Cape York Peninsula’s biggest annual event, the Laura rodeo and races, roared back to life over the weekend.

The tiny town of Laura, with a normal population of 200, swelled to around 3000 as thousands came from far and wide to be a part of what was once an annual event.

With no Laura weekend staged in 2020 or 2021 due to Covid, the pressure was on the volunteer organisers to deliver the goods for a spectacular return.

They did not disappoint.

The event was a massive hit with punters and the horse sports lovers, along with rodeo diehards, who travel from event to event across North Queensland.

Cowboy claims his fourth all rounder award at Laura

There’s just something about the Laura rodeo that gets the best out of Raymond Brown.

The 27 year old put on a clinic on Saturday and Sunday to claim three events and pick up his fourth all round cowboy award at Laura.

Riding time in both open saddle bronc events on two challenging steeds proved to be the key to Brown’s success, which he topped off with wins in the bushman’s saddle bronc event and the rescue barrels.

“I just love coming to Laura because it’s a great weekend with the races, campdraft and rodeo,” he said.

“Even if you didn’t win anything you’d have a great weekend.”

Brown runs his own horse breaking business in the small hamlet of Murray Upper, on the southern side of Tully.

He said he once chased the rodeo circuit in pursuit of glory, but now just stuck to the “fun bush events”.

“I’m very bloody sore today,” he said on Monday morning at the Mount Molloy rest stop.

The quality of the stock was superb all weekend, with just one open bullrider Anthony Ryan managing to record a score across the two days.

Sublime horsewoman Kelly Shephard won all round cowgirl for her efforts in the saddle.

Full pictorial feature in the digital issue.

This article appeared in Cape York Weekly, 28 June 2022.