its history, tourism, education and communications. Get in touch at 0427 575 955 if you've got a story idea for me.
